Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-06-30


Gettysburg, or no doubb the boys in blue
would have burned some powder either in
fun or earnest to honor the occasion. As
it was, the men in gray got off without
parting salute. At Nicksburg, however.
on that same day, the skies there being
brighter, there was some characteristic
Publication over the surrender of Pember-
tons Confederates, the evacuation of the
city and the occupation by Grants troops.
General Pemberton began his negotiations
for terms on the 3D., but the parley did not
terminate until the wee small hours of the
18th, and the contamination was set down
for the convenient hour of 10 a. m. Cen
eral Grant wrote of the event in very
familiar strain in his memoirs
During the siege" he said. there had
been good deal of friendly sparring be-
tween the soldiers of the two armies on
picket and where the lines were close to-
gether. All Confederates were known as
'.Johnnies,' all Union troops as .Yanks'
After Johnny would call, Well, Yank,
when are you coming into towny' the re-
ply was sometimes, we propose to cele-
brate the Fourth of July there Sometimes
it would be, We always treat our prisoners
with kindness and don't want TO hurt
them or, We are holding you as prisoners
of war while You are feeding yourselves
The garrison, from the commander down.
undoubtedly expected an assault on the
Fourth. They knew from the temper of
their men it would be successful when
made, and that would be a greater hui
initiation than to surrender. Besides, il
would be attended with severe loss TO
them.
1.-The vicksburg paper which .. ceived
regularly through the courtesy the enc
my's pickets said. prior TO the Fourth, in
speaking of the Yankee boast that they
would take dinner in Nicksburg that day,
that the best receipt for cooking rabbit
was First ketch your rabbit. The paper
at this time, and for some time previously,
was printed on the plain side of wall paper
The last issue was printed on the Fourth
and announced that we had caught the
rabbit
81 have no doubt that Pemberton com
menced his correspondence on the 3D. for
twofold purpose; first, to avoid an
assault which he knew would be success
full, and second, TO prevent the capture tax
ing place on the great national holiday
the anniversary of the declaration Of Ameri-
can independence. Holding out for better
terms, as he did, he defeated his aim in
the latter particular.
ION the 4th, at the appointed hour the
garrison of Nicksburg marched out of their
works and formed in line in front, stacked
arms and marched back in good order Our
whole army witnessed this scene without
cheering"
The Confederate general, in his report Of
the surrender, gave another reason for Sc
Letting July 4. IF it should be asked, y he
- T.,l
lected as the day for surrender, the answer
is obvious | believed that upon that day | !
could obtain better terms. Well aware of
the vanity of our foe, knew they would |
attach vast importance to the entrance on |
the Fourth of July into the stronghold of |
the great river, and that to crafty their |
national vanity they would yield then what
could not be extorted from them at any |
other time"
The days drama was not closed, how
ever, with the retreat of the Confederates |
at Gettysburg nor with their surrender at
Vicksburg. They got the worst of it in |
plucky but i'll starred assault on the forth
fled position at Helena, Ark, on the Ms 1
sissippi. between Nicksburg and Memphis.
1t was CALLING sight for the southerners
all through the months Of May and June
TO witness the unbroken tramp, tramp,
tramp of Grants legions, closing around
their last great stronghold of the west. To
throw help into the doomed post by direct
method was out of the question. and the
next best thing was TO assail some outlying
point and draw part of the besieging army
off from their hunt for the larger game to
the rescue of the smaller Helena in the
control of the Confederates would have
been another Vicksburg, another obstruc
ton to the free use of the Mississippi.
The Confederates in Arkansas, the only
western army loose from the tolls at Vicks-
burg, were assembled at Little Rock, 100
miles inland from Helena, and in the clos
ing days Of June Gen. Sterling Prices