July 4 — All is very quiet this morning around Vicksburg. The boys and the Yanks are conversing together.10 o’clock a.m. —Vicksburg is surrendering on account of our rations giving out. We marched to General Reynold’s headquarters and stacked our arms and then came back to our old position where we expect to remain until we are paroled. The evening passed off very quiet. WRC
Thursday, July 4, 2013
HE FOURTH OF JULY! The siege is at last ended. Behold the white flag now waving over the rebel ramparts. Vicksburg has at length surrendered. Speed the glad news to our loved ones at the North, who, during our long trial, have helped us with their prayers. Speed it to the entire forces of the Union, that they may all take courage and move again.
We are all full of rejoicing, as the event will no doubt prove a death-blow to the rebellion in the Southwest. Vicksburg has been the boast of the enemy, who thought it to be impregnable, and they confidently defied the Army of the West to take it. But by the untiring energy, skill and forecast of our gallant leader, U. S. Grant, aided by the willing and brave hearts about him, Vicksburg has been taken, and over it the stars and stripes now float proudly in all their majestic beauty. How glad I am that I have been one of those who have endured the trials requisite to plant our banner there. And while rejoicing over our success, let us not forget those who have died on these fields of honor. While we surviving raise Liberty‘s ensign over Vicksburg, let us remember the graves at Raymond and Champion Hills. And in after years, when we meet to refresh the memory of soldier days, let our dead here around Vicksburg never be forgotten. Let us think of them as standing guard over our dearly-won prize, until the final roll-call, when each shall be “present” or “accounted for.”
“They struggled and fell, their life-blood staining
The assaulting foeman’s hand;
And clasping freedom’s flag, sustaining,
Cried, God save our native land.
Let angels spread their wings protecting;
Let sweetest flowers ever bloom;
And let green bays, our faith reflecting,
Mark each martyr’s sacred tomb.”
Now that the enemy have resigned possession of Vicksburg, I trust the wicked rebellion will not fail soon to near its end, when all our boys in blue will have leave, at will, to present arms to the girls they left behind them. A star heralding the coming peace already seems to twinkle in the sky. We rejoice not less over our triumph to-day because it was consummated upon the glorious Fourth. And while we rejoice for our country, we show no unworthy exultation over the fallen, to whom we extend the sympathy of victors.
Our division, under its commander, General Logan, marched into the city in triumph, and there took command and completed the long desired event—raising the star spangled banner over the court house cupola.
“The armies of the Union
Round Vicksburg long had lain;
For forty-seven days and nights
Besieging it in vain.
Then came the morning of the Fourth,
Our Nation’s jubilee—
Ah, could the news this hour go north—
In Vicksburg soon we’ll be.
The siege is done, the struggle past.
On this eventful day
Glad triumph crowns us, as, at last,
Our thanks to God we pay.
Above the vanquished walls I stand,
My country, proud to see
The festive hosts, with flag and band,
Parading gloriously.
O, glorious Fourth! O blissful day!
How hearts of thousands swell
To see such toils such hopes repay,
Such dangers end so well.”
July 4th, 1863.—It is evening. All is still. Silence and night are once more united. I can sit at the table in the parlor and write. Two candles are lighted. I would like a dozen. We have had wheat supper and wheat bread once more. H. is leaning back in the rocking-chair; he says:
“G., it seems to me I can hear the silence, and feel it too. It wraps me like a soft garment; how else can I express this peace?”
But I must write the history of the last twenty-four hours. About five yesterday afternoon, Mr. J., H.’s assistant, who, having no wife to keep him in, dodges about at every change and brings us the news, came to H. and said:
“Mr. L., you must both come to our cave to-night. I hear that to-night the shelling is to surpass anything yet. An assault will be made in front and rear. You know we have a double cave; there is room for you in mine, and mother and sister will make a place for Mrs. L. Come right up; the ball will open about seven.”
We got ready, shut up the house, told Martha to go to the church again if she preferred it to the cellar, and walked up to Mr. J.’s. When supper was eaten, all secure, and the ladies in their cave night toilet, it was just six, and we crossed the street to the cave opposite. As I crossed a mighty shell flew screaming over my head. It was the last thrown into Vicksburg. We lay on our pallets waiting for the expected roar, but no sound came except the chatter from the neighboring caves, and at last we dropped asleep. I woke at dawn stiff. A draught from the funnel-shaped opening had been blowing on me all night. Every one was expressing surprise at the quiet. We started for home and met the editor of the “Daily Citizen.” H. said:
“This is strangely quiet, Mr. L.”
