St. Landry democrat., 1888-08-11
THE SIEGE.

On the morning of May 10, Shermans
corps advanced to the right of Vicksburg and
took possession Of the works the Confederates
had abandoned. His line extended quite to
the Mississippi river.
Grant hoped now, in the decentralization Of
the Confederates, to take Vicksburg by an
easy victory. Accordingly he made an un-
successful assault on the works May 10.
Then he settled down to regular SIEGE
He shut Off the city from the world as COM
pletely as il it had not existed Sherman
was on the right, Mcpherson in the center,
and McClernand on the left. Between Nc
Clernand and the river there was at first a
gap Grant filed this with Gen. Lauman's
division from Hurlburt's corps and Herron's
division. Out to the northeast, during the
progress of the siege, Grant placed two diyis-
ions Of Burnsides Ninth corps, under Gen.
j. G. Parkes. These four divisions. with sew
eral others, were sent to Grant in answer to
urgent request for re-enforcenents, rs soon
as he saw what was before him. They ar
rived from the first to the middle of June
May %, before his sre-enforcements arrived,
, Grant made another assault on Vickburg, a
desperate one, extending two and a half
miles around the ring. It was unsuccessful,
At this second assault Grant had 10000
men, 5000 being engaged in the fight The
Confederate works were successfully held by
about u, 600 men.
1t was necessary, meanwhile, for Grant to
keep the sharpest watch upon his rear, lest
Johnston should attack from that quarter,
and Grant thus be between two fires. AS q
precautionary measure. all the boats on the
Yazoo river were destxoyed, and force un-
der Gen. r. P. Blair was sent to the rear to
watch the situation from that direction.
At Canton, Miss, Gen. Joe Johnston was
reorganizing Confederate army, gathering
1t here and there as he could. By June he
had over 81 600 men.
Through the month Of June Johnston re-
manned at Canton, contemplating the expedi-
ency of an attack somewhere ON Grants
rear. June 90 he managed to pass ale tier
through the lines to Pemberton, proposing
that while be should attack one part of the
Union line, Pemberton should make sortie
from the inside and thus escape Pemberton
replied that he awaited Johnston's orders.
On the 22d of June Johnston advanced
from the Big Black toward the rear Of
Grants lines; the latter detached an ample
force to meet him, and Johnston saw the
casa was hopeless. Information to that effect
soon reached Pemberton, whose next concep-
ton was TO have number of boats built and
escape to the Louisiana side nnder cover Of
darkness. This design was known in few
hours TO Grant and Porter, and the watch on
the river was redoubled. On the Ist of July
the Federal approaches had reached the
enemy's ditch at number of places. The
same night Johnston sent word that on the
7th he would make diversion to enable
Pemberton TO cut his way out, and almost at
the came hour the latter addressed his four
division commanders letter asking whether
their troops were equal to the task Of fight
Ing their way out Their answer was an
emphatic MOI The I'd was consumed In
discussion OF surrender. On the Sd. about 10
. m, white aags were raised on the Con-
federate lines, firing ceased, and two persons
soon crossed the narrow interval to the Fed
eral lines with flag Of truce. They were
Gan. Bowen and Col Montgomery lat
ter aidedecanap 10 Pemberton- They pre-
sented this letter from Gen. Pernberton to
Cen, Grant: