The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-07-26

e~aan shese man would have psriahed wan 4
thirst !: bean overcome with heat. Inerefore
We DELAYED until fall, and late that fall met
Grant bv appointment at Columbus; there
-, vsnt over the map, and the next
-. -. ,he linson the Tallahaschie. Many
- In h.re remember shat moment. You
c;s;ysns 40 not understsnd it ell. for l never
hsve vet seen Newspaper account OF II tnat
. rnroximsses to the truth. Ian ghter T.
Psmbsrson commanded the army Of the CON
,f.deracy in our front. We had superior num- |
hers: our men were scattered, and We first
concentrated on the TaIlahstchie, below Hol'
ly springs. Grant moved direct OF .Pember-
Ton. while moved from Memphis and struck
directly into Grenada. and the + 1t thing |
Pemberton knew the depot OF BIS supplies
was almost in the grasp Of sms casairy
force and he fell into confusion, az ave US
the Tsllahatchie without a battle. WIN
come people an object gained without - os.-
tie is nothing. But war means success oy
any and every means, it Is not hght aiooe
Bulls do that, and bears ana All nsss u.s. Iu'
t,oduotion OF ply sical power, moved upon
s.Iieut points. And SO we gained the Tslla-
harchis, and, although hardly gun was mr.
ed, vet we gained q battle equal in It's results
10 any other battle on earth. Cheers il
gave US uninterrupted possession of north
ern Mississippi and undisputed possession OF
the resources of that country; and that coun-
try has been in our possession ever since, In
military sense.
Then came the great campaign OF your riy'
er, upon which you and and all of as were
more interested than in any other that can
ever be developed by any war on this conti-
nsnt. The possession of the Mississippi riv-
| or is the possession of America, cheers and
| say that had the southern contsderacy-
| fcall il what you may)-had that power rep
| resented by the southern oontederacy held
with grip sufficiently strong the lower part
| of the Mississippi river, we would have been
a subiugssed people, and they would have
dictated to us if we had given up the pos
session of the lower Mississippi. IL was
/ vital to us, and we fought for IL and won it.
We determined to have it, but We could not
go down with our frail boats past the batter
| les of Vicksb lrg, 1t was physical impos-
| sioility, therefore what was 60 be done p
| After the Tailahatchie line was carried Nicks-
burg was the next point. / went with q
| small and hastily collected force. and repeat
| edly endeavored to make q Judgement on the
| bluff between Vicksburg and Haines' bluffs
while Gen, Grant moved with his main army
so as TO place himself on the high plateau
behind Vicksburg. but imam proposes and
God dispoces," and we failed On that occasion
| then gathered my hastily collected force
and went down further, and then. for the rst
time, / took Gen. Blair and his brigade IN
der nv command. On the very day had
agreed to be there was there, and we swung
our TANKS around, and the present governor
of Missouri fell prisoner to the enemy on
that day. We failed. / waited anxiously
for a CO operating force inland and below Us,
but they did not come, and alter had made
the assault learned that the depot ct Holly
Springs had been broken up, and that Gen
Grant had sent word not to attempt 1t. But
it was TO late. Nevertheless, although we
were unable to carry it first, there were other
things TO be done. The war covered such n
vast area there was plenty to do. | thought o.
that affair at Arkansas Post although other,
claim it they may have it if they want it
We cleared them out of there, and Genera
Grant then brought his whole army to Vicks
burg. and YOU in St. Louis remember wei
that winter-how we were on the levee, Will
} the waters rising and drowning US like musk
rats how we were seeking cham eis through
Deer creek and Y azI pass aud how we
finally cut a canal across the peninsula, II
front of Vicksburg. But all that time tn,
true movement was the original movement
and every thing now experimenting to it cam,
AchTcE luc DuS VIC COuiu .loe uihhc
retrOgrade movement. Hhy? Because you,
people of the north were so noisy. We cOulC
not take any step backward, md for tina
reason we were forced to run ths at.eries AT
VIcksburg, and make a lodgeh.. Mt on the
ridges on some of the bluffs below V.uxsburg
1t Is said | prO'e'ted against it. lie is folly
| never protested In my lite-never. Laugh
ther On the contrary, Gen. Grant rested
ON me probably more responsibility even thar
any other commander under him. For bt
wrote to me: 81 want yuu to move upon
Haines' Bluffs, To enable me to pass to the
next fort below, Grand Gulf. i hate to all
you because the tervor of the north will ao
cuse you of being reDellious again" Laugh
ter | love Grant for his kindness. | did
make.the fein ton Haines' bluff, and by that
means Grant ran the blockade easily 10 Grand
Gulf, and made a Judgement down there and
got his army up ON the high plateau In the
rear of Nicksburg, while you people here
were beguiled into the belief that Sherman
was again repulsed But we dij not repose
confidence in every body. Then followed the
movement on jackson, and the 4th OF July
placed us in possession of that great strong
hold, Vicksburg, and then, as Mr.. Lincoln
said, "the Mississippi went unvexed to the
sea-"
| From that day tn this, this war has been
virtually and properly settled. Ii was Ger
| taInty, then. They would have said. I'VE
give up" but Davis would not ratify it, and
| he had them under good discipline, and there,
fore it WAS necessary to fight again. Then
came the affair of Chickamauga The army
of the mississippi lying along its banks were
called into new field of action, so one morn
ing early got orders to 60 to Chattanooga.
did not know where it was hardly. Laugh
ter. did not know the road to go there
But found it and got there in time; Laugh