He accordingly directed General M'Clernand with his corps to march directly for the interior, so soon as his troops could be provided with three days' rations. He did not even wait for army wagons to be brought across the river. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 30th of April, the very day on which the troops landed at Bruinsburg, General M'Clernand's corps commenced its march. The road for two miles led along the levee. It then encountered the river bluffs, and, turning to the right, entered a hilly country, broken, precipitous, and rugged. It was the spring of the year, in almost a tropical elime. Beauty bloomed and fragrance was dif fused all around them. Flowering shrubs embroidered the hill-sides, and the utmost luxuriance of vegetation, in billows of verdure, feasted the eye. The natural enchantments of the scene were enhanced by the brilliant military array, climbing the hills and threading the valleys in a long line, presenting a scene of wonderful picturesque beauty. Even the waning day did not arrest their march. Through the still, cool, balmy hours of a brilliant night, they pressed joyously on until 2 o'clock in the morning. They were then brought to a sudden halt by a rebel battery which frowned upon an eminence directly before them. This victory was attended with glorious As in the obscurity of that hour it was not pos- | field. sible to ascertain precisely its position, or the results. strength of its armament, the army were com- Big Black River. Grand Gulf, thus outflanked pelled to wait patiently until morning. The and no longer tenable, was precipitately abanwearied soldiers were soon asleep. The rebel doned, the guns spiked, and the ammunition deGeneral Bowen had pushed out from his in- stroyed. On the 3d of May the deserted works trenchments at Grand Gulf, and had planted were taken possession of by the fleet. It became his batteries on these commanding heights, immediately a very important base for General hoping to hold the patriots in check until he Grant's supplies until his plans for the investcould receive reinforcements. But Generals ment of Vicksburg could be completed. Grant and M'Clernand allowed him no time to strengthen his position or to await his expected aid. With the earliest dawn the position of the rebels was carefully examined. Again a friendly negro came to our aid. He informed General M'Clernand that the rebels had seized upon a point where the road forked. The two branches, however, leading by routes about two miles apart, both conducted to Port Gibson. The space between the two roads and for miles around was diversified by open fields, thick woods, abrupt hills, and deep ravines. Both of the two roads ran along narrow ridges, where a small force could hold a much larger one at bay. The ravines on either side were filled with thick underbrush, and were almost impassable, affording excellent protection against a flank attack. The rebels occupied both of these roads. There was manifestly nothing to do but to fight, and that as quickly as possible. The position of the rebels was impregnable by a direct assault. Generals Hovey, Carr, and Smith, under the personal direction of General M'Clernand, attacked upon the right, and steadily forced the enemy back. the assault on the left. For a time it required his utmost exertions to hold his own. Soon, however, a division of General M'Pherson's corps, under General Logan of Illinois, came to his aid. Thus reinforced, and leading a gallant charge in person against the foe, he routed the portion of the rebel line against which he advanced, capturing three cannon. The rebel army was now divided. General Bowen had retreated across the Big Black River. General Joe Johnston was gathering another rebel army at Jackson, the capital of the State of Mississippi, an important military post situated at the junction of two railroads. The rebels had here large magazines of supplies. General Pemberton was in command at Vicksburg. He was to form a junction with Bowen and assail General Grant in front, while General Johnston, with the large force he was gathering was to fall on the patriot rear. excellent, but General Grant spoiled its execution. Deceiving his foes into the belief that he was making arrangements to pursue the fugitives across the Big Black, he suddenly and rapidly sent his whole army to the east, moving along the southern bank of the river. At the same time he abandoned his line of communication with the Grand Gulf, depending for the supply of his army upon forage and such stores as he could take with him. The plan was In this advance General M'Pherson's corps took the right, moving directly upon Jackson, by the way of Raymond. Generals Sherman and General Osterhaus led | M'Clernand took the left, keeping close to the Big Black and threatening the railroad between Jackson and Vicksburg. The ferries across the river were closely guarded so as to conceal General Grant's real intentions. These several corps of the patriot army were carefully kept