64 



AKMY OPERATIONS. 



durance 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 proposi- 

 tion of appointing commissioners to arrange terms of 

 capitulation, because I hare no other terms than those 

 indicated above. 



I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient ser- 

 vant, U. S. GRANT, Major-General. 



Gen. Bowen, the bearer of Gen. Pemberton's 

 letter, expressed to Gqn. Smith a strong desire 

 to converse with Gen. Grant, and according- 

 ly Gen. Grant, while declining this, requested 

 Gen. Smith to say if Gen. Pemberton desired to 

 see him, an interview would be granted between 

 the lines, in McPherson's front, at any hour in 

 the afternoon which Gen. Pemberton might ap- 

 point. A message was soon sent back to Gen. 

 Smith, appointing three o'clock as the hour. 

 At that time Gen. Grant, with his staff and Gens. 

 McPherson, Ord, A. J. Smith, and Logan, was 

 at the place, which was a fruit orchard midway 

 between the front of the two contending forces. 

 Gen. Pemberton soon came, attended by Gen. 

 Bowen and Col. Montgomery. As the two 

 commanders drew near each other, both, as 

 though involuntarily, paused. The slight em- 

 barrassment was brought to a close by Col. 

 Montgomery, who stepped forward and formal- 

 ly introduced them. They shook each other by 

 the hand, and, after a few words, Gen. Grant 

 proposed a private conversation, which was 

 accepted, and the two generals stepped aside. 

 The conference closed by Gen. Grant saying 

 that he would send his proposition in writing. 

 After an interview with his officers at his head- 

 quarters, Gen. Grant sent the following letter, 

 by Gen. Logan and CoL Wilson, to Gen. Pem- 

 bertorf : 



HKADQU AP.TEHS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, } 

 NEAR VICKSBCRG, July 3d, 1863. J 

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



forces, Vicksburg, Miss. : 



GENERAL : In conformity with agreement of this af- 

 ternoon, I will submit the following proposition for the 

 surrender of the city of Vicksburg, public stores, &c. 

 On your accepting the terms proposed, I will march in 

 one division as a guard, and take possession at eight 

 A. M. to-morrow. As soon as paroles can be made out, 

 and signed by 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 al- 

 lowed all their clothing, but no other property. If these 

 conditions are accepted, any amount of rations you may 

 deem necessary can be taken from the stores you now 

 have, and also the necessary cooking utensils for pro- 



Earing them. Thirty wagons also, counting two two- 

 orse or mule teams as one, will be allowed you to 

 transport such articles as cannot be carried along. The 

 same conditions will be allowed to all sick and wound- 

 ed officers and privates as fast as they become able to 

 travel. The paroles for these latter "must be signed, 

 however, whilst officers arc present authorized to sign 

 the roll of prisoners. 



I am, General, very respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 



U. S. GRANT, Major-General. 



About the dawn of day, on the morning of 

 July 4th, the following reply was received from 

 Gen. Pemberton : 



HEADQUARTERS, YICKSBTTBG, July Bd, 1868. 

 Major- Gen. U'. S. Grant, commanding United States 



Forces, etc. 



GENERAL : I have the honor to acknowledge the re- 

 ceipt of your communication of this date, proposing 

 terms for the surrender of this garrison and post. In 

 the main, your terms are accepted ; but in justice both 

 to the honor and spirit of my troops, manifested in 

 the defence of Vicksburg, I have the honor to submit 

 the following amendments, which, if acceded to by 

 you, will perfect the agreement between us : At ten 

 o'clock to-morrow, I propose to evacuate the works 

 in and around Vicksburg, and to surrender the city 

 and garrison under my command by marching out 

 with my colors and arms, and stacking them in front 

 of my present lines, after which you will take posses- 

 sion. Officers to retain their side arms and personal 

 property, and the rights and property of citizens to be 

 respected. I am, General, yours, very respectfully, 

 J. C. PEMBERTON, Lieutenant-General. 



To this letter Gen. Grant immediately replied 

 as follows : 



HEADQUARTERS DEPARTSTCNT OF THE TENNESSEE, ) 

 BEFORE VICKSBURG, July th, 1863. j 



Lieut.- Gen. J. C. Pemberton, commanding Forces in 

 Vicksburg : 



GENERAL : I have the honor to acknowledge your 

 communication of 3d July. The amendments pro- 

 posed by you cannot be acceded to in full. It will be 

 necessary to furnish every officer and man with a pa- 

 role, signed by himself, which, with the completion of 

 the rolls of prisoners, will necessarily take some time. 

 Again, I can make no stipulation in regard to the 

 treatment of citizens and their private property. 

 While I do not propose to cause any of them any un- 

 due annoyance or loss, I cannot consent to leave my- 

 self under restraint by stipulations. The property 

 which officers can be allowed to take with them will 

 be as stated in proposition of last evening ; that is, 

 officers will be allowed their private baggage and side 

 arms, and mounted officers one horse each. If you 

 mean by your proposition for each brigade to march 

 to the front of the lines now occupied by it, and stack 

 their arms at ten o'clock A. M., and then return to the 

 inside and remain as prisoners until properly paroled, 

 I will make no objections to it. Shoula no modifica- 

 tion be made of your acceptance of my terms by nine 

 o'clock A. M., I shall regard them as having been re- 

 jected, and act accordingly. Should these terms be 

 accepted, white flags will be displayed along your 

 lines, to prevent such of my troops as may not have 

 been notified from firing upon your men. 



I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient ser- 

 vant. U. S. GRANT, 

 Major-General U. S. Army. 



To this letter the following answer was re- 

 ceived : 



HEADQUARTERS VICKSBURO, July 4th, 1868. 

 Major- Gen. U. S. Grant, commanding U. S. Forces, 



&c. : 



GENERAL : I have the honor to acknowledge the re- 

 ceipt of your communication of this date, and in reply 

 to say that the terms proposed by you are accepted!. 

 Very respectful! v, your obedient servant, 



J. C. PEMBERTON, Lieutenant-General. 



Of the terms of the surrender, Gen. Grant 

 thus speaks in his report: "These terms I re- 

 garded more favorable to the Government than 

 an unconditional surrender. It saved us the 

 transportation of them North, which at that 

 time would have been very difficult, owing to the 

 limited amount of river transportation on hand, 

 and the expense of subsisting them. It left our 

 army free to operate- against Johnston, who 

 was threatening us from the direction of Jack- 



