Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-10
GEN. PEMBERTON'S
Version Of His Memorable Interview
with General Grant Before the
Fall of Yieksburg.
How the Demand for Unconditional
Surrender" Was Reeeived-Inter.
esting Correspondence.
Little Rock ARK aaaette

version of the interview between Genera
Grant and myself on the afternoon OF Jul,
8. 1868, in front of the Confederate lines a
Vicksburg. Ii you will refer to the frs
volume OF Badeau's Life Of .. S. Grant, yol
will Ind marked discrepancy between tina
authors account OF it and mine do no
fear, however, to trust to the honest memory
OF any officer then present to confirm
the statement / shall make. Passin!
over all preceding events, / come a
once to the circumstance that brough
about the personal interview referred TO
Feeling assured that it was useless to hop,
longer for any assistance from Genera
Johnston, either to raise the siege OF Vicks
burg or to rescue the garrison, I summoned
division and brigade comm anders, with one
| or two others, to meet in my quarters on the
night OF tue I'd OF July. All the correspond
ence that had taken place during the siegt
| between General Johnston and myself wa.
laid before these officers. After much con
| sideration it was advised that / address q
note to General Grant, proposing the ap
| pointment of commissioners 10 arrange term,
of capitulation. The following, having beer
read to the council and approved, was SEM
| 10 General Grant under flag of truce, by
the hands of M jor- General J. 8. Bowen, or
the morning of the 3D.:
VIcHsBURa, July 8, 1s63
| Major-General Grant, Commanding United State.
Forces near Vicxsburg Miss.
GENERAL-1 have the honor to propose
| TO you an srmstice of - hours, with a
view TO arrange terms for the capitulation
| of Vicksburg. To this end, if agreeable to
| you, will appoint three commissioners to
\ meet a like number to be named by yourself
at such place and hour to-day as you may
| lind convenient. Imake this PROPOSITION 10
| save the further effuslon of blood, W hich must
| otherwise be shed TO frightfui extent,
| feeling myself fully able 10 maintain my
position for yet indefinite period This
communication will be handed to you under
fig of truce by Msjor-General John s.
Bowen. l am, general, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
Lieutenant-Gene Comm anding.
In due time time the following reply was
handed to me:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
NEAR VIcKsBURG, July 3, 1865.
Li-utenant-G General john c. Pemberton, Com
mapding Confederate Forces, etc.:
GENERALITY our note of this date is lust
received proposing an armistice flor several
hours for the purpose OF arranging terms of
cspitulation through commissioners to be
appointed, etc. The useless efusion of blood
your propose stopping by This course can be
ended at any time you may choose by I'M
conditional surrender of the city and garri-
son. Men who have shown so much en-
DURANGO and courage shown now in
Vicksburg will always challenge the re-
spect of an adversary, and / can assure you
will be treated with all the respect due to
prisoners of war. do not favor the PROPOSE
lion of appointing commissioners to arrange
the terms Of cspilulation, because have no
terms other than those indicated above. 1
am, general, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
is. GRANT, Major General
az once expressed TO General Bowen my
determination not to- surrender uncondi-
tionally. He then STAGED that General Grant
would like to have an interview with me if
was so disposed, and would meet me at
designated point between the two lines at
O'Clock pm on that day. / was not aware
that the suggestion had originated with
General Bowen, but acceded 10 the proposed
meeting at the joint request of my four
division commanders. On reaching the
place appointed, accompanied by Major
General Bowen and Colonel Montgomery,
then temporarily serving on my personal
staff, found General Grant and a number
of his generals and other officers already
arrived and dismounted. To the general
whom my acquaintance dated /
80 far-hanlS ne the Mexican Har-as we'll as
10 several of the group who surrounded
him, l was formally introduced by General
Bowen.
