The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02

iontt uuJ He was uOuDly Illuminated Win the
knowledge that he would be suspected and &C.
cused OF treachcry by his adopted brethren, and
that tho result would be used by the enemies Of
Davis, whose fovorite he was, TO undermine the
Confederate administration. As IL TRANSFERRED.
1t was, indeed. n great blow to Davis's hold upon
the people of the South. These things must
have passed through Pemberton's mind as he
faced Grant for this final settlement Of the fate
of Vicksburg.
The conversation was held apart between
Pemborton and his two officers and Grant, Nc.
Pherson, and A. ]. Smith, tho rest OF us being
seated on tho ground near by.
We could, however, see that Pembcrton was
much excited and was impatient in his answera
to Grant. He insisted that his army be parolod
and allowed to march beyond our lines, officers
and NIL. with eight days rations drawn from
their own stores, officers to retain their private
property and body servants. Grant heard what
ho had TO say, and left him at the end of an hour
and a half, saying that he would send in his u.
timatum in writing before evening", to which
Pemborton promised to reply before night,
hostilities to cease in the meantime. Grant
then conferred at his headquarters with his
corps and division commanders, all of whom.
except Steele, who advised unconditional
surrender, favored n plan proposed by McPher-
son. to release on parole the entire garrison,
which Grant finally adopted. The argument
| against INC plHn WIS one OF IBellng only. IN 1JS
favor was urged that 1t would at once not only
tend to the Generalization of tho enemy, but re-
lease Grants whole army for offensive opera
tions against Joe Johnston and Port Hudson;
while to guard and transport 30 many prisoners
would require a great portion of its strength.
Keeping them would also absorb all our steam.
boat transportation. while paroling them would
leave 1t free to move our troops. Paroling
would otherwise save us an onormous oxpendi.
turc.
After long consideration, Gen. Grant re-
l~uctantly gave way to these reasons. and at 8
p. NJ. sent a letter by the hands of Gen. Logan
and Lieut..Col. Wilson. in which he stated as
terms that, as soon as rolls could be made out
and paroles signed by officers and men, Pember-
ton would be allowed to march out of our lines,
the officers taking with them their side arms
and clothing, and tho field, staff, and cavalry
officers one horse eacb. The rank and file wore
to be allowed all their clothing. but no other
property. II these conditions were accepted, any
amount of rations deemed necessary was to be
taken from the stores they had, and also
the necessary cooking utensils for preparing
them. Thirty wagons also, counting two two
horse or mule teams as one. were to be allowed
to transport such articles as could not be car
ried along. The same conditions were allowed
TO all sick and wounded officers and soldiers as
fast as they became able to travel.
The officer who received this letter said that
it would be impossible to answer it by night,
and it was not till a little before peep of day
that the proposed reply was furnished. In the
main the terms were accepted. but Pemberton
proposed as amendments:
A 10 A. NJ. tomorrow I propose to evacuate the
works in and around vicksburg, and to surrender the
city and garrison under my command, by marching
out with my colors and arms. stacking them in front
Of my present lines. after which you will take pos.
session; officers to retain their side arms and personal
property, and the rights and property OF citizens to
be respected.
Gen. Grant in his reply said:
can make no stipulations with regard to the treat.
ment of citizens and their private property. . . .
The property which officers will be allowed to take
with them will be as stated in my proposition OF last
evening. " = " II you mean by your proposition
for each brigade to march to the front of the line now
occupied by 1t. and stack arms at 10 A. M, and then
return to the inside and there remain as prisoners
until properly paroIed. 1 will make no objection to II.
Should no notification be received of your accept
ance Of my terms by 8 A. NJ. I shall regard them as
having been rejected, and shall act accordingly.
TIE answer came back promptly: 1.-THE terms
proposed by you are accepted"
4TH OF JULY. 1868. AT vIcKsBURa.
We had n glorious celebration that day. Penn
berton's note had been received just after day
iiRnp, uHC al tne appointed nOur OF lO o CLOCK
the surrender was c~onsummated. 1 rode into
Vicksburg at the side of the conqueror, and
afterward perambulated among the conquered.
The rebel soldiers were generally more con-
tented even than we. Now they were going
home, they said. They had had enough
of tho war. The cause of the Confederacy
was lost. They wanted to take the oath
OF allegiance. many of them. was not surprised
to learn a month later that of the twenty-odd
thousand we'll men who were paroled at Vicks-
burg the greater part had since dispersed; and
1 felt sure they could never be got to serve
again. The officers, on tho other hand, all de-
clared their determination never to give in.
They had mostly on that day the look of men
who have been crying all night. One Major who
commanded q regiment from Missouri burst
into tears as he followed his disarmed men back
into their lines after they had surrendered their
colors and thHir guns in front of them.
found the buildings of Vicksburg in a better
condition than / had expected. Still, there were
a good many people living in caves dug in the
bnnks. Naturally the shells did less damage to
these vaults than to dwellings. It the end of
the first week after our entrance sc, 900 stand
of small arms had been collected, mainly In
good condition., and more were constantly being
discovered. They were concealed in caves. as
well as in all Sorts of buildings. The siege and
seacoast guns found exceeded sixty. and the
whole captured artillery was above 200 pieces.
The stores Of rebel ammunition also proved
to be surprisingly heavy. As Grant expressed
1t. there was enough to have kept up the de-
fence for six years at the rate they were using
it. The stock of army clothing was officially in
voiced at $5. 900. O00-Confedcrate prices. OF
sugar. molasses. and salt there was a large
quantity. and 10000 pounds of bacon wero
founu in one place.
The day after We entered the town July 81 /
wrote Mr.. Stanton a long telegram. describing
the surrender and giving him all the important
facts / had gathered concerning the condition of
things In Vicksburg, and at the same time tell.
ing him Grants plans. The telegram. for some
reason, has never found its way into the War
Records. so that ] give it here IN full:
OFFICE OF U, S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The following telegram received at Washington.
10 A, NJ. July II. 1868;