The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-06-19

tire force, excepta few piclsets, and if our at
tack could lie made on the left before the enemy
could redstrihute his forces along the line,
We would find but little opposition except
from the intervening abats. / directed
Colonel Webster to ride with me and call
out to the men as we passed: "Fill your car
fridge boxes quick and get into line; the enc
my is trying TO escape and he must not be
permitted to do So" This acted like a charm.
The men only wanted some one to give them
q command We rode RAPIDLY to Smiths
quarters, when l explained the situation W
him and directed him to charge the enemy's
works in his front with his whole division,
saying at the same time that he would find
nothing but a very thin line to contend with,
The general was Off in an incredibly short
time going in advance himself to keep his
men from firing while they were working
their way drought the abatis intervening
between them and the enemy. The outer
line of rifle pits was passed and the night of
the 18TH General Smith with much of his
division, h!vouacked within the lines of the
enemy.
THE CAPTURE OF VICKsBURG.
The Vicksburg newspaper which we re-
ceived regularly while before Nicksburg)
through the courtesy of the rebel picltets,
said, prior to the 18th, in speaking of the
yankee" boast that they would take dinner
in Nicksburg that day, that the best receipt
for cooking a rabbit was "Ketch your rab-
bit first" The paper at this time and for
some time previous was printed on the plain
side of wall paper. The last number was
printed on the 9Th, and announced that we
had Caught our rabbit"
I have no doubt that Pemberton COM
menced his correspondence on the Sd with
two-fold purpose; first, to avoid an assault,
which he knew would be successful second,
to prevent the capture taking place on the
great national holiday, the anniversary Of
the declaration of American independence.
Holding out for better terms as lie did, he
defeated his aim in the latter particular
On the 4th of July, at the appointed hour,
the garrison of Nicksburg marched out of
their works and formed line in front, stacked
arms and marched back in good order. Our
whole army present witnessed this scene with
out cheering and without a single offensive
remark that ever heard of.
Logans division, which had approached
nearest the rebel works, was the first to
march in, and the flag of one of the regimen IS
of his division was soon floating over the
court house
The campaign of Vicksburg was suggested
and developed by circumstances. The cleo
tons of 1862 had gone against the prosecution
Of the war Voluntary enlistment had nearly
ceased, and the draft had been resorted to /;
this was resisted, and defeat or backward
movement would have made it's execution
impossible A forward movement to deci-
sive victory was necessary. Accordingly, |
resolved to get below Vicksburg, unite with
Banks against Port Hudson, make New Or
leans base, and with that base, and Grand
Gulf as a starting point, move our combined
forces against Nicksburg. Upon reaching
Grand Gulf after running its batteries and
fighting a battle, | received letter from
Banks informing me that he could not be at
Port Hudson under ten days, and then with
ouly $1,000 men. The time was worth more
than the achievements. l therefore deter
mined to push into the interior of the enemy S
country
With a large river behind us, held above
and below by the enemy, rapid movements
were essential to success. jackson was cap
tured the day after q new commander har ar
rived and when large achievements were
daily expected A rapid movement west was
made and the garrison of Nlcksburg was met
in five battles and badly defeated. The city
was then successfully besieged.
LEES SURRENDER
One of the most interesting parts Of the
memoirs is that which describes Lees sur
render Following are extracts from this
portion:
found General Lee had been brought into
our lines and conducted to a house belonging
to "A Mr.. Mclean, and was there with ore
of his staff officers waiting my arrival Tie
head of his column was occupying n hill, a
portion of which was an apple orchard, across
the little valley from the court house Sheri-
dams forces were drawn up in line of battle
on the crest of the hill on the south side of
the same valley.
Before stating what took place between
General Lee and myself, | will give all there
is of the narrative of General Lee and the ia
nous apple tree Wars produce many stories
of fiction, some OF which are told until they
are believed. The war of the Rebellion was
| fruitful in the same way. The story of the
| apple tree Is one of those tictons with slight
| foundation of fact.
As | have said, tn re was an apple orchard
| IA la Of
| federatc forces. Running diagonally up the
| hill was wagon road which Mt one point ran
| very near one of the trees so that the wheels
| on chat side had cut OH the roots of the tree,
| which made a little embankment.
General BabcOck reported to me that when
| he first met General Lee he was sitting upon
| this embnnkment with his feet in the road
and leaning against the tree. 1t was then
| that Lee was conducted into the house where
| | first met him.
had known General Lee in the Old army,
and had served with him in the Mexican war,
| but did not suppose, owing to the differences
| in our ages and rank, that he would probably
| remember me; while would remember him
more distinctly because he was the chief engi-
| neer on the staff of General Scott in the Mex
lean war. When had left camp this morn
| ing had not expected the result so soon that
! was then taking place, and consequently was
| i'll rough Garb, and, | believe, without a
| sword, as | usually was when on horsehacl,
| OIl lilc lltlI, wearing u Dtu>t LOT u
coat, with shoulder straps of my rank TO in
! dictate who | was to the army. When went
! into the house | found General Lee We
! greeted each other, and, after shaking hands,
took our seats. What his feelings were do
not know. Being man of much dignity and
! with an impenetrable face, it was impossible
! to say whether he felt inwardly glad that the
! end had finally come, or whether he felt sadly
! over the result and was too manly to show it.
! Whatever his feelings were, they were.entirely
concealed from observation, but my own
feelings, which had been quite apparent on
| the receipt of his letter, were sad and de
pressed. l felt like anything rather than
rejoicing at the downfall of a foe that
had fought SO galantly, and had suf
| fered so much from cause which
| believed to be one of the worst for which q
! people ever fought, and for which there was
! not the least pretext | do not question how
ever, the sincerity of the great mass of those
! who were opposed TO US. General Lee was
I dressed in full uniform, entirely new, and
wearing a sword of considerable value, very
likely the sword that had been presented by
the State of Virginia; at all events it was an
! entirely different sword from the one that