within supporting distance of each other. General Grant's design was to seize the city of Jackson, scatter the army which Johnston was gathering there, and destroy the supplies he had accumulated. Then, having dispersed the one rebel army, he would turn suddenly about and destroy the other at Vicksburg. His plan was good. He accomplished it. Equally gallant and successful was a charge upon the right, by the Twelfth Division, under General Hovey of Indiana. But no valor exhibited on that day of heroic deeds is more worthy of honorable mention than that of Amos Neagle, a private in the Ninety-seventh Regiment of Illinois Cavalry, who captured the color-bearer and the colors of the Fifteenth Arkansas. The rebel banner was inscribed with the names of four battle-fields, "Oak Hills,"" Elkhorn," "Corinth," and "Hatchie Bridge." The battle occupied much of the day. During the darkness of the succeeding night the rebels retreated, leaving the road open for the march of the patriots to Port Gibson unopposed. The severity of this conflict may be estimated from the loss of the Union troops, which consisted of 130 killed 700 wounded and 3 missing. Five cannon and more than a thousand prisoners were captured from the rebels. Grant's dispatch to the Government, giving an account of the battle, was written by moonlight on the On the 12th of May General Logan came up with the enemy, two brigades strong, three miles in front of the town of Raymond. They were advantageously posted in a piece of timber, but were driven out after some hard fighting. Falling back a little way the rebels re-formed at Farnden's Creek. The banks of the creek were steep, and there was but little water in the channel. In front of the creek there was an open field. The rebels, crouching in this natural riflepit, could effectually sweep the approach with their fire, while they were protected. Here again apparent rashness was the only prudence. A charge was ordered, impetuously made, and after a brief but terrible struggle the rebels were driven from their lurking-place, and were again on the retreat. In this brief, fiery storm of war the patriots lost 69 killed, 341 wounded, and 32 missing. In Raymond copies of the Jackson papers of the previous day were found, from which the patriots read with amusement that they had been thoroughly defeated at Grand Gulf and Port Gibson, and were falling back to the protection of their gun-boats. The following day General M'Pherson entered Clinton. That night the rain fell in torrents, and continued to fall until noon of the 14th, making the roads very miry. The advance was, however, still continued, and the troops, animated by past success, pushed forward through mud and rain without a murmur. In the afternoon of the 14th the enemy were again encountered, in line of battle, upon the crest of a hill over which the road passed, about two and a half miles from Jackson. At the foot of this hill there was an open plain which the rebel batteries effectually commanded. After a short artillery duel and some indecisive skirmishing, General Crocker ordered a charge. The patriots, with slow, measured, and resolute step, with banners unfurled and bugle peals, as on dress parade, moved across the plain, and up the hill regardless of volley after volley of deathdealing bullets which greeted their approach. Though great rents were made in their line, and the dead and the wounded were left strewed rible musketry fire was perhaps never expealong their path, not a foot faltered. It was rienced. like the march of a spirit host, whom shot could At length General Hovey was compelled to not terrify and who returned no answering fire.fall back. He did this, however, slowly and Not until they were within thirty yards of the in perfect order, as he expected every moment rebel line did the patriots discharge a gun. Then reinforcements. Soon they arrived-General with unerring aim the whole line flashed with fire; and with a cheer, which burst simultaneously and almost frenziedly from every throat, they rushed, with fixed bayonets, upon the foe. "Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just." The guilty rebels, desperate men as they were, fighting not to establish but to overthrow free institutions, could not stand the onset, though they had every advantage of preparation and position. Their momentary resistance was swept away by the impetuosity of the charge. Breaking they fled in confusion, leaving a battery of six pieces to fall into the hands of the patriots. The victors pressed joyously forward, and that night occupied Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. Quimby's division of M'Pherson's corps. Thus strengthened he massed his artillery, concentrated it upon the advancing foe, and brought them to a stand. Just at this moment came the word that General Logan had gained a position on the rebel left, and was threatening their rear. Then the order was given to charge. With a cheer the patriots rushed on, and the rebels were driven back, pell-mell, to