The National tribune., 1903-02-05
FIRST TO ENTER y,cxssuRG.
Honor Claimed for the 4.h Mimi.

led the column of troops at the
Grand Review of Sherman's Army on
May "a, 60, and also that the 4th Mimi.
was honored by being detailed as
the first regiment to march into the city of
Vicksburg, Miss, to the Court House, and
did duty for some time as prOvost-guard.
l am aware that Rebellion Records. Mt
first glance, state to the contrary, but the
compilers, years afterward, did well in not
making more mistakes than they did in
small and unimportant matters, except to
few interested parties.
1t was case of "glory enough for all
of us" to be at the surrender of n large
army on July 4, that we had been fighting
since March /.
The fact is that Gen. Logan's Division,
Gen. Leggett, commanding First Brigade,
led by 45th ILL.,, was the first inside the
works and camped on the Jackson Road;
and that does not disagree with the Re
bellion Records in Gen. Leggett's official
report which says: "My brigade, led by
the 45th ILL.,, was honored with the privi-
lege of being the first to enter the garrison,
and the flag of the 45th III. was the first
to float over the conquered city,"
The 45th Ill. was the first regiment to
"cnter the garrson"-outer works-and
their flag to float over the conquered
city, all that was inside of the works.
So if Gen. Grants Memoirs do not agree
with Rebellion Records, COmrade w. III.
COttrin, of Ainsworth, Neb., will have to
hunt further, or keep still.
As / stated in my article, / made the
"claims as a matter of history" so as to
have true history, and living witnesses
are good authority on disputed points, if
they can stand cross examination, so l will
state what know about it. l was Acting
Adjutant, and rode with Lieut.. Col. Tour
follnfta OF ha boaA of tho raOimpDt fol-
lowing Col. John B. Sanborn, Brigade
Commander and staff. We marched into
| and through the city, and to the Court
house square. There were no other troops
in sight from the outer works to the
Court House, but there were lots of sol
diers, visiting the city on their own hook.
Col. SanbOrn and his command, under
direction of Gems. Grant and Mcpherson,
had full charge of the parOlling of the
81 geo prisoners, including 2,153 officers,
of whom 10 were Generals, and l have be-
fore me copy of his order, which gives
| full details of the transaction, from gen.
eral officers and staff down through field
and staff officers of regiments, Commits
saries and Quartermasters, line officers
with side-arms and baggage, soldiers with
knapsacks, haversacks, canteens and blan-
kets, teams and wagons, for general head
quarters, division, brigade, regiment, Quar-
termaster and artillery company. No ne
groes will be permitted to pass except such
as the commanding officer shall decide en-
titled to under existing orders.
This order is dated Headquarters First
Brigade, Seventh Division, Seventeenth
Corps, Vicksburg, Miss, July 8, 1868.
| (Signed): John 3. SanbOrn, Colonel Com
mahding.
Gen. John 3. Sanborn, another living
witness, says:
"On the evening of the Sd of July Gen.
Mcpherson came to me in person and said
that my own brigade and John S. Steven
sons Brigade of Logan's Division were
designated to take possession of Vicks-
burg and take charge of the guarding and
parolling the prisoners, for the reason that
| they had fought the hardest and suffered
the most in the campaign.
As ordered by Gen. Mcpherson led the
column that marched into Vicksburg, and
the 4th MINI. Band and Regiment led my
brigade.
We marched in on the Baldwin's Ferry
road, and after marching some distance
toward the city came to the road where
we expected to meet Gen. Stevenson with
his brigade, halted the brigade, waited for
an hour, and he did not come; then
marched on without him into the city to
| the Court House, and were the hrst
| troops to arrive there"
For fear that there may be some reader
or cOmrade who is hard to convince over
existing records published in Memoirs or
Rebellion Records, that take close read
ing to understand them, by one who was
there, and knows the facts, l will say that
some readers often get the wrong impress
sion of facts as published, as in the case
of Gen. Leggett's report, given above,
which has been quoted to me: that Ibis
troops were the first into the city, and
their flag first to float over it," when the
report does not say any such a thing.
I should not have made the claim that
the 4th MINI. was the first into the city if
l had not known it to be historical fact
tnat could not be knocked out by any pub,
lished records, but could be substantiated
as a fact by living witnesses, and one OF
whom none of the old boys of the Sew
enteenth Corps will question for minute,
and that was Gen. w. Il. Clark, who was
Gen. McPherson's Adjutant- General, and
writes as follows:
Fargo, N. D., Jan. 1, 1856.
Gen. John SanDorn, st. Paul, Mimi:
My Dear General: During the terrible
assault on Vicksburg, the 22d of May
1868, the Seventh Division, Seventeenth
Corps, suffered more severely than any
other command. The last charge, made
by reason of Gen. McClernand's false re-
port to Gen. Grant, was simply murder
and slaughter, and it was your command
that was moved down then and there.
saw the charge-carried the order indeed
and saw the gallant Col. Bloomer, OF
the 26th Mo-, fall The loss was over zoe
men in 40 minutes. Remembering your
conduct and that of your splendid troops
Gen. Mcpherson gave you the right of the
line on our triumphant entry into Vicks
burg on the morning. of July 4, 1868. Lo
gan followed, and being ranking division
commander, was made the commander OF
the post.
You had your troops disposed of to pro
tect property, and had, under my sugges
ton, taken possession Of all the printing
presses with view to preparing paroles
Gen. Grants memory is frequently al
fault in what he ~..tcs concerning this
campaign. Doubtless Gen. Logan, who
visited Grant about the time he was OF
this part of his work, unintentionally mis-
led him. 1 have already corrected his ac
count regarding the flag on the Cour
House. 1t was our headquarters flag that
first foated there, placed by Gen. Strong's
party. Hardly a week passes that l an
. not called upon to correct errors of state
ments which are doing some gallant Off
Ger great injustice. If my mind ever gets
free from the struggle for daily bread,
shall turn the light on those operations anG
. give the need of praise where it justly be
longs.
am writing now where it is so cold tina
1 can hardly hold my pen.
Now, my dear friend, if this is not suf
ficiently in detail, will reproduce it fol
you and put it in official shape.