The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-08
-. - =. Ord With 4 t.o.fold pur.

ence on the 3fo VIII u tSo-iopu Pui
nose First to avoid an assault,
which be knew would be successful,
and second, to prevent the capture
taking place on the great National
holiday, the anniversary OF the Dec
laration of American Independence.
Holding out for better terms as he
did, he defeated his object in the lat
ter particular.
son the 4th of July. at the ap-
pointed hour. the garrison of Vicks.
burg marched out of their works and
formed line in front, stacked arms
and marched back in good order;
Our whole army present witnessed
the scene without cheering and
without a single offensive remark
that | ever heard of. Logan's di-
vision, which had approached near
est the rebel works, was the first to
march in. and the flag of one OF the
regiments of his division was soon
floating overtbe Court House.
The campaign of Vicksburg was
suggested and developed by circum-
stances. The elections of 1862 had
gone against the prosecution vi the
war. Voluntary enlistments had
nearly ceased, and the draft had been
resorted to; this was resisted, and
defeat or backward movement would
have made its execution impossible.
A forward movement to decisive VIC
tory was necessary. Accordingly l
resolved to get below Vicksbnrg,
unite with Banks against Port Hud-
son, make New Orleons base, and
with that base and Grand Gulf as a
starting point, move our combined
forces against Vicksburg. Upon
reaching Grand Gulf, after running
its batteries and fighting a bat
tie, received a letter from Banks
informing me that he could not be
at Port Hudson under ten days, and
then with only 1900 men. The
time was worth more than the rein
forcements. | therefore determined
to push into the interior OF the enc
my's country.
With a large river behind US,
held above and below by the enemy,
rapid movements we're essential to
success. Jackson was captured the
day after a new commander had ar
rived and when large reinforcements
were daily expected. A rapid move.
ment was made and the garrison of
Vicksburg was met in FIVE battles
and badly defeated. The city was
then successfully besieged."
GRANT AND LINCOLN.
No "reminiscences of war history
will be read with greater interest
than General Grants account OF his
first meeting with Mr.. Lincoln and
Mr.. Lincoln's charge to him:
Although hailing from Illinois
myself, the State of the President, |
had never net Mr.. Lincoln until
called to the capital to receive my
commission as lieutenant general |
knew him, however, very well and
favorably from the accounts given
by officers under me at the West,
who had known him all their lives.
had also read the remarkable
course of debates between Lincoln
and Douglass few years before,
when they were rival candidates for
the United States Senate. was
then a resident of Missouri, and by
no means Lincoln man " in that
contest, but | recognized then his
great ability.
"In nv first interview with MIR.
Lincoln alone he stated TO me that
he had never professed to be mill
tary man, or to know bow cam
paigns should be conducted, and
never wanted to interfere in them,
but that procrastination on the part
of commanders, and the pressure OF
the people at the North and of Con-
gress, which, like the poor, he had
always with him. had forced him
into issuing his well-known Execu-
tive orders He did not know but
they were all wrong, and did know
that some of them were All he
wanted, or had ever wanted, he said
was that some one would take the
responsibility and act and call on
him for any assistance needed"