With no hope of relief or resupply, Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton opened surrender negotiations at Vicksburg on July 3. Grant initially demanded an unconditional surrender, but then agreed to parole the garrison in order to avoid having to transport 30,000 prisoners to Illinois; he also hoped that many of the paroled Confederates would return home and spread disaffection with the war. Pemberton’s army capitulated on July 4, ending a nine-week campaign that had cost the Union about 9,000 men killed, wounded, or missing. William Henry Harrison Clayton of the 19th Iowa Infantry witnessed the surrender.
Vicksburg, Miss.
July 5th, 1863
Dear Father & Mother:
It is with great pleasure that I pen the following lines. Yesterday, the “glorious Fourth of July” was made doubly so, by the surrender, and occupation of this, the strongest rebel position in their Confederacy.
It was an event that we, and I suppose the whole Northern people, have been patiently waiting for, for months past, and what is better than all it fell without the necessity of storming the works and thus losing numbers of valuable lives.
We have starved them out, they held out until they could do so no longer, and they were compelled to come to terms.
I saw from the Keosaqua papers that there was to be celebrations on the Fourth at a number of places in the county, one being at Lebanon. I would have given anything almost if I could by some means, have been conveyed from here, there and given the joyful news. What a celebration there would have been had you only known the situation here. I imagine that copperheads would have looked down their noses and wish themselves hid from the gaze of exultant loyal people. My sincere wish now is, that Lee and his army may get the devil from Hooker or someone else. I think that the Rebs would be about played out.
Hostilities ceased here on the 3rd before noon, they had hoisted a flag of truce. Negotiations were pending until the morning of the Fourth, when they surrendered.
I have not yet learned the terms. The prisoners are still in places they occupied yesterday morning. On the 3rd when firing ceased, our boys laid down their guns and went over to their rifle pits and forts and had quite a chat with them. It looked singular to see men, who but a few minutes previously were shooting at each other, mingle together and shake hands, and be as friendly, apparently, as brothers, but such is among the incidents of war.
Our batteries had been well supplied with ammunition and it was the intention to celebrate the Fourth on a grand scale, by shelling the town’s 7 fortifications, but owing to the surrender only the National salute was fired, with blank cartridges.
We received orders, and at 9½ o’clock Ormes’ brigade started for the inside of the fortifications. It was very hot and dusty and the march was very fatiguing. It is but a short distance from here to our old camp, but by the wagon road it is 2 or 3 miles. We are a mile or two from the town but as we are inside the works, considered that we are in Vicksburg, and began my letter accordingly. We received orders before we started in to not cheer or make any demonstration upon coming in. The Rebs were surprised at our conduct, and were as friendly as could be expected under the circumstances. Some of them are fine looking fellows, and some are very reasonable and admit that they are defending a bad cause. I have talked with a number that say they will fight no more if they can possibly help it. I was talking to one awhile ago close by an earthwork where our regimental flag was waving to the breeze. He said it looked better to him yet, than any other flag. I have looked in vain for the Rebel flag (the stars & bars) but have not seen it yet. I have seen their battery flags flying at the different forts. That of Georgia is a red flag with two black stripes diagonally across it, another flag was white with a large spot in the center. I asked a fellow this morning what kind of flag they had, but he could not tell me, he said they had several kinds but could describe none.
If we had charged these works there would have been great loss of life, for they have an abundance of ammunition and the works command each other so that if one should be taken there is two or three others ready to open upon it. They say that we never could have taken the place if they had plenty of provision, but I think it would have been taken anyhow.
They acknowledge that we did as much work in a nights time building forts and digging rifle-pits as they could do in a week. They say that we are western troops or the place never would have been taken. They seem to think that eastern troops do not possess the valor of western troops. After we entered the works the gunboats above steamed down and each fired the National salute as she rounded to. A number of boats came down during the day, screaming and blowing around as though glad to once more pass the spot so long barricaded.
Numbers of the prisoners say that they have had but one biscuit a day, and a piece of meat about the size of a persons finger, twice a day for two weeks past. The meat gave out toward the last, and I have it from a number of them that they actually eat mule-meat. They say that if the place had not been surrendered when it was they would not have stood it much longer, but laid down their arms and refused to fight longer. We have made a big haul, from 20 to 30,000 prisoners, the same number stands of arms and lots of field artillery & heavy guns, and any quantity of ammunition for them. It has been the most glorious event of the war. I would not have missed being here for a good deal. Herron’s command occupies the right of their defenses or the left of our army, being below town. I received a letter from Lizzie Cooper yesterday. All were well excepting Aunt Agness who was no better. She said that there was considerable excitement there in regard to the Rebel invasion, but that preparations were being made to give them a warm reception if they should make their appearance there. The boys are all well and are pleased to be present at the fall of Vicksburg.
Give my respects to all my friends.
Your affectionate son,
W. H. H. Clayton
P.S. As I write the poor devils are running around trading tobacco for bread or anything to eat. There is so many that it takes a long time to issue provisions to them. Our boys have given them all that we could spare. They have drawn tobacco since they came here & have plenty.
The 19th had but one man wounded during our three weeks stay here. We have been lucky, were as much exposed as the other regiments that had some killed and wounded but we passed through without loss.