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Narrative of the western theatre in the American Civil War, 1880s

57_Narrative Page 57

"Men don't want to starve and don't intend to, but they call upon you for justice, if the Commissary Department can give it; if it can't, you must adopt some means to relieve us very soon.  The emergency of the case demands prompt and decided action on your part.  
"If you can't feed us you had better surrender us - horrible as the idea is - than suffer this noble army to disgrace themselves by desertion.  I tell you plainly men are not going to lie here and perish.  If they do love their country, self-preservation is the first law of nature, and hunger will compel a man to do almost anyting.  You had better heed a warning voice, though it is the voice of a private soldier.  
"This army is now ripe for mutiny unless it can be fed."

          Pemberton calls  a Council of war  
And on the 3rd of July meets Grant under a tree to make arrangements for surrender
And on the 4" of July about 10 oclock A. M. his troops march out and stack their arms

{newspaper clipping}
                      " THE SURRENDER.
The 4th of July has come, a great day in the history of our country -- the anniversary of its birthday.  At Gettysburg Gen. Lee, defeated in a great battle, is thinking how he can reach the other side of the Potomac. The high hopes which Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Government has had of what would come from the invasion of the North are blasted, and now the army under Pemberton is laying down its arms, surrendering everything, marching out, stacking arms, laying their colors upon them, - 31,000 men and 172 cannon all surrendered. 
In March Gen. Pemberton had 61,495 men. That great army has disappeared.  All but the 6,000 under Loring, who broke away at the battle of Champion's Hill are lost to the Confederacy. Since March Pemberton has lost 260 cannon. 
Vicksburg, the stronghold, has been captured. The Confederacy is nearly severed. The men of the Northwest are hewing their way to the Gulf of Mexico. The great river is not to run through a divided country. The death knell of the Confederacy has been sounded.

Saving...

"Men don't want to starve and don't intend to, but they call upon you for justice, if the Commissary Department can give it; if it can't, you must adopt some means to relieve us very soon. The emergency of the case demands prompt and decided action on your part. "If you can't feed us you had better surrender us - horrible as the idea is - than suffer this noble army to disgrace themselves by desertion. I tell you plainly men are not going to lie here and perish. If they do love their country, self-preservation is the first law of nature, and hunger will compel a man to do almost anyting. You had better heed a warning voice, though it is the voice of a private soldier. "This army is now ripe for mutiny unless it can be fed." Pemberton calls a Council of war And on the 3rd of July meets Grant under a tree to make arrangements for surrender And on the 4" of July about 10 oclock A. M. his troops march out and stack their arms {newspaper clipping} " THE SURRENDER. The 4th of July has come, a great day in the history of our country -- the anniversary of its birthday. At Gettysburg Gen. Lee, defeated in a great battle, is thinking how he can reach the other side of the Potomac. The high hopes which Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Government has had of what would come from the invasion of the North are blasted, and now the army under Pemberton is laying down its arms, surrendering everything, marching out, stacking arms, laying their colors upon them, - 31,000 men and 172 cannon all surrendered. In March Gen. Pemberton had 61,495 men. That great army has disappeared. All but the 6,000 under Loring, who broke away at the battle of Champion's Hill are lost to the Confederacy. Since March Pemberton has lost 260 cannon. Vicksburg, the stronghold, has been captured. The Confederacy is nearly severed. The men of the Northwest are hewing their way to the Gulf of Mexico. The great river is not to run through a divided country. The death knell of the Confederacy has been sounded.