ARMY OPEEATIONS. 



63 



colored troops, in this desperate engagement, 

 fought with great bravery, and that the rebels 

 treated this class of prisoners of war, as well 

 as their officers, with great barbarity. It has 

 not been possible, however, to ascertain the 

 correctness of the representations in regard to 

 the treatment of these prisoners." A num- 

 ber of skirmishes also took place along the 

 Tensas from Lake Providence to Richmond. 

 The great object of the enemy in these move- 

 ments was ultimately to approach Vicksburg 

 from the west. All this time the works of 

 the siege were pushed forward. But from the 

 22d of May to the 25th of June, no attempt 

 upon the city of any serious nature was made, 

 with the exception of the attack of the gun- 

 boat Cincinnati, for the purpose of silencing one 

 of the land batteries. The report of this at- 

 tack was thus made by the officer in charge : 



MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, FLAG SHIP BLACK HAWK, | 

 ABOVE VIOKSBUBG, JUay 21th, 1863. j 



To Sear-Admiral D. D. Porter : 



SIR : In obedience to your order, the Cincinnati got 

 under way this morning at seven o'clock, and steamed 

 slowly down until a little abreast of where the mortars 

 lie. When we rounded to, the enemy fired several 

 shots from a gun called ". Whistling Dick," but soon 

 gave it up. At half past eight, with a full head of steam, 

 we stood for the position assigned us. The enemy fired 

 rapidly and from all their batteries. When abreast of 

 our pontoon, and rounding to, a ball entered the maga- 

 zine, and she commenced sinking rapidly. Shortly 

 after the starboard tiller was carried away. Before and 

 after this the enemy fired with great accuracy, hitting 

 us nearly every time. We were especially annoyed by 

 plunging shots from the hills, and 8-inch rifled and 10- 

 inch smooth-bore shots did us much damage. The shots 

 went entirely through our protection hayand wood. 

 And now, finding that the vessel would sink, I ran her 

 up stream as near the right-hand shore as our damaged 

 steering apparatus would permit. About ten minutes be- 

 fore she sank we ran close in, got out one plank, and put 

 the wounded ashore. We also got a hawser out to make 

 fast to a tree to hold her until she sank. Unfortunately, 

 the men ashore left the hawser without making it fast. 

 The enemy were still firing, and the boat commenced 

 drifting out. I sang out to the men to swim ashore, 

 thinking we were in deeper water (as was reported) 

 than we really were. I suppose about fifteen were 

 drowned and twenty-five kille_d and wounded, and one 

 probably taken prisoner. This will sum up our whole 

 loss. The boat sank in about three fathoms of water ; 

 she lies level and can easily be raised, but lies within 

 range of the enemy's batteries. The vessel went down 

 with her colors nailed to her mast, or rather to the 

 stump of one, all three having been shot away. Our 

 fire, until the magazine was drowned, was good, and I 

 am satisfied did damage. We only tired at a two-gun 

 water battery. 



Very respectfully, &c., 



GEO. M. 'BACHE, Lieut. Commanding. 



The progress of the mining operations was 

 such, that on the 25th of June a fort, on the 

 immediate right of the Jackson road, was blown 

 up. It was occupied by the Third Louisiana 

 regiment. Its destruction had been anticipated 

 by the enemy, and most of the force was pre- 

 viously withdrawn to, an inner line of intrench- 

 ments, so that only a few men were wounded 

 by the explosion. As soon as it had been de- 

 stroyed, a strong column advanced to storm the 

 line, which was met by a force of the enemy, 

 consisting of the Sixth Missouri, and a bloody 



contest ensued, in which the loss was severe on 

 both sides. The Federal force then retired. 



On the 29th of June, the same portion of the 

 enemy's line was again blown up, but no at- 

 tempt to charge was made. All attempts to 

 countermine, on the part of the enemy, were 

 signally unsuccessful, owing to the position of 

 Gen. Grant's works. The state of affairs with- 

 in the city at this tune is thus described by a 

 Confederate officer: "About the thirty-fifth 

 day provisions began to get very scarce, and the 

 advent of Gen. Johnston's relieving force was 

 anxiously and momentarily looked for. Mule 

 meat was the common fare of all alike, and 

 even dogs became in request for the table. Bean 

 meal was made into bread, and corn meal into 

 coffee, and in these straits the garrison patiently 

 dragged on the weary length of one day after 

 another, under a scorching sun, the stench from 

 the unburied corpses all around alone causing 

 the strongest minded, firmest nerved to grow 

 impatient for the day of deliverance. The en- 

 emy pushed their works : they blew up several 

 forts, and with them the garrison, and attempt- 

 ed to charge ; but the meagre and famished 

 yet steadfast garrison still defiantly held the 

 key of the Mississippi. But everything must 

 have an end. Gen. Pemberton learned from 

 Gen. Johnston that he could not afford him re- 

 lief, and as the garrison was too famished and 

 reduced to cut its way out, he determined to 

 capitulate." 



On the 3d of July, about half past seven in 

 the morning, a flag of truce was seen on the 

 crest of a hill above the camp of Gen. ^3ur- 

 bridge. An officer was sent to escort the bearers 

 of it, two Confederate officers, blindfold, to the 

 tent of Gen. A. J. Smith, whose front they en- 

 tered. These officers were Major-Gen. Bowen 

 and Col. Montgomery, of Virginia. They were 

 the bearers of the following despatch from 

 Lieut.-Gen. Pemberton to Gen. Grant : 



HEADQUARTERS, VICKSBURG, July 3d, 1863. 

 Mai.- Gen. U. S. Grant, commanding U. S. Forces : 



GENERAL : I have the honor to propose to you an 

 armistice for blank hours, with a view of arranging 

 terms for the capitulation of Vicksburg. To this end, 

 if agreeable to you, I will appoint three commissioners 

 to meet a like number to be named by yourself, at such 

 place and hour to-day as you may find convenient. I 

 make this proposition to save the further effusion of 

 blood, which must otherwise be shed to a frightful 

 extent, feeling myself fully able to maintain my posi- 

 tion a yet indefinite period. This communication will 

 be handed you, under a flag of truce, by Major-Gen. 

 James Bowen. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



JOHN C. PEMBEBTON. 



To this despatch Gen. Grant replied as follows : 



HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TENNESSEE, IN THE ) 

 FIELD NEAR VICKSBURG, July Sd, 1863. $ 

 Lieut.- Gen. J. C. Pemberton, commanding Confederate 



Forces, &c. : 



GENERAL : Your note of this date, just received, pro- 

 poses an armistice for several hours, for the purpose of 

 arranging terms of capitulation, through commissioners 

 to be appointed, &c. The effusion of blood you pro- 

 pose 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 en- 