“Ah, sir,” shaking his head gloomily, “I’m afraid the last shell has been thrown into Vicksburg.”
“Why do you fear so?”
“It is surrender. At six last evening a man went down to the river and blew a truce signal; the shelling stopped at once.”
When I entered the kitchen a soldier was there waiting for the bowl of scrapings. (They took turns for it.)
“Good-morning, madam,” he said; “we won’t bother you much longer. We can’t thank you enough for letting us come, for getting this soup boiled has helped some of us to keep alive, but now all this is over.”
“Is it true about the surrender?”
“Yes; we have had no official notice, but they are paroling out at the lines now, and the men in Vicksburg will never forgive Pemberton. An old granny! A child would have known better than to shut men up in this cursed trap to starve to death like useless vermin.” His eyes flashed with an insane fire as he spoke. “Haven’t I seen my friends carted out three or four in a box, that had died of starvation! Nothing else, madam! Starved to death because we had a fool for a general.”
“Don’t you think you’re rather hard on Pemberton? He thought it his duty to wait for Johnston.”
“Some people may excuse him, ma’am, but we’ll curse him to our dying day. Anyhow, you’ll see the blue-coats directly.”
Breakfast dispatched, we went on the upper gallery. The street was deserted, save by a few people carrying home bedding from their caves. Among these was a group taking home a little creature, born in a cave a few days previous, and its wan-looking mother. About 11 o’clock a man in blue came sauntering along, looking about curiously. Then two followed him, then another.
“H., do you think these can be the Federal soldiers?”
“Why, yes; here come more up the street.”
Soon a group appeared on the court-house hill, and the flag began slowly to rise to the top of the staff. As the breeze caught it, and it sprang out like a live thing exultant, H. drew a long breath of contentment.
“Now I feel once more at home in my own country.”
In an hour more a grand rush of people set in toward the river,—foremost among them the gentleman who took our cave; all were flying as if for life.
“What can this mean, H.? Are the populace turning out to greet the despised conquerors?”
“Oh,” said H., springing up, “look! It is the boats coming around the bend.”
Truly, it was a fine spectacle to see that fleet of transports sweep around the curve and anchor in the teeth of the batteries so lately vomiting fire. Presently Mr. J. passed and called:
“Aren’t you coming, Mr. L.? There’s provisions on those boats: coffee and flour. ‘First come, first served,’ you know.”
“Yes, I’ll be there pretty soon,” replied H.
But now the new-comers began to swarm into our yard, asking H. if he had coin to sell for greenbacks. He had some, and a little bartering went on with the new greenbacks. H. went out to get provisions. When he returned a Confederate officer came with him. H. went to the box of Confederate money and took out four hundred dollars, and the officer took off his watch, a plain gold one, and laid it on the table, saying, “We have not been paid, and I must get home to my family.” H. added a five-dollar greenback to the pile, and wished him a happy meeting. The townsfolk continued to dash through the streets with their arms full, canned goods predominating. Towards five Mr. J. passed again. “Keep on the lookout,” he said; “the army of occupation is coming along,” and in a few minutes the head of the column appeared. What a contrast to the suffering creatures we had seen so long were these stalwart, well-fed men, so splendidly set up and accoutered! Sleek horses, polished arms, bright plumes,—this was the pride and panoply of war. Civilization, discipline, and order seemed to enter with the measured tramp of those marching columns; and the heart turned with throbs of added pity to the worn men in gray, who were being blindly dashed against this embodiment of modern power. And now this “silence that is golden” indeed is over all, and my limbs are unhurt, and I suppose if I were Catholic, in my fervent gratitude, I would hie me with a rich offering to the shrine of “our Lady of Mercy.”
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Note: To protect Mrs. Miller’s job as a teacher in New Orleans, the diary was published anonymously, edited by G. W. Cable, names were changed and initials were often used instead of full names — and even the initials differed from the real person’s initials.
A single life, even that of a distinguished general, in time of war is of slight consequence to the general result, and so in this case the battle continued in our absence, till late at night, when the Fifth corps took position on the front line.
The following day [3rd] about noon, the enemy opened fire from over one hundred guns, maintaining a terrific cannonading for over an hour, when again they attacked with extraordinary fury, making one of the most formidable charges of the war; thousands were slain, but our line was unbroken, and the Stars and Stripes defiantly floated over the line of brave men, who stood a steady, and valiant shield against all the fury and the power of the savage Confederacy. The following morning Lee withdrew, disheartened, and dismayed by his immense losses. The flower of the Southern Confederacy was left upon the bloody field, and its doom forever sealed; although they got away, they were maimed for life and beyond hope of recovery.