their thickets. Onward streamed the victors. The foe, vanquished, bewildered, disheartened, fled from their covert, and disappeared over the brow of the hill. The patriots were soon in possession of Edwards's Station, but not until the retreating rebels had set fire to five car-loads of ammunition, which they had time to destroy but not to remove. Thus ended the battle of Champion's Hill, or Edwards's Station. It was the most decisive of Grant's battles in his advance on Vicksburg. It really decided the campaign; for Generals Pemberton and Johnston could no longer hope to ef and two batteries fell into the Union hands. This great victory, however, was not purchased but at a corresponding price. Nearly one-third of General Hovey's division was placed hors du combat. The entire patriot loss was 429 killed, 1842 wounded, and 189 missing. General Grant gave his bewildered foes no time to recover from their consternation. The evening of the capture of Jackson he learned that the rebel General Pemberton was advancing from Vicksburg to attack him in the rear. Leaving General Sherman to destroy the railroads, bridges, and governmental work-shops in Jack-fect a junction. Over one thousand prisoners son, he immediately faced about with the remainder of his army, and, by converging lines, advanced toward Edwards's Dépôt, two miles east of the Big Black River. At this point the rebels were said to be strongly fortified. The rebel General Johnston, with ten batteries of artillery and twenty-five thousand men, was preparing to descend from the North; and thus General Grant was to be crushed between these two armies. General Grant's salvation depended upon his crushing or dispersing the troops of Pemberton before Johnston should arrive. General Pemberton selected his position with skill, which he had acquired at the expense of the United States at West Point. The main road, by which the patriots must advance, passing over open fields, turned suddenly to the south, and ascended di-tecting sweep encircled a rebel battery of eightagonally a heavy swell of land with a precipitous front, called Champion's Hill. The upper side of this road and the crest of the hill was covered with thick timber. Below were open fields. The rebels had stationed themselves under covor of these woods. Their batteries commanded the road and swept the open fields. The next morning, the 17th, General M'Clernand, in hot pursuit of the foc, came upon them in force at the Big Black River. Here the fugitives had made another stand, determined to resist the passage. The position was admirable for the purpose for which it was chosen, and a bloody battle was anticipated. As the patriot troops approached the river over a plain, they found before them a bayou, about twenty feet wide and three feet deep, which with wide pro plain, and cross both the bayou and the river in the face of the rebel batteries. cen guns. Just beyond, on a bluff which fringed the farther bank of the river, were seen another array of batteries and of troops. The bayou broke out from the river above the hostile position, and, after the sweep of a mile, entered it below. Both the railroad and turnpike crossed the bayou and the river at this point, upon Here General Grant came upon the foe, and bridges, side by side. To reach the opposite immediately opened the drama of battle. Gen-shore it was necessary to march over the open eral Grant was upon the field, and commanded in person. The battle commenced about nine o'clock in the morning. The rebels, massing General M'Clernand immediately commenced their forces, hurled them upon the centre of the an artillery attack upon the rebel position, to patriot line, which was under the command of which there was a vigorous response. Almost General Hovey. For a time he held his heroic, at the first fire General Osterhaus was wounded well-tried troops firm under the tremendous so as to disable him. General A. L. Lee was onset. But the fire grew hotter and deadlier. assigned temporarily to his command. While From the concealment of the woods incessant this not very effectual conflict was taking place volleys of bullets swept their ranks, and no at the centre, General Lawler succeeded in apavailable shot could be returned. A more ter-proaching quite near the rebel works on the right unobserved. Here, casting off their blank- date, just received, proposes an armistice of sevets and their knapsacks, and fixing their bay- eral hours for the purpose of arranging terms of onets, his men rushed from their concealment, capitulation through commissioners to be appassed the open field, and plunged into the stag-pointed. nant waters of the bayou. A murderous fire of shot and shell was instantly turned upon them, reddening the water with their blood. The effusion of blood you propose stopping by this course can be ended at any time you may choose by an unconditional surrender of the city and garrison. Men who have shown so much endurance and courage as those now in Vicksburg will always challenge the