<link href="css/hmh.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <meta content="urn:uuid:eedc6609-642c-4b9c-af55-568ac06cb314" name="Adept.expected.resource"/> </head> <body> <h1 class="backtitle paired allcaps">Epilogue</h1> <div class="quarter"> <div class="full "> <img alt=" " id="graphic" src="images/graphic.jpg"/> </div> </div> <div class="timebreak "> </div> <p class="left dropcap2">T<span class="smallcaps">HE PEOPLE</span> of the town of Vicksburg did not celebrate the Fourth of July the summer of 1864.</p> <p class="follow">They did not celebrate it again for eighty-two years.</p> <p class="follow">It was, after all, not only the birthday of America, it was the day their town surrendered to the Yankees. How could they celebrate?</p> <p class="follow">World War I came and went. World War II followed not too far behind. Men from Vicksburg served and died in both.</p> <p class="follow">On the Fourth of July in 1945, the people of Vicksburg decided it was time to celebrate the birthday of their country again. After all, the country had fought two terrible wars to continue to exist in freedom for everyone.</p> <p class="follow">So two months after V-E Day they brought out their flags and their banners and played “The Star-Spangled Banner” and marched and roasted hot dogs and hamburgers and did all sorts of things that make up the celebration of the Fourth in this country.</p> <p class="follow">After eighty-two years they managed to set aside their sorrow. And if the celebration was a little bittersweet, no one can blame them.</p> </body> </html>