designated to look after Johnston. The force intended to operate against Johnston, in addition to that at Haines's Bluff, was one division from each of the Thirteenth, Fifteenth, and Seventeenth Army Corps, and Lauman's division. Johnston, however, not attacking, I determined to attack him the moment Vicksburg was in our possession, and accord'ingly notified Sherman that I should again make an assault on Vicksburg at daylight on the 6th, and for him to have up supplies of all descriptions ready to move upon receipt of orders, if the assault should prove a success. His preparations were immediately made, and when the place surrendered on the 4th, two days earlier than I had fixed for the attack, Sherman was found ready, and moved at once with a force increased by the remainder of both the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Army Corps, and is at present investing Jackson, where Johnston has made a stand.

In the march from Bruinsburg to Vicksburg, covering a period of twenty days, before supplies could be obtained from government stores, only five days' rations were issued, and three days' of these were taken in haversacks at the start, and were soon exhausted. All other subsistence was obtained from the country through which we passed. The march was commenced without wagons, except such as could be picked up through the country. The country was abundantly supplied with corn, bacon, beef, and mutton. The troops enjoyed excellent health, and no army ever appeared in better spirit or felt more confident of success.

In accordance with previous instructions, Major-General S. A. Hurlbut started Colonel (now Brigadier-General) B. H. Grierson with a cavalry force from La Grange, Tennessee, to make a raid through the central portion of the State of Mississippi, to destroy railroads and other public property, for the purpose of creating a diversion in favor of the army moving to the attack on Vicksburg. On the 17th of April this expedition started, and arrived at Baton Rouge on the 2d of May, having successfully traversed the whole State of Mississippi. This expedition was skillfully conducted, and reflects great credit on Colonel Grierson and all of his command. The notice given this raid by the Southern press confirms our estimate of its importance. It has been one of the most brilliant cavalry exploits of the war, and will be handed down in history as an example to be imitated. Colonel Grierson's report is herewith transmitted.

I cannot close this report without an expression of thankfulness for my good fortune in being placed in co-operation with an officer of the navy, who accords, to every move that seems for the interest and success of our arms, his hearty and energetic support. Admiral Porter, and the very efficient officers under him, have ever shown their greatest readiness in their co-operation, no matter what was to be done or what risk to be taken, either by their men or their vessels. Without this prompt and cordial support, my movements would have been much embarrassed, if not wholly defeated.

Captain J. U. Shirk, commanding the Tuscumbia, was especially active

GENERAL GRANT'S REPORT.

343 and deserving of the highest commendation for his personal attention to the repairing of the damage done our transports by the Vicksburg batteries.

The result of this campaign has been the defeat of the enemy in five battles outside of Vicksburg; the occupation of Jackson, the capital of the State of Mississippi, and the capture of Vicksburg and its garrison and munitions of war; a loss to the enemy of thirty-seven thousand (37,000) prisoners, among whom were fifteen general officers; at least ten thousand killed and wounded, and among the killed Generals Tracy, Tilghman, and Green, and hundreds and perhaps thousands of stragglers, who can never be collected and reorganized. Arms and munitions of war for an army of sixty thousand men have fallen into our hands, besides a large amount of other public property, consisting of railroads, locomotives, cars, steamboats, cotton, &c., and much was destroyed to prevent our capturing it.

Our loss in the series of battles may be summed up as follows:

Of the wounded, many were but slightly wounded, and continued on duty; many more required but a few days or weeks for their recovery. Not more than one-half of the wounded were permanently disabled.

My personal staffs and chiefs of departments have, in all cases, rendered prompt and efficient service.

In all former reports I have failed to make mention of Company A, Fourth Regiment Illinois Cavalry Volunteers, Captain S. D. Osband commanding. This company has been on duty with me as an escort company since November, 1861, and in every engagement I have been in since that time rendered valuable service, attracting general attention for their exemplary conduct, soldierly bearing, and promptness. It would not be overstating the merits of this company to say that many of them would fill with credit any position in a cavalry regiment.

For the brilliant achievements recounted in this report, the Army of the Tennessee, their comrades of the Ninth Army Corps, Herron's division of the Army of the Frontier, and the navy co-operating with them, deserve the highest honors their country can award.

I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT, Major-General U. S. A. commanding. Colonel J. C. KELTON, A. A.-G., Washington, D. C.