respect of an adversary, and I can assure you will be treated with all the respect due them as prisoners of war. I do not favor the appointing commissioners to arrange terms of capitulation, because I have no other terms than those indicated above." But the assault from that direction was so sudden and unlooked-for that the rebel fire was not given with such destructive aim as usual. The bayou was successfully crossed, and the surrender of the rebel works demanded at the point of the bayonet. A score of extemporized white flags rose along the line, and the works were vielded without further resistance. The two bridges spanning the river were destroyed by General Grant was then requested to hold a the rebels before the victorious patriots could personal interview with General Pemberton. He But fifteen hundred prisoners with eight-consented. At 3 o'clock that afternoon. at a een cannon, beside quite a supply of ammunition preconcerted signal, General Grant, accompaand small-arms, fell into the hands of the victors. The Union loss was 373 killed, wounded, and missing. cross. In the mean time General Sherman had moved to a point above, and crossed the river on the 18th. Thence, turning to the right, he marched for the Yazoo River, so as to come in upon the rear of the rebel works, which five months before he had endeavored in vain to carry by assault in front. Admiral Porter had been already several days in the Yazoo, waiting to co-operate with him in opening a new line of communication with the patriot army. The rebels now abandoned their position on the Big Black as no longer tenable. General M'Clernand bridged the stream and pressed on toward Vicksburg, turning to the south as he approached the city. On the morning of the 19th the doomed city was completely invested. The national lines extended from the Yazoo above to Warrenton on the Mississippi below. The rebel army were cooped up in their fortress without a possibility of escape. The memorable events of the siege, which continued for about two months, we have not space to record. All the arts of offensive and defensive war were exhausted by the combatants. The rebels found themselves in a gripe which was daily tightening. Food became scarce. The soldiers were reduced to quarter rations. Ammunition failed. The patriot shot and shell began to explode in the heart of the city itself. The people lived in caves and cellars. Exploding mines opened immense gaps through the rebel ramparts. The 4th of July was now at hand. It was supposed that on that illustrious day the patriots would make their final assault. The weakened and disheartened garrison would be able to present but feeble resistance. On the 3d of July General Pemberton sent two officers with a flag of truce to arrange terms for the capitulation. nied by Generals M'Pherson and A. J. Smith, and General Pemberton, accompanied by General Bowen and Colonel Montgomery, stepped out simultaneously from their respective fortifications. They met in an open space between the two lines, under the shade of a gigantic oak. The respective armies, swarming like bees upon their ramparts, watched with intensest interest the interview which involved results so vast. General Pemberton was the first to speak. "General Grant," said he, "I meet you in order to arrange terms for the capitulation of the city of Vicksburg and its garrison. What terms do you propose ?" "Unconditional surrender!" was the reply. "Unconditional surrender!" repeated General Pemberton. "Never, so long as I have a man left me. I will fight rather." "Then, Sir," rejoined General Grant, "you can continue the defense. My army has never been in a better condition for the prosecution of the siege." The two generals, as by a mutually instinctive movement, separated themselves from their companions, and retiring a short distance by themselves, continued the interview. No definite result was reached. It was, however, agreed that General Grant should confer with his officers, and transmit in writing to General Pemberton the terms he would accept. Promptly the note was sent to General Pemberton. It demanded, as ever, the entire surrender of the place, the garrison, and the stores. "On your accepting the terms proposed," the note stated, "I will march in one division as a guard, and take possession at 8 o'clock to-morrow morning. As soon as paroles can be made out, and signed by the officers and men, you will be allowed to march out of our lines, the officers taking with them their regimental clothing, and staff, field, and cavalry officers one horse each. The rank and file will be allowed all their clothing, but no other property." "This I do," he said, "though fully able to maintain my position for an indefinite period of ¦ Early the next morning, the glorious 4th of time, in order to avoid the further effusion of July, General Pemberton's reply was returned. blood." He accepted the terms on condition that his General Grant replied: "Your note of this troops should be permitted to march out with |
