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delayed in crossing at Birdsong's。 Johnston had received timely notice of Pemberton's surrender； and was in full retreat for Jackson。 On the 8th all our troops reached the neighborhood of Clinton； the weather fearfully hot； and water scarce。 Johnston had marched rapidly； and in retreating had caused cattle； hogs； and sheep； to be driven into the ponds of water； and there shot down； so that we had to haul their dead and stinking carcasses out to use the water。 On the l0th of July we had driven the rebel army into Jackson； where it turned at bay behind the intrenchments； which had been enlarged and strengthened since our former visit in May。 We closed our lines about Jackson； my corps （Fifteenth） held the centre； extending from the Clinton to the Raymond road； Ord's （Thirteenth） on the right； reaching Pearl River below the town； and Parker's （Ninth） the left； above the town。
On the 11th we pressed close in； and shelled the town from every direction。 One of Ords brigades （Lauman's） got too close； and was very roughly handled and driven back in disorder。 General Ord accused the commander （General Lauman） of having disregarded his orders； and attributed to him personally the disaster and heavy loss of men。 He requested his relief； which I granted； and General Lauman went to the rear； and never regained his division。 He died after the war； in Iowa； much respected； as before that time he had been universally esteemed a most gallant and excellent officer。 The weather was fearfully hot； but we continued to press the siege day and night； using our artillery pretty freely； and on the morning of July 17th the place was found evacuated。 General Steele's division was sent in pursuit as far as Brandon （fourteen miles）； but General Johnston had carried his army safely off； and pursuit in that hot weather would have been fatal to my command。
Reporting the fact to General Grant； he ordered me to return； to send General Parkes's corps to Haines's Bluff； General Ord's back to Vicksburg； and he consented that I should encamp my whole corps near the Big Black； pretty much on the same ground we had occupied before the movement； and with the prospect of a period of rest for the remainder of the summer。 We reached our camps on the 27th of July。
Meantime； a division of troops； commanded by Brigadier…General W。 Sooy Smith； had been added to my corps。 General Smith applied for and received a sick…leave on the 20th of July； Brigadier…General Hugh Ewing was assigned to its command； and from that time it constituted the Fourth Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps。
Port Hudson had surrendered to General Banks on the 8th of July （a necessary consequence of the fall of Vicksburg）； and thus terminated probably the most important enterprise of the civil war… …the recovery of the complete control of the Mississippi River； from its source to its mouthor； in the language of Mr。 Lincoln； the Mississippi went 〃unvexed to the sea。〃
I put my four divisions into handsome； clean camps； looking to health and comfort alone； and had my headquarters in a beautiful grove near the house of that same Parson Fox where I had found the crowd of weeping rebel women waiting for the fate of their friends in Vicksburg。
The loss sustained by the Fifteenth Corps in the assault of May 19th； at Vicksburg； was mostly confined to the battalion of the Thirteenth Regulars； whose commanding officer； Captain Washington； was mortally wounded； and afterward died in the hands of the enemy； which battalion lost seventy…seven men out of the two hundred and fifty engaged； the Eighty…third Indiana （Colonel Spooner）； and the One Hundred and Twenty seventh Illinois （Lieutenant…Colonel Eldridge）； the aggregate being about two hundred。
In the assaults of the 22d； the loss in the Fifteenth Corps was about six hundred。
In the attack on Jackson； Mississippi； during the 11th…16th of July； General Ord reported the loss in the Thirteenth Army Corps seven hundred and sixty…two； of which five hundred and thirty…three were confined to Lauman's division； General Parkes reported； in the Ninth Corps； thirty…seven killed； two hundred and fifty…eight wounded； and thirty…three missing： total； three hundred and twenty…eight。 In the Fifteenth Corps the loss was less； so that； in the aggregate； the loss as reported by me at the time was less than a thousand men； while we took that number alone of prisoners。
In General Grant's entire army before Vicksburg； composed of the Ninth； part of the Sixteenth； and the whole of the Thirteenth； Fifteenth； and Seventeenth Corps； the aggregate loss； as stated by Badeau； was：
Killed： 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 1243 Wounded：。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 7095 Missing： 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 535
