each.  If you mean by your proposition for each brigade to march to the front of the lines now occupied by it, and stack arms at ten o’clock A.M., and then return to the inside and there remain as prisoners until properly paroled, I will make no objection to it.  Should no notification be received of your acceptance of my terms by nine o’clock A.M.  I shall regard them as having been rejected, and shall act accordingly.  Should these terms be accepted, white flags should be displayed along your lