Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-04-23

1
and broke down the rest of it. Grant
now established his headquarters at
Memphis, Jan. 10, 1868, and moved his
army toward his goal by water. On the
I'd of February he reached Young j
point, little above the city; his army
was already there and at Milliken's
bend, just below.
His purpose was one; to get his army
across TO the Vicksburg side and
thence to prosecute his attack. First
he tried a canal across the neck of the
river peninsula opposite Vicksburg.
| Through this, II he could get the water
to accept it as new bed, he could take
his forces below the city, out of reach
| of its guns, and cross over. But a
| flood burst into the unfinished canal,
and drowned out the plan. Then he
tried to clear out longer water-route
to do the same thing, through string
i OF bayous and rivers back in the Louis
lana swamps. A fall in the river broke
| up this plan, as rise had done that
before it. Then he tried a longer route
of the same sort, beginning at Lake
/ Providence, seventy-five miles north of
Vicksburg, but it was found impracti-
cable. Then resorting to the east side
OF the Mississippi, he sent a naval ex-
| pedition to try penetrate Yazoo pass,
and then through the uncomfortable
tangle of the YaZoo swamps and their
rivers to get behind the outer confeder-
ate defenses north of Vicksburg, and so
make Judgment. But this plan was
checkmated by the hasty erection in
the heart of the swamp region, at the
| junction of the Tallahatchee and Yazoo
rivers, of a powerful fort, which the
| fleet tried in vain to silence. Then he
sent another fleet to try another part
OF the same monstrous tangle, by the
way of the Big Sunilower river, but
that effort miscarried, much as the pre-
ceding one did.
The obstinate commander had now
tried six assaults upon his prey. and
had been busily working at his failures
| for nearly four months. March 20,
1868, he set his forces in motion for the
| seventh and successful effort. This
was by what he had in fact recognized
| from the beginning as the best line of
| operation-by the south. 1t was, how
ever, also the most difficult. As one of
| the historians of the war observes. n
| measure of the difficulties offered is
| given by the fact that Gen. Sherman
was not disposed to advise it. The
same writer adds: lit can only be said
| that there was that i'll the composition
OF Gen. Grants mind that prompted
him to undertake that which no one
else would have advcntured. At mid
night the gunboat and fleet of trans
| ports ran the gantlet of the enemy's
| batteries, and although many steamers
were destroyed or damaged, enough
remained serviceable to answer the
purpose in view. The army then
marched down the Louisiana shore.
and, although the enemy cut the levees
and Hooded the country, by patiently
building bridges and corduroy roads
the advance succeeded in reaching
Hard lines landing, eighty-iive miles
distant. 1t was then ascertained that
Grand gulf, on the opposite side of the
river, was strongly fortified, and an
attack made by the gunboat fleet was
repulsed. Again the gantlet was run
| by the fleet. and the army moved ten
miles further down. In the various
operations a month had been con-
sumed.
At Bruinsburg two army corps were
ferried across the Mississippi, Grant
! being the first man to land. AT Port
| Gibson the enemy was encountered
| and defeated, which su cess flanked
Grand gulf, and it fell, with many
heavy guns and trophies. A thousand
| prisoners and five cannons were capt
,sD l.. i
Pemberton's army in Vicksbtfg, John
ston commanded strong force at
jackson, to meet which Banks had re-
fused to move from Port Hudson. At
Grand gulf, Grant established his base
of supplies, and the army moved in
| land without wagons and with only
| few days rations distributed TO the
men. At Raymond two brigades of the
| enemy was dispersed. A sudden move
was made on jackson, and on April IA
Johnston's army was encountered and
beaten and the city captured. Grant
then wheeled about and moved rapidly
upon Vicksburg. At Champion Hill
Pemberton army was found drawn
up in line in u strong position. A
fierce conflict ensued, which resulted
in victory for the union arms and the
capture of eight cannon and one thou
sand prisoners. On the following
morning the enemy's intrenchments at
Black river were stormed, and Is cam
non and l 800 prisoners were captured.
Haines' bluff was next seized, and COM
munications were established with the
supply steamers on the Mississippi, and
on the 18th of May the army stretched
around Vicksburg from the river above
to the river below. On the 10Th and
22d grand assaults were made on the
city's defenses, with heavy loss, and
it became apparent that only siege
operations remained to the assailants.
On the 4th of July, after siege that
had attracted the attention of the
whole civilized world. the great citadel
capitulated, with 81. 620 men, 20 gen
erals, innumerablc standards, sol
pieces of artillery. and 5000 stands of
arms. During the campaign the enc
my lost 800 men. and Grant 1878
men.
The taking Of Vicksburg was remark
able, not so much us successful en-
cheering attack against carthworks as
ton of a well-planned campaign.
The following account OF the inter-
view between the generals command
ing the opposing armies is given by an
eyewitness:
"When Gems. Grant and Pemberton
met they shook hands, Col. Montgom-
cry introducing the party. A short ST.
lence ensued, at the expiration of which
Gen. Pembcrton rcmarked:
= Gen. Grant, ! meet you in order
to arrange terms for the capitulation
of the city of Vicksburg and its garri-
son. What terms do you demand
Unconditional surrender, replied
Gen. Grant.
Unconditional surrenderi' said
Pemberton. Never so long as have
man left me! will fight rather.
: Then. sir. you can continue the
defense, coolly said Gen. Grant. My
army has never been in better CON
dition for the prosecution of siege.
During the passing of these few
preliminares, Gen. Pemberton was
greatly agitated, quaking from head to
foot, while Gen. Grant experienced all
his natural self-possession, and evinced
not the least sign of embarrassment.
after Il short conversation standing,
by kind of mutual tendency the two
generals wandered off from the rest of
the party and seated themselves on the
grass, in cluster of bushes, where
alone they talked over the important
events then pending. Gen. Grant
could be seen, even at that distance,