Total： 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 8873
Whereas the Confederate loss； as stated by the same author；
Surrendered at Vicksburg 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 32000 Captured at Champion Hills。。。。。。。。。。。。。 3000 Captured at Big Black Bridge 。。。。。。。。。。 2000 Captured at Port Gibson。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2000 Captured with Loring 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 4000 Killed and wounded 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 10000 Stragglers。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 3000
Total。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 56000
Besides which； 〃a large amount of public property； consisting of railroads； locomotives； cars； steamers； cotton； guns； muskets； ammunition； etc。； etc。； was captured in Vicksburg。〃
The value of the capture of Vicksburg； however； was not measured by the list of prisoners； guns； and small…arms； but by the fact that its possession secured the navigation of the great central river of the continent； bisected fatally the Southern Confederacy； and set the armies which had been used in its conquest free for other purposes； and it so happened that the event coincided as to time with another great victory which crowned our arms far away； at Gettysburg； Pennsylvania。 That was a defensive battle； whereas ours was offensive in the highest acceptation of the term； and the two； occurring at the same moment of time； should have ended the war； but the rebel leaders were mad； and seemed determined that their people should drink of the very lowest dregs of the cup of war； which they themselves had prepared。
The campaign of Vicksburg； in its conception and execution； belonged exclusively to General Grant； not only in the great whole； but in the thousands of its details。 I still retain many of his letters and notes； all in his own handwriting； prescribing the routes of march for divisions and detachments； specifying even the amount of food and tools to be carried along。 Many persons gave his adjutant general； Rawlins； the credit for these things； but they were in error； for no commanding general of an army ever gave more of his personal attention to details； or wrote so many of his own orders； reports； and letters； as General Grant。 His success at Vicksburg justly gave him great fame at home and abroad。 The President conferred on him the rank of major…general in the regular army； the highest grade then existing by law； and General McPherson and I shared in his success by receiving similar commissions as brigadier…generals in the regular army。
But our success at Vicksburg produced other results not so favorable to our causea general relaxation of effort； and desire to escape the hard drudgery of camp： officers sought leaves of absence to visit their homes； and soldiers obtained furloughs and discharges on the most slender pretexts； even the General Government seemed to relax in its efforts to replenish our ranks with new men； or to enforce the draft； and the politicians were pressing their schemes to reorganize or patch up some form of civil government； as fast as the armies gained partial possession of the States。
In order to illustrate this peculiar phase of our civil war； I give at this place copies of certain letters which have not hereto。 fore been published：
＇Private。＇
WASHINGTON； Augustt 29； 1868。
Major…General W。 T。 SHERMAN； Vicksburg； Mississippi
My DEAR GENERAL： The question of reconstruction in Louisiana； Mississippi； and Arkansas； will soon come up for decision of the Government； and not only the length of the war； but our ultimate and complete success； will depend upon its decision。 It is a difficult matter； but I believe it can be successfully solved； if the President will consult opinions of cool and discreet men； who are capable of looking at it in all its bearings and effects。 I think he is disposed to receive the advice of our generals who have been in these States； and know much more of their condition than gassy politicians in Congress。 General Banks has written pretty fully； on the subject。 I wrote to General Grant； immediately； after the fall of Vicksburg； for his views in regard to Mississippi； but he has not yet answered。
I wish you would consult with Grant； McPherson； and others of cool； good judgment； and write me your views fully； as I may wish to use them with the President。 You had better write me unofficially； and then your letter will not be put on file； and cannot hereafter be used against you。 You have been in Washington enough to know how every thing a man writes or says is picked up by his enemies and misconstrued。 With kind wishes for your