Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-12-05
m CAMP and FIELD.
4 MEDICAL MANS MEMORY
OF WARTIME

much more securely intrencned than hao
been supposed, and that the only way to
capture it would be by siege.
Accordingly all made up their minds to
await the result patiently, but of the final
fall of the stronghold no one entertained
doubt. Indeed, of ultimate triumph every
man seemed from the start to have fun
confidence.
AS before stated, after settling down to
siege there were comparatively Few
wounded.
Back of Swetts garden under some
small trees the dead from the Division hos.
pital were buried.
1t was not possible to provide collins and
so the dead were wrapped in blankets and
covered over with earth-till their shallow
graves were filed. AS the siege progress.
ed all the wounded and sick who were able
to be moved were put in ambulances and
conveyed to boats on the Yazoo river from
whence they went North.
Cane grew in abundance all about and
by cutting number of these stocks, tying
them together with strings, and putting
the two ends on cross-pleces resting
upon stakes driven in the ground, quite
comfortable and springy cots were i'm
provised for the hospital.
Swett's house had all the time been used
as place for storage Of drugs and hospital
supplies.
SWEET himself was a short, thick-set man
with q rotund stomach.
He used to stand around and lean on his
cane with much seeming complacency. In
his ward were several punches of fragrant
jasmine in full bloom. This is the most
beautiful and deliciously fragrant flower,
seeming the air with it's delightful odor.
In the timber all about were magnificent
specimens of Magnolia having upon their
branches, in May and June, long beautiful
blossoms.
Figs ripeued in Swett's garden during
the siege. These, while not liked by some
when gathered fresh from the trees, by
others were relished exceedingly.
Thus, tree flower and fruit lent some
thing of their charms to assuage the
horrors of war.
As soon as General Joseph e. Johnston
discovered that Grant had securely in
vested VIcksburg, he began organizing
force to relieve the garrison. This force
sought to attack Grants rear on the
line of the Big Black. Grant, who by this
| time was receiving achievements from the
| North, was fully on the alert, and con-
| fronted Johnston with ample force to keep
| the latter at a safe distance from the OPP
erations against Vicksburg.
Meanwhile all sorts of stories were in cir
culation-nearly all favorable, however, to
| the Federals. At one time it was rumored
| Port Hudson, some three hundred miles
down the river, had capitulated to General
| Banks; at another, that the Confederates
could not hold out longer; again that
| Richmond was taken and then that Wash
| ington had been captured by Lee.
OF nights the mortar boats from the
river shelled Vicksburg, and sometimes the
| writer with one or more comrades would
go out upon high hill in front of the hos
pital from whence the bombardment could
| be seen.
The mortar boats were perhaps eight
| miles distant, and first a flash would be
| seen, then discharge of the mortar, then
q streak of fire, then burning fuse; this
| would rise away up in the air and then de-
| scend, and just before reaching the ground
another flash, the explosion Of the shell,
broke upon the vision.
Some time elapsed after the flash was
seen before the report could be heard.
The shells thrown by these mortar boats
| were of one and two hundred pounds cali
Der, and all through the siege were thrown
OF regular intervals during the nighttime.
One cannon belonging to the Confed-
crates received the appellation of "Whist-
| ling Dick" The ball it threw passed
| through the air with peculiar whistling
| noise that could be heard by all on the
southeastern aspect Of the works. 1t was
| q fine breech-loading rified cannon OF En-
| glish manufacture.
| Toward the latter part of June, rumors
1
command, and later, as the National ami
| versary drew near, it was said a most de-
termined assault would be made on the
ath of July.
Finally, preparations for this were in
progress when on the Sd of July word
came that the Confederates had already
made propositions looking toward a sur
render, and next day, the Fourth Of July,
Vicksburg, after withstanding a siege Of
forty-six days, capitulated.
The command, though long expecting
this event, were almost wild with joy.
Some surprise was, however, felt that the
Confederates should have yielded on the
day they did; the belief, though, prevailed
that they had in some way gained an ink.
ling of the intended assault and felt
as though they could not withstand another
determined effort on the part Of the FEEDER
nls.
Up to date this was the most important
success of the war. The number of men
captured exceeded 10000 with a vast
quantity of small arms, cannon, heavy
ordnance and munitions of all kinds.
Indeed, more men capitulated at Vicks'
burg than were taken in one body at any
time during the war.
A day or two after, the writer procured
O pass and visited the city 1t was alive
with soldiers of both armies. All upon
riendly relations, swapping yarns, telling
experiences, trading curiosities, as IL hos
lille words, much less shot and shell, had
never passed between them.
One tall young onfederate approached
the writer and wanted to exchange two
dollar Confederate note for the same
amount in United States currency; hi
F. ~~Ss=SS--- -
~<>s@S5EEEz=-7
=A
gA-A
W. q j. ~
/, E5SaG~D "a .sraINMA
z6tz@91FRA X1|
g GRANT AND PEMBERToN AT VIcKsBURG.-Rt
duction from Sketch in Harper's.