Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-08
GRANT AND PEMBERTON.
Their Memorable Interview Before
Vicksburg.

Little Rock (Ark) Gazette, July 30.
The following, never before published,
has been placed at the disposal Of the I'd
zstts:
PHILADELPHIA, June IL, 1915.
COL John r Nicholson
DEAR SRI give you with pleasure my
version of the interview between General
Grant and myself on the afternoon Of July
3, 1853, In front Of the Confederate lines 81
VicksbuTg. II you viii refer to the nrst
volume Of Badesu's "Life of Q. 5. Grant, ="
you will find marked discrepancy between
that authors account of it and mine. 40
not fear, however. to trust to the honest
memory Of any officer then present 70 con-
firm the statement / shall make. RAISING
over all preceding events, come at once 70
the circumstance that brought about the
personal interview referred to.
Feeling assured that It was useless 10
hope longer for any assistance from zen.
Johnston, either to raise the siege OF NlcKs-
burg or to rescue the garrison, sum
moned division and brigade commanders,
with one or two others, to meet IN my
quarters on the night Of the second OF JulY.'
All the correspondence that had taken
place during the siege between Gen. Jonn-
ston and myself was laid before these ON
GERS. After much consideration IL was ad-
vised that address a note TO Gen. Grant,
sioners to arrange terms Of capitulatlon
The following, having been read to the
council and approved, was sent to zen:
Grant under flag of truce by the hands OF
Major General }. 8. Bowen on the morning
of the Sd:
VIoKsBURG, July 3, 1868.
Major General Grant, Commanding United
States Forces Near TicesbltTg, Miss;
GENERAL have the honor to propose to
you an armistice Of - hours, with view
TO arrange terms for the capitulation OF
Vicksburg. To this end, II agreeable to
you. win appoint three commissioners to
meet a like number to be named by yourself
at such place and hour to-day as you may
fnd convenient. make this proposition to
save the further effusion of blood, which
must otherwise be shed to a frightful eX-
tent, feeling myself fully able to maintain
my position for yet indefinite period. This
communication will be handed you under a
flag of truce bv Major General John s.
Bowen. l am, General, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
JOHN c. PEMBERToN,
Lieutenant General Commanding.
In due time the following reply was hand
ed to me:
HEADo'TERs Dept OF THE TENNESSEE,
NEAR VICKsBURG, July 3, 1858
Lieut.. Gen John c. PensbertOn, Commanding
GENERAL-Your note Of this date is just
received proposing an armistice for several
hours for the purpose OF arranging terms OF
espitulation through commissioners to be
Amounted. ETC. The useless effusion of
blood YOU propose stopped by this course
can be ended at any time you may choose
by an unconditional surrender OF the city
and garrison. Men who have shown so
much endurance and courage as shown now
hall &kiar
spect of an adversary, and l can assure you
will be treated with all the respect due to
prisoners Of war. l do not favor the prOpo-
sition of appointing commissioners to ar
range the terms of capitulation, because
have no terms other than those indicated
above. | am, General, very respectfully,
your obedlent servant,
U. 8. GRANT, General.
[ at once expressed to General Bowen my
determination not to surrender uncondi-
tionslly. He then stated that Ger. Grant
would like to have an interview with me II
| was SO disposed, and would meet me at a
designated point between the two lines at
D. m. that day. | was not aware that the
suggestion had originated with Gen. Bowen,
but acceded to the proposed meeting at the
Joint request of four division commanders.
On reaching the place appointed, accomps-
MED 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 himself-with whom my ac-
uuaintance dated as far back as the Mexican
War-as we'll as to several of the group who
surrounded him, was formally introduced
by General Bowen.
After q few remarks and inquiries on
either side, pause ensued, which was pro
longed on my part in expectation that
General Grant would introduce the subj
the discussion OF which l supposed to be
the object of our meeting. Finding that he
did not do so, said to him that | under
stood he had expressed wish to have q
personal interview with me. He replied that
he had not. l was much surprised, and,
turning to General Bowen, remarked:
ssThen there is a misunderstanding l GER
tainly understood differently" The matter,
however, was satisfactorily explained to me
in a few words, the mistake, no doubt,
having been entirely my OVID. Again ad-
dressing General Grant, | said: "ln
your letter this morning. you state
that YOU have no other terms
than an unconditional surrender" He
answered promptly, SCI have no other" To
this l reioined "Then, sir, it is unneces-
sary that you and l should hold any further
conversation; we will go TO fighting again
at once" aud | added, 81 can assure you,
sir, you will bury many more OF your men
before YOU will enter Vicksburg." General
Grant did not, as Bsdeau represents, reply,
every WE'LL" nor did he ''turn off," He
did not change his position, nor did he utter
a word. The movement to withdraw, so
far as apy movement was made, was on my
part, and was accompanied by the remark
that II he General Grant, supposed | was
suffering for provisions he was mistaken
that had enough 10 last me for an indef
mite period. and that Port Hudson was better
supplied than Vicksburg. General Bowen
made no suggestion whatever In regard to
a consultation between any parties during
this interview, as he is represented
10 have done by Badeau. But Gen
eral Grant did at this time propose
that he and l should step aside, and on my
asserting. he added that II had no obtec-
ton he would take with him Generals Nc
Pberson and A. j. Smith. l replied GER
tainlv. and that General Bowen and Colonel
Montgomery would accompany me. Gen
Grant then suggested that these gentlemen
withdraw and see whether on consultation
thew could not arrive at some satisfactory
arrangement. It will be readily understood
that offered no objection to this course, as
It was In fact a withdrawal by Gen. Grant
from the position he had so unqualihedly
assumed, to wit, unconditional surrender,
and 1t really submitted, as | had desired II
should. the discussion of the question of
terms to commission, although that COM
mission was now necessarily an tmpromptu
one.
Pending the interchange of views by the
officers named, Gen. Grant and | remained
apart from them, conversing only upon
topics that had no relation to the important
subject that brought US together. The
terms which this commission agreed to pro-
nose were in the main those that were after
ward proffered by Gen. Grant and eventually
accepted by me. During this discussion
stated to him that as he declined to appoint
commissioners when invited to do so by me,
It was now his part to propose the terms.
He agreed to this and said | should hear
from him by 10 p. m. When about to part
| notified Gen. Grant that ! held myself In
no manner pledged to any agreement, but
should consult nv division aud brigade
commanders. He replied that must under
stand him in the like manner, and that lie
should consult his corps commanders. Win
this our interview ended.
Mr.. Badeau's statement is a misrepresen-
tation of the facts as they occurred, ana
whether intentional or otherwise, conveys a
false impression to his readers. II he was
present at the interview, he knows; IL ne
was absent, he could readily have sscer-
tanned that after General Grants verbal
declaration that he had no terms other than
unconditional surrender, all suggestions and
all overtures looking to terms arose directly
from General Grant himself, and neither
directly nor indirectly from me or my sub
ordinates There was no display OF in
difference by General Grant as to the
result of this interview, nor did ne
feel Indifferent. On the night OF the Sd OF
July dispatch was intere pied by my signal
officer from Admiral Porter to General
Grant. The former inquired as to the
chances Of surrender on the 9Th. General