The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-10-26

About 10 o'clock on the morning of
May Is, Gems Grant and Sherman rode
out on the highest point of Walnut
Hills, which commanded a view of
wide stretch of country to the north
east, nort!, and northwest. From that
cminence they could look down upon
the battlefield of Cnickasaw Bayou,
where sherman had made his tremen-
ious effort of the previous December
TO gain the heights where they now
stood. The powerful works reaching
from til ere to Haynes's Bluff, which
were then filled with men and bristling
with cannon and muskets. which had
thrown Sherman back in bloody defeat.
and which had filed five long, arduous
months with bitter disappointmerts.
and held the whole army and the pow
erful gunboat fleet at hay, were now
silent, deserted and harmless. The slug
sish YaZoo River wound it's tortuous
course at their feet, and far over the
tops of the cottonwood forest they could
see the smoke rising from the fleet of
gunboats and transports. There was
their line of communication, there was
abundance Of food and ammunition for
the army, and there the channel by
which achievements could be secured.
The lowest private in the army compre-
hended the triumph. Everyone had
looked forward to the height upon
which they stood with longing eyes dur
the slime of the morasses and strug-
Cling with the chilling rains and the
surging waters which threatened at
times to overwhelm and drown the
army Each regiment as it came up
and caught sight of the Mississippi with
the smoke rising from the fleet above,
burst into tumultuous cheers, even
louder and more heartfelt than those
which had announced their startling
victories at Port Hudson, Raymond,
Jackson, Champions Hill and Big
Black Grant sat on his horse with his
accustomed calmness, and surveyed his
triumph with no other outward indica-
ton than the brightness of the light in
his eyes. But the demonstrative Sher-
man, turning from the scene of the
death of so many Of his gallant men,
impulsively exclaimed:
Gen. Grant, l have up to this time
had doubts as to our success. l have
grandest campaigns in history. l do
not believe it has an equal"
Gen. Grant realized that the time
was too precious to waste in emotions.
He had hoped that Sherman's advance
would interpose between Pemberton
and his Notifications, but this had not
been realized, and after giving the men
a couple of hours rest and also an OPP
portunity to close up the column, he
pushed Sherman straight on toward
VicksburgA on what afterwards became
famous as the Graveyard road, which
entered Vicksburg near a large ceme-
terry. 1t was his hope to attack while
the Confederates were still under the
decentralization of their recent defeats
and before they could get well settled
down into their strong works.
Gen. Grant then rode over to meet
Gen. McPherson's troops coming in on
the main Jackson Road, and direct their
In the meanwhile McClernands
troops were coming in by another road
and deploying as they came near the
rebel works. BY nightfall Blair's whole
Division had closed up against the outer
works, and Gen Stctle'S Division had
gone to Blairs right To work fts way
down the bluff and csta hliSll connec-
tions with tho fleet IL The Mississippi
River.
There was q great deal of desu.to~y