The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-04

johnson whom all our officers remember
ed as power among the old officers, high
above Grant, myself or anybody else, led
the enemy on that battlefield, and I al
most wonier how We conquered. But as
remarked it was contest for manhood
man to man-soldier to soldier. We
fought, and we held our ground, and
therefore accounted ourselves victorious.
[Oheers.1 From that time forward we
had with US the prestige; that battle was
worth millions and millions to US by rea-
son of the fact Of the courage displayed by
the brave soldiers on that occasion and
from that time to this, never heard of
the first want Of courage on the part of
our northern soldiers. Cheers It then
became game of grand war; armies
were accounted equal, and skill and gen.
eralship came into play. We gained there
by the movement on Corinth which Hal
. leck designed here; there his command
ceased, and new shuttle of the cards of
war was made. Halleck went to the East
and Grant to theS but summer over
took US with heat, and we could not march.
Northern Mississippi was dry as ashes it
was impossible for men to live and march
from stream to stream, and to follow the
roads that lie between these; men would
have parched with thirst, overcome by
heat. Therefore we delayed until fall,
and late that fall, met Grant by appoint
ment at Columbus; there again we went
over the map, and the next thing was to
break the line on the Tallahatchie. Many
of you here remember that movement.
You citizens do not understand it all, for
never yet have seen newspaper account
OF it that approximates to the truth.
(Laughter.] Pemberton commanded the
army of the confederacy in our front. We
had superior numbers; our men were
scattered, and we first concentrated
on the Tallahatchie, below Holly Springs.
Grant moved direct Oh Pemberton, while
| moved from Memphis, and struck direct
ly into Grenada, and the first thing Penn
berton knew the depot Of his supplies was
almost in the grasp of small cavalry
force, and he fell into confusion, and gave
us the Tallahatchie without battle But
with some people an object gained without
battle'is nothing. But war means sue
cess by any and every means; it is not
fighting alone. Bulls do that, and bears,
and all beasts, but men obtain objects by
intellect, and the introduction of physical
power, moved upon salient points. And
so we gained the Tallahatchie, and al
though hardly a gun was fired, yet we
0gained battle equal in its results to any
other battle on earth. [Cheers.1 1t gave
us uninterrupted possession Of the resources
of that couEtry; and that country has been
in our possession ever since, in military
sense. Then came the great campaign of
your river, upon which you and I and all
of us were more deeply interested than in
any other that can ever be developed by
any war on this continent. The posses
sion of the Mississippi river is the possess
sion of America lcheersl and / say had
the Southern Confederacy (cali it by what
name you may), had that power represent
ed by the Southern Oonfederacy, held
with grip sufficiently strong, the lower
part of the Mississippi river, we would
have been a subjugated people, and they
would have dictated to us if we had given
up possession of the lower Mississippi 1t
was vital to us, and we fought for it and
won it. We determined to have it, but
we could not go down with our frail boats
past the batteries ofVicksburg. 1t was o
physical impossibility, therefore; what
was to be done? After the Tallahatchie
line was carried, Vicksburg was the next
point. l went with small and hastily
collected force and repeatedly endeavored
to make lodgment on the bluff between
Vicksburg and Haines' bluffs, while Gen.
Grant moved with bis main army so as to
place himself on the high plateau behind
Vicksburo, but "man proposes and God
disposes," and we failed on that occasion.
then gathered my hastily. collected force
and went down further, and then, for the
first time, I took Gen. Blair and his bri-
gade under my command. On the very
day had agreed to be there I was there,
and we swung our fianks around, and the
present Governor of Missouri fell prison.
er to the enemy on that day. We failed.
waited anxiously for cooperating force
inland and below US, but they did not
come, and after had made the assault l
learned that the depot at Holly Springs
had been broken up, and that General
Grant had sent me word not to attempt
it. But it was too late. Nevertheless, al
though we were unable to carry it at first,
there were other things to be done. The
war covered sucL vast area there was
plenty to do. thought of. that affair at
Arkansas Post, although others claim it.
and they may have it if they want it. We
cleaned them out there, and General
Grant then brought bis whole army to
Vicksburg, and you in st. Louis remember
well that long winter-how we were on
the levee, with the waters rising and
drowning Us like muskrals; how we were
seeking the channel through Dear Greek
and Yazoo Pass, and how we finally cut q
canal across the peninsula In front of Vicks-
burg. But all that time the true move
ment was the original uovsmsat and eve