After encompassing Vicksburg as closely as the nature of the locality and the numerical force under his command would permit, General Grant lost no time in preparing for a direct assault on the place, in combination with a grand naval attack by the fleet. During the 19th, there was a continued skirmishing, and General Grant was not without hope of carrying the works.

After the storming of the rebel position on the Big Black river, and the enemy had been driven within the fortifications of Vicksburg, their army was reorganized, and placed as follows: General Smith’s division on the extreme left, Major-General Forney in the centre, and Major-General Stephenson on the right. Brigadier-General Bowen’s division or Missourians held the reserve.

General Grant ordered an assault at an earlier day than was desirable, as there was danger of General Pemberton being reinforced by an army under General Johnson, which was then gathering strength, and advancing in the rear. A general assault was made at two o’clock on the 19th. This was made by the Fifteenth army corps, which arrived in time before the works on the previous day to get a good position. The Thirteenth and Seventeenth corps succeeded in gaining an advanced position covered from the fire of the enemy. A Confederate report of the action is as follows: “On Tuesday morning, before daylight, they opened fire from their batteries, our guns responding immediately, and at ten o’clock, advanced to the assault in a rather ridiculous manner. They advanced their flags close to the works, their negro troops in front, and lay down. Bowen’s gallant Missourians never fired a shot. The other regiments then marched up, and the whole assaulting column, forlorn hope and all, marched within easy musket range.

“At the word ‘forward—charge!’ they received our fire, shattering their ranks frightfully. They rallied, closed up and stood to it for thirty minutes, when they broke and fled. They were rallied to the charge four successive times and met with the same storm of iron hail and leaden rain. The whole field was literally covered for one mile with their dead and wounded, where they were still lying on Thursday night, unburied and without attention.” Another Confederate writes:

“The days intervening from the 19th to the 22d were spent in one continued bombarding and sharpshooting during the day; in the night they generally ceased firing. On the morning of the 22d, the enemy opened a terrific fire with their Parrot guns, and continued it till about eleven o’clock, when the bombardment ceased, and heavy columns of the enemy could be seen forming in line of battle. Our forces were all ready for them, and eager for their advance. At about a quarter to twelve, the column of the Federal army advanced all along the lines in splendid order, and with a loud cheer dashed up to the works. They were gallantly responded to by our brave boys, and the first charge repulsed. On the extreme right of our lines, the nature of the ground prevented the enemy from making any heavy attack, but on the right of the centre, the centre, and the left of the centre, the assault was desperately made and gallantly met. But once did our lines break, and that was in Lee’s brigade. The enemy gained a temporary footing on the rifle-pits, but Lee quickly rallied his men, and, after a desperate hand-to-hand fight, drove them out and reoccupied the lines. The engagement at this point, and at the right of the line, held by Brigadier-General L. Herbert, was of a terrible nature, the Federals having thrown their best troops on these works. Five times did they charge, and each time were repulsed. The last charge on the right of Brigadier-General Herbert’s lines was made by an Irish regiment (the Seventeenth Wisconsin), carrying the green flag of Erin. They came at a double-quick up the hill, each man in the front ranks furnished with a ladder to reach the works. Three times they essayed to plant their ladders, but were prevented by the obstinate resistance offered by the consolidated Twenty-first and Twenty-third Louisiana regiments. At the third charge they came within ten yards of the line, but two volleys of buckshot from the shotguns of our forces compelled them to make a precipitate retreat from the front of our works. At about two o’clock they made their last charge, and were again repulsed, when they retired, and did not attempt any further demonstration that day. The loss of the enemy on that day is estimated by competent parties at not less than from eight to ten thousand, while our loss was between eight hundred and one thousand in killed and wounded.”

The following dispatch of Rear-Admiral Porter to the Secretary of the Navy, describes the part taken in this conflict by the naval force:

Sir—On the morning of the 21st I received a communication from General Grant, informing me that he intended to attack the whole of the rebel works at ten A. M. the next day, and asking me to shell the batteries from half-past nine until half-past ten, and to annoy the garrison. I kept six mortars playing rapidly on the works and town all night, and sent the Benton, Mound City and Carondolet up to shell the water batteries and other places where troops might be resting during the night. At seven o’clock in the morning, the Mound City proceeded across the river, and made an attack on the hill batteries opposite the canal. At eight o’clock I found her in company with the Benton, Tuscumbia, and Carondolet. All these vessels opened on the hill batteries, and finally silenced them, though the main work on the battery containing the heavy rifled gun was done by the Mound City, Lieutenant Commanding Byron Wilson. I then pushed the Benton, Mound City and Carondolet up to the water batteries, leaving the Tuscumbia, which is still out of repair, to keep the hill batteries from firing on our vessels after they had passed by. The three gunboats passed up slowly, owing to the strong current, the Mound City leading, the Benton following, and the Carondolet astern. The water batteries opened furiously, supported by a hill battery on the starboard beam of the vessels. The vessels advanced to within four hundred and forty yards (by our marks) and returned the fire for two hours without cessation, the enemy’s fire being very accurate and incessant.

Finding that the hill batteries behind us were silenced, I ordered up the Tuscumbia to within eight hundred yards of the batteries; but the turret was soon made untenable, not standing the enemy’s shot, and I made her drop down. I had been engaged with the forts an hour longer than General Grant asked. The vessels had all received severe shots under water which we could not stop while in motion, and not knowing what might have delayed the movement of the army, I ordered the vessels to drop out of fire, which they did in a cool, handsome manner.

This was the hottest fire the gunboats had ever been under; but, owing to the water batteries being more on a level with them than usual, the gunboats threw in their shell so fast that the aim of the enemy was not very good. The enemy hit our vessels a number of times, but fighting bow on, they did but little damage.

Not a man was killed, and only a few wounded. I had only enough ammunition for a few moments longer, and set all hands to work to fill up from our depot below.

After dropping back I found that the enemy had taken possession again of one of the lower hill batteries and was endeavoring to mount his guns, and had mounted a 12-pounder field piece to fire at General McArthur’s troops, which had landed a short time before at Warrenton. I sent the Mound City and Carondolet to drive him off, which they did in a few moments.

I beg leave to enclose a letter from General McArthur, explaining why he did not (to use his own expression), take advantage of the results gained by the gunboats. I have since learned through General Grant that the army did assault at the right time vigorously. In the noise and smoke we could not see or hear it. The gunboats were, therefore, still fighting when the assault had proved unsuccessful.

The army have terrible work before them, and are fighting as well as soldiers ever fought before. But the works are stronger than any of us dreamed of. General Grant and his soldiers are confident that the brave and energetic generals in the army will soon overcome all obstacles and carry the works.

Having been repulsed with severe loss in several attempts to storm the rebel works, General Grant now determined to approach the fortifications by regular siege lines. It had been demonstrated that it was impossible to approach any point of attack, with a force equal in numbers to that with which the enemy would be prepared to resist him.

General Pemberton deemed it prudent at that time, to forbid all unnecessary waste of ammunition, and thus General Grant was able to commence throwing up works and erecting forts within a short distance of the opposing line of breastworks. The firing upon the town was made only during the day, until the 26th of May, after which it was continued day and night. The mortars on the peninsula opposite Vicksburg opened fire on the 25th, and continued it until the surrender. It was estimated at Vicksburg that as many as six thousand mortar shells were thrown into the town every twenty-four hours, and on the line in the rear of the city, as many as four thousand in the same time. During about five days after the siege commenced, the troops in the city were allowed full rations. At the expiration of that time, they were gradually reduced to four ounces of flour, four ounces of bacon, one and a half ounces of rice, two ounces of peas, not eatable, and three ounces of sugar. The extent of the works, and the limited number of the Confederate troops, required every man to defend the lines, and no time was allowed to rest. Whole companies laid back of their breastworks for three weeks without leaving the line for a moment.

Meantime every effort was made to strengthen the force under the command of General Grant. He had already ordered a division under General Lanman, and four regiments at Memphis to join him. He now brought forward the divisions of Generals Smith and Kimball, of the Sixteenth army corps, and placed them under the command of Major-General C. C. Washburn. On the 11th of June, Major-General F. J. Herron’s division, from the department of Missouri, arrived, and on the 14th, two divisions of the Ninth army corps, Major-General J. G. Parke commanding, reached Vicksburg. These two divisions were a part of the forces of General Burnside, commanding in the Department of Ohio. This increase of the forces of General Grant enabled him to make the investment of Vicksburg more complete, and at the same time left him a large reserve with which to watch the movements of General Johnston.

These reinforcements were arranged by placing General Herron’s division on the extreme left, south of the city. General Lanman’s division was placed between Generals Herron and McClernand. General Smith’s and General Kimball’s divisions, and the force under General Parke, were sent to Haines’s Bluff. This place was now fortified on the land side, and every preparation made to resist a heavy force. About the 25th of June, General Johnston crossed the Big Black river with a portion of his force, and everything indicated that he would make an attack.

About this time Rear-Admiral Porter reported to Secretary Welles, under date of May 27, the loss of one of the finest gunboats in his fleet, in the following dispatch:

Sir:—Amidst our successes I regret to report any losses; but we cannot expect to conquer a place like this without some loss.

At the urgent request of Generals Grant and Sherman, I sent the Cincinnati to enfilade some rifle pits which barred the progress of the left wing of our army.

General Sherman supposed that the enemy had removed his heavy guns to the rear of the city. On the contrary, he seemed to have placed more on the water side than usual.

The Cincinnati was sunk in shoal water, with her flag flying. The enemy still continued to fire upon her, but the flag was not hauled down. Twenty-five were killed and wounded, and fifteen are missing. The latter are supposed to be drowned. The vessel can be raised. The pilot was killed early in the action.

A successful naval expedition to Yazoo city, is thus described in the report of Rear Admiral Porter, under date of May 24:

Sir—I have the honor to inform you that the expedition sent up the Yazoo river the day after I took possession of the forts on Snyder’s Bluff, has returned, having met with perfect success. As the steamers approached Yazoo city the rebel property was fired by Lieutenant Brown, of the ram Arkansas; and what he began our forces finished. Three powerful rams were burned, the Mobile, a screw vessel, ready for plating; the Republic, being fitted for a ram, with railroad iron plating, and a vessel on the stocks—a monster, three hundred and ten feet long and seventy-five feet beam. This vessel was to have been covered with four and a half inch iron plating, and was to have had six engines, four side wheels and propellers. She would have given us much trouble. The rebels had under construction a fine navy yard, containing fine sawing and planing machines, and an extensive machine shop, carpenter and blacksmiths’ shops, and all the necessary appliances for a large building and repairing yard. Lieutenant-Commander Walker burned all these, with a large quantity of valuable building timber. He also burned a large saw mill that had been used in constructing the monster ram. The material destroyed, at a moderate estimate, would cost more than two millions of dollars. We had one man killed and seven wounded by field pieces from the enemy’s batteries going up the river, but the wounded are doing well. I enclose Lieutenant-Commander Walker’s report in relation to this affair. He deserves much credit for the handsome manner in which he performed the duty assigned him. If he could have obtained pilots he would have succeeded in getting possession of all the rebel rams, instead of having them burned. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

From the 22d of May, until the 25th of June, no attempt was made to take the city by direct assault. During all that time, however, the mining operations had been carried on successfully, and on the latter day a fort on the immediate right of the Jackson road was blown up. It was occupied by the Third Louisiana regiment, but the troops had been withdrawn, and only a few were wounded by the explosion. An advance by a small portion of the Federal force, immediately after, was the occasion of a bloody contest, in which the Unionists were defeated, and compelled to retire.

Several portions of the enemy’s defences were destroyed by the mining operations of the Federals at this time, but no decisive advantage had thus far been obtained. The condition of affairs in the city is thus described by a Confederate officer: “About the thirty-fifth day provisions began to get very scarce, and the advent of General 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 enemy pushed their works: they blew up several forts, and with them the soldiers and attempted to charge; but the meagre and famished yet steadfast garrison still defiantly held the key of the Mississippi. But everything must have an end. General Pemberton learned from General Johnston that he could not afford him relief, and as the garrison was too famished and reduced to cut its way out, he determined to capitulate.”

After resisting the Federal forces for fifteen months, and enduring a direct siege and bombardment for forty-seven days, Vicksburg was finally surrendered to General Grant, on the 4th of July.

The following correspondence between Generals Grant and Pemberton embody the interesting details of that event:

General—I have the honor to propose to you an armistice for —— hours, with a view to 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 farther effusion of blood, which must otherwise be shed to a frightful extent, feeling myself fully able to maintain my position for a yet indefinite period. This communication will be handed you under a flag of truce, by Major-General James Bowen.

To this General Grant replied as follows:

General—Your note of this date, just received, proposes an armistice of several hours, for the purpose of arranging terms of capitulation through commissioners to be appointed, &c. The effusion of blood you propose 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 endurance 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 proposition of appointing commissioners to arrange terms of capitulation, because I have no other terms than those indicated above.

