When the dispatch-boat returned, I went on it to Vicksburg. There the whole fleet of transports and gun-boats, including the Marine Brigade, was moored, decorated with all their streamers and colors, and from the Court-house dome proudly floated the glorious emblem of our country. It was a grand and sublime spectacle. The levee and streets of the city were thronged with thousands of weather- and war-worn heroes, that had heroically suffered and fought for the capture of the place.
It was a proud day for them, and their countenances beamed with such expressions of satisfaction and delight as only heroes can wear.
The magnitude of their victory was proportionate to the day on which it was achieved, and such a celebration of our national anniversary was never before had, and probably never will be again.
The sufferings and privations and hardships of long marches, and exposures and hard-fought battles and a long-continued siege, were all forgotten in the realization of the most glorious victory that had ever crowned the arms of an American hero.
Promiscuously mingled with the blue uniforms of the Federal soldiers was the dirty yellow of the Confederate prisoners, and their filthy appearance and fear-worn faces were in striking contrast with their elated victors.
The magnitude of the victory can perhaps be better understood by the following official report:
_Rebel losses in Major-General Grant's Department since the landing of the army at Grand Gulf, Mississippi, May 1, 1863._
Loss in men up to May 18th 40,000 Prisoners taken at Vicksburg 31,000 ------ Total 71,000
Citizen prisoners, 1,500 of whom were women and children 5,000 Prisoners sick and wounded 13,220 Prisoners fit for duty 18,000 Tents captured 4,000 Mules captured 1,500 Horses captured 1,000 Freight cars 200 Locomotives 5 Large siege-guns captured 188 Field-pieces captured 151 Rounds of ammunition 300 Stands of small arms 35,000 Shot-guns, etc 30,000
Value of public property captured, from ten to fifteen million dollars.
Approved, by order of JAMES WILSON, _Lieutenant-Colonel and Provost-marshal._
I found the Paymaster-General at Vicksburg, and succeeded in getting from him a box of cartridges. Not liking to remain in the place while the prisoners were there, lest some of them might, at some future time, recognize me, should I be so unfortunate as to get captured, I told General Grant how I felt about it, and he sent me to my regiment, then at Black River, to stay until the prisoners were sent away.