July 4th. This is the eighty-seventh anniversary of our national independence–a day dear to every true American heart on account of the event it commemorates; but since no salute has been fired by us in honor of the day, and Jack looks rather crest-fallen in the phiz on that account, still we have far more and greater reasons for being of the opposite cast of countenance than we had one year ago to-day. Let us look back into the past, as long ago as a twelvemonth since, and see what was our situation and condition then, and what our prospects of success in struggles about to take place for the supremacy of our arms. By reference to the author’s remarks of what occurred on the Fourth of July, 1862, one year ago to-day, you will please note the fact that Vicksburg, although having withstood, about three weeks since, a terrific naval bombardment from our vessels, still defied our powers. Now the tables are turned; General Grant, in command of U. S. forces, has invested the place and cut off supplies reaching same for the rebel army by railroad from Jackson, Miss., and a surrender of this rebel stronghold is looked for at an early day; in fact, I must say it was not Grant, even Unconditional Surrender Grant, or any other general, who has been mainly instrumental in bringing about this condition of things, although he has performed, as I have before stated, no mean part in the programme of action, but this ship, under the superintendence of Admiral Farragut, by taking the lead of the fleet in the experiment of running the rebel batteries of Port Hudson, on the ever-to-be-remembered night of the 14th March last, and by the mercy of Almighty God, being fortunate enough to pass safely through that fiery ordeal with so little loss of life, with a gunboat (tender) lashed to her port side; also a few days afterwards, another battery of the enemy at Grand Gulf on our way up the river to Warrenton, to have communication with Major-General Grant and Acting Rear Admiral Porter, and again on our return, permitted to repass the above-mentioned battery at Grand Gulf with little loss of life and injury to ship, arriving off the mouth of Red river, which it had been previously decided upon we should blockade for the purpose of cutting off supplies from being transported by rebel steamers out of this stream to the rebel army at Port Hudson and Vicksburg, and aiding General Banks with his forces coming round from New Orleans by way of Berwick’s Bay. Alexandria, and Atchafalaya river to get in rear of Port Hudson. While Admiral Farragut has rigidly enforced the blackade of the mouth of Red river, commenced by him with but two vessels, the Hartford and Albatross soon after the passage of the rebel fortifications at Port Hudson, cutting off relief from Texas reaching them by transportation down and out of this channel, or that of their fellows at Port Hudson, and starvation is now staring them in the face, making and early surrender of both places highly probable.
by John Beauchamp Jones
JULY 4TH.—The Department Guard (my son with them) were marched last night back to the city, and out to Meadow Bridge, on the Chickahominy, some sixteen miles! The clerks, I understand, complain of bad meat (two or three ounces each) and mouldy bread ; and some of them curse the authorities for fraudulent deception, as it was understood they would never be marched beyond the city defenses. But they had no alternative—the Secretaries would report the names of all who did not volunteer. Most of the poor fellows have families dependent on their salaries for bread—being refugees from their comfortable homes, for the cause of independence. If removed, their wives and little children, or brothers and sisters, must perish. They would be conscribed, and receive only $12 per month.
My friend Jacques did not return to the company yesterday, after all, although I saw him get into an ambulance with a basket of food. He got out again, sending the basket to Mr. K., the young chief of the bureau, and Judge Campbell allowed him to remain.
Mr. Myers the lawyer is much with Judge Campbell, working for his Jew clients, who sometimes, I am told, pay $1000 each to be got out of the army, and as high as $500 for a two months’ detail, when battles are to be fought. Mr. M. thinks he has law for all he does.
A letter from Gen. D. H. Hill shows that it was his intention to bring on a battle on the 2d inst., but the enemy fled. It was only a feint below; but we may soon hear news from HanoverCounty.
Col. Gorgas (ordnance) writes that as his men are marched out to defend the city, he can’t send much ammunition to Gen. Lee!
A letter from Lieut.-Gen. E. Kirby Smith, dated Jane 15th, shows he was at Shreveport, La., at that date.
The poor militia were allowed to return to their homes to-day; but an hour after the tocsin sounded, and they were compelled to assemble and march again. This is the work of the Governor, and the Secretary of War says there was no necessity for it, as Confederate troops here now can defend the city, if attacked.
