Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-08-03
NO.. 49,.
A MEMORABLE SIEGE.

The siege OF Vlcksburg lasted for for
ty-seven days, and during that time Gen.
Pemberton, with his army of 27 900 men
made stubborn resistance, refusing to
surrender the city, althoug gh from the
first day it was as certain as any future
event in war can be that there was no
hope Of a successful Defense Without
was Grant, with magnificent army of
10000 men, we'll disciplined, with plenty
Of food, and with all the ammunition
which they required. Within was Gen.
Pemberton, brave man, but with an
army demoralized with defeat, fed upon
scanty rations, and without ammunition
enough to make any effective destruction
in the ranks of the enemy When the
siege began Gen. Pemberton announced
that there was food enough in the city to
last forty days, and he declared his in
tention of holding Vickskurg until the
last ration was consumed. Within
twenty days he found that he had over
estimated the quantity of food in the
city, and the soldiers were put on half
rations. They sickened by the score,
and before the siege came to an end two
fifths of them were either wounded or in
the hospitals, only the remaining three
fifths being fit for duty in the trenches.
The supply of food for the citizens began
to give out. Flour rose in price to ST.
900 barrel, and it was difficult to Sc
cure it at any price during the last days.
The water in the cisterns were kept for
the exclusive use of the citizens, and the
soldiers were forced to rely upon the
muddy waite" of the Mississippi, which
had to be drawn from the river, exposed
to the fire of the Union men. Finally
meat became scarce, and Gen. Pember-
ton, in order to exc out the scanty supply
had peas ground up and mixed with it,
and from this combination a peculiar
kind of bread was made and dealt out to
the soldiers as rations The experiment
was not a happy one, however The
soldiers sickened on this pea bread, and
after a few trials it was abandoned as
worse than worthless
Meantime the beleagured city had be-
come scene of terror and woe. The
Union forces began a bombardment al
most as soon as the lines were formed,
and the shells from their mortars were
constantly exploding in the streets and
on the tops of houses. Men and women,
as well as the Confederate soldiers, were
in constant danger, whether they walked
the streets or remained shut up in their
houses The churches were considered
SO dangerous as forming targets for the
Shells that all religious services were
given up, and during the entire siege not
a bell was rung to call the citizens TO
prayers. On the night of June 9th, a
shell exploded on the roof of a wooden
ouse, and great fire broke out, which
destroyed several buildings and much
valuable property. Another shell burst
through the roof Of the court house,
which had been converted into a hospit-
al, killed three of the wounded soldiers
and added to the broken legs and arms of
several others The three dead men
were taken out to be buried in the ceme-
terry, and two of the men engaged in this
last act of devotion were killed at their
work by the bursting of shell in their
midst. The cemetery itself was fairly
riddled with shells. Vicksburg hangs
upon the side of hill, and whenever the
end of street left the side of hill ex-
posed the citizens burrowed into it, and
made for themselves caves in which to
take refuge from the fiery storm. Here
the women of the city were housed dur
ing the latter days of the siege, the men,
as a general thing, to their credit, declin-
ing to seek this safety for themselves
while women was left unsheltered.
In the midst of all this misery and ter
ror Gen. Pemberton maintained his
hopeless resistance to the besieging army
until his army was reduced to quarter
rations, and scarcely mouthful of food
remained, even to the more well-to-do
citizens, who could afford to pay we'll for
it. Then, when all hope Of succor from
without had vanished, and he saw his
men starving about him he ran up the
white flag for parley He asked that
the terms of surrender might be submit
ted to three commissioners on each side
for decision. Gen. Grant declined to
grant this request, but offered to meet
Pemberton himself and agree upon the
terms. The two generals met, and after
brief and courteous conference, Gen.
Grant sent his ultimatum to Pemberton,
by Gems. Logan and Wilson. Pember-
toms request that the men should march
out was met with the blunt answer, mot
except prisoners of war" Grant insisted
that every officer and man should be pa
rolled over his own signature. He allow
ed each soldier, however to carry his pri-
yate kit, the officers their side arms, and
the field officers their horses. These
terms were accepted, and on the 4tL of
July, 1868, after siege of forty seven
days, Vicksburg was surrendered.
After the surrender, Gen. Pemberton
resigned his commission as lieutenant
general, and was made inspector of artil-
lery, commanding at Charleston. At the
close of the war he went to Warrenton,
Fauquier county, Va, and settled down
on farm, where he remained until a
few years ago, when he returned to
Pennsylvania, his native state, where he
died.