General Halleck, in his report, gives to the chief the honor of a campaign, emphatically his own-for not a subordinate general counseled the venture of crossing the hostile territory:

"When we consider the character of the country in which the army operated, the formidable obstacles to be overcome, the number of forces and the strength of the enemy's works, we cannot fail to admire the courage and endurance of the troops, and the skill and daring of their commander. No more brilliant exploit can be found in military history. It has been alleged, and the allegation has been widely circulated by the press, that General Grant, in the conduct of his campaign, positively disobeyed the instructions of his superiors. It is hardly necessary to remark that General Grant never disobeyed an order or instruction, but always carried out to the best of his ability every wish or suggestion made to him by the Government. Moreover, he has never complained that the Government did not furnish him all the means and assistance in its power, to facilitate the execution of any plan he saw fit to adopt."

When the news of this glorious victory officially reached the President, he sent an autograph letter to General Grant, of which document the following is a copy :

To Major-General GRANT:

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, July 18, 1863.

MY DEAR GENERAL:-I do not remember that you and I ever met personally. I write this now as a grateful acknowledgment for the almost inestimable service you have done the country. I wish to say a word further. When you first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, I thought you should do what you finally did-march the troops across the neek, run the batteries with the transports, and thus go below; and I never had any faith, except a general hope that you knew better than I, that the Yazoo Pass expedition and the like could succeed. When you got below, and took Port Gibson, Grand Gulf, and vicinity, I thought you should go down the river and join General Banks; and when you turned northward, east of the Big Black, I feared it was a mistake. I now wish to make a personal acknowledgment, that you were right and I was wrong.

Yours, very truly,

A. LINCOLN.

THE PRESIDENT ON GENERAL GRANT'S HABITS. 345

· Several gentlemen were near the President at the time he received the news of Grant's success, some of whom had been complaining of the rumors of his habit of using intoxicating drinks to excess.

"So I understand Grant drinks whisky to excess?" interrogatively remarked the President.

"Yes," was the reply.

"What whisky does he drink?" inquired Mr. Lin

coln.

"What whisky?" doubtfully queried his hearers. "Yes. Is it Bourbon or Monongahela?"

"Why do you ask, Mr. President???

"Because if it makes him win victories like this at Vicksburg, I will send a demijohn of the same kind to every general in the army."

His visitors saw the point, although at their own cost.

CHAPTER XVII.

SIEGE OF JACKSON.-GENERAL GRANT'S TOUR.

eneral Johnston Alarmed.-Retires to his Defenses at Jackson.-Addresses his Troops.-Investment of the City by Sherman.-Raids.-Incidents of the Siege. .-General Grant Relaxes the Sternness of Military Rule.-His Care of the Negroes. He makes a Tour of Observation.-Festival at Memphis.-Visits General Banks at New Orleans.-Grand Review.-Meets with an Accident.Resumes Active Command.

BUT what, meanwhile, has Johnston been doing, whom we left hovering in the distance around Vicksburg, impatient to help the beleaguered army ? Foiled in his designs by the sleepless vigilance of General Grant, he had chafed like a caged lion in the toils, quite as thor oughly besieged in the open field as his fellow traitors were within the city. And now General Sherman, by General Grant's order, moved toward him, animated by the recent victories.

The rebel general, on finding the Union troops had been sent in pursuit of his forces, fell back within the defenses of the Mississippi State capital, where he issued the following proclamation to his troops :—

HEAD-QUARTERS ON THE FIELD, July 9, 1863.

FELLOW-SOLDIERS:-An insolent foe, flushed with hope by his recent success at Vicksburg, confronts you, threatening the people, whose homes and liberty you are here to protect, with plunder and conquest. Their guns may even now be heard as they advance.

The enemy it is at once the duty and the mission of you, brave men, to chastise and expel from the soil of Mississippi. The commanding general confidently relies on you to sustain his pledge, which he makes in advance, and he will be with you in the good work, even unto the end.

The vice of "straggling" he begs you to shun, and to frown on. If needs be, it will be checked by even the most summary remedies.

The telegraph has already announced a glorious victory over the foe, won by your noble comrades of the Virginia army on Federal soil: may he not, with redoubled hopes, count on you, while defending your firesides and