General Bowen, the bearer of General Pemberton’s letter, was received by General A. J. Smith. He expressed a strong desire to converse with General Grant, and accordingly, while declining this, General Grant requested General Smith to say that if General Pemberton desired to see him, an interview would be granted between the lines in McPherson’s front, at any hour in the afternoon which General Pemberton might appoint.

A message was soon sent back to General Smith, appointing three o’clock as the hour. General Grant was there with his staff, and with Generals Ord, McPherson, Logan, and A. J. Smith. General Pemberton came late, attended by General Bowen, and Colonel Montgomery. He was much excited and pert in his answers to General Grant. The conversation was held apart between General Pemberton and his officers, and Generals Grant, McPherson, and A. J. Smith. The rebels insisted on being paroled, and allowed to march beyond our lines, officers and men, all with eight days’ rations, drawn from their own stores, the officers to retain their private property and body servants.

General Grant heard what they had to say, and left them at the end of an hour and a half, saying that he would send in his ultimatum in writing, to which General Pemberton promised to reply before night, hostilities to cease in the mean time.

General Grant then conferred at his headquarters with his corps and division commanders, and sent the following letter to General Pemberton, by the hands of General Logan and Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson.

GENERAL GRANT’S OFFER FOR THE SURRENDER.

General—In conformity with the agreement of this afternoon, 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 o’clock to-morrow morning. As soon as paroles can be made out and signed by the 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 allowed 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 preparing them; thirty wagons also, counting two two-horse or mule teams as one. You will be allowed to transport such articles as cannot be carried along. The same conditions will be allowed to all sick and wounded officers and privates, as fast as they become able to travel. The paroles for these latter must be signed, however, whilst officers are present authorized to sign the roll of prisoners.

The officer who received this letter, stated that it would be impossible to answer it by night, and it was not till a little before peep of day, that the proposed reply was furnished.

While these deliberations were pending, the men of both armies, who simply knew that a surrender was in contemplation, under intense excitement, were anxiously awaiting the result. Groups of soldiers, who a few hours before were engaged in a deathly struggle, now freely engaged in conversation from the edge of the opposing works.

REPLY OF GENERAL PEMBERTON, ACCEPTING ALL THE TERMS OFFERED BY GENERAL GRANT.

General—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt 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 limits, after which you will take possession; officers to retain their side arms and personal property, and the rights and property of citizens to be respected.

To this General Grant immediately replied as follows:—

GENERAL GRANT DECLINES TO ACCEDE TO THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY GENERAL PEMBERTON.

General—I have the honor to acknowledge your communication of the 3rd of July. The amendments proposed by you cannot be acceded to in full. It will be necessary to furnish every officer and man with a parole signed by himself, which, with the completion of the rolls of prisoners, will necessarily take some time. Again, I can make no stipulation with regard to the treatment of citizens and their private property. While I do not propose to cause any of them any undue annoyance or loss. I cannot consent to leave myself under restraint by stipulations. The property which officers can be allowed to take with them will be as stated in the proposition of last evening—that is, that 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 objection to it. Should no modification be made of your acceptance of my terms by nine o’clock, A. M., I shall regard them as having been rejected, 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 on your men.

To this the following was received:—

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE BY GENERAL PEMBERTON OF THE TERMS PROPOSED BY GENERAL GRANT.

General—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date, and, in reply, to say that the terms proposed by you are accepted.

Of the terms of the surrender, General Grant thus speaks in his report: “These terms I regarded 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 Jackson; and our river transportation to be used for the movement of troops to any point the exigency of the service might require.”

At ten o’clock on the 4th, the Confederate forces marched out and stacked arms in front of their works, while General Pemberton appeared for a moment with his staff upon the parapet of the central front. The city was immediately after occupied by the divisions of Generals Logan, J. E. Smith and Herron.

The result of his operations is thus summed up by General Grant: “The result of this campaign has been the defeat of the enemy in five different 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 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, etc., 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.”

We will now turn our attention to a brilliant engagement which occurred simultaneously with the fall of Vicksburg. The town of Helena, in Arkansas, had been garrisoned by a small force under General Prentiss, a gallant officer, who had been captured at Pittsburg Landing with a large portion of his division, after bravely contending for more than half a day with a foe quadruple his own force.