After few remarks and inquiries on /
either side, pause ensned, which was pro- |
Ionged on my part in expectation that I
General Grant would introduce the subject |
he discussion OF which l supposed TO be the |
object Of our meeting. Finding that he did l
not do so, | said to him that l understood he .
mad expressed wish 10 have a personal /
with me. He replied tn It be had |
rot. / was much surprised, and turning to
General Bowen, remarked: "Then there is
. Misunderstanding. / certainly understood
differently" The matter, however, was
satisfactorily explained to me in few
vord4, the mistake, no doubt, having been |
.ntirely my own. Again addressing General
irant, said: "In your letter this morning
-ou stated that you have no other terms
han an unconditional surrender" He
answered promptly: 81 have no other" To
his reioined: "Then, sir, it is unnecessary
hat you and should hold anv further con-
-ersation; we will go to fighting again
t once" and l added, 81 can assure
ou, sir, you will bury many more OF
our men before you will enter Vicksburg."
ieneral Grant did not, as Bsdeau represents,
eply, Very WE'LL" nor did he "turn off,"
lie did not change his position, nor did he
tter word. The movement TO withdraw,
0 far as any movement was made, was on
~ part, and was accompanied by the re-
lark that if he General GRANT, supposed /
Ias suffering for provisions he was mistaken;
hat had enough 10 last me for an indefinite
eriod and that Port Hudson was better
applied than Vicksburg. General Bowen
lsde no suggestion whatever iu regard to a
onsultstiou between any parties during this
1terview, as he is represented to have done
Y Badeau. But General Grant did at this
me propose that he and should step aside |
nd on my asserting he added that ii / had
o objection he would take with him Cen
rails Mcpherson and A. ]. Smith. Ireplied,
Certainly" and that General Bowen and
olouel Montgomery would accompany
le. General Grant then suggested that these
withdraw and see whether on
1nsultstion they could not arrive at some
satisfactory arrangement. II will be readily
that / offered no objection 10 this
purse, as it was in fact Withdrawal by
eneral Grant from the position he had j
, unqualifedly assumed, to-wit: uncondi- 6
onal surrender, and it really submitted, as I
had desired it should, the discussion of the t
1es.ion of terms to a commission, although I (
at commission was now necessarily an i'm
romptu one.
Pending the interchange of views by the G
Ulcers named, General Grant and / re-
aimed apart from them, conversing only !
pom topics that brought us together. The 9
rms which the commission agreed to pro- +
,se were in the main those that were after :
ard proffered by General Grant and evsntu- ,
~ acc ptcu ny Iue. DurlDS THIS uiSCuoSlOu | 4
stated TO him that he declined 10 APP :
lint commissioners when invited to do so )
me, it was now his part TO propose the i
rms. He agreed to this, aud said / should a
ar from him by 10 o'clock pm. When :
,out to part l notified General Grant thai \
held myself in no manner pledged to any r
reement, but should consult my division !,
ID brigade commanders. He replied that L
must understand him in the like manner, y
ID that he too should consult his corps COM {,
anders. With this our interview ended.
Mr.. Badesu's statement is a misrepresent- :.
ion of the facts as they occurred, and, a
neither intentional or otherwise, conveys y
Ise impression 10 his readers. If he was =
esent al the interview, he knows; If he was "
sent he could readily have ascertained :,
at after General Grants verbal declaration =
81 be had no terms other than uncondi- -
mai surrender, all suggestions and all =
erlures looking TO terms arose directly .
,m General Grant himself, and neither .
recly nor indirectly from me or my subor- y
mates. There was no display OF indiffer- =
ce BY General Grant as to the result Of !:
is interview, nor did be feel Indifferent y
the night OF the 81 of July dispatch vas II +.
ercs pied by my sigoal officer from Admi-
Porter to General Grant. The former in *
ired as to the chances OF surrender on the "a
D. General Grant replied through the !"
ne medium, mentioning in a general way =
terms offered, stating that the arrange =
mt was against his feelings, but that his =
cers advised it on the ground that II would ~
e his river transportation for other impor-
N macs