Lincoln’s exuberant joy over the capture of Vicksburg is revealed in an entry made at the time in Mr. Welles’s Diary.  “I was handed a despatch from Admiral Porter, communicating the fall of Vicksburg on the Fourth of July,” says Mr. Welles.  “I immediately returned to the Executive Mansion.  The President was detailing certain points relative to Grant’s movements on the map to Chase and two or three others, when I gave him the tidings.  Putting down the map he rose at once, said he would drop these topics, and added, ’I myself will telegraph this news to General Meade.’  He seized his hat, but suddenly stopped, his countenance beaming with joy; he caught my hand, and throwing his arm around me, exclaimed, ’What can we do for the Secretary of the Navy for this glorious intelligence?  He is always giving us good news.  I cannot, in words, tell you my joy over this result.  It is great, Mr. Welles, it is great!’ ...  We walked the lawn together.  ‘This,’ said he, ’will relieve Banks.  It will inspire me.’”

The Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg caused great rejoicing at the North, and gave added zest to the celebration of the national patriotic holiday.  President Lincoln, mindful of the “almost inestimable services,” as he termed them, of General Grant, and as it was his wont to do in such circumstances, made haste to acknowledge his own and the country’s indebtedness to the man who had accomplished a great deed.  He addressed to the conqueror of Vicksburg the following letter: 

     EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D.C. 
     July 13, 1863.

     MAJOR-GENERAL GRANT.

MY DEAR GENERAL:—­I do not remember that you and I ever met personally.  I write this now as a grateful acknowledgment for the almost inestimable services you have done the country.  I write to say a word further.  When you first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, I thought you should do what you finally did—­march the troops across the neck, run the batteries with the transports, and thus go below; and I never had any faith, except a general hope that you knew better than I, that the Yazoo Pass expedition, and the like, could succeed.  When you got below, and took Port Gibson, Grand Gulf, and vicinity, I thought you should go down the river, and join General Banks, and when you turned northward, east of the Big Black, I feared it was a mistake.  I now wish to make the personal acknowledgment that you were right and I was wrong.

     Yours truly, A. LINCOLN.

An officer who was the first from Grant’s army to reach Washington after the surrender of Vicksburg, has recorded the circumstances of his interview with the President.  “Mr. Lincoln received me very cordially,” says this officer, “and drawing a chair near to himself and motioning me to be seated said, ‘Now I want to hear all about Vicksburg.’  I gave him all the information I could, though he appeared to be remarkably well posted himself.  He put to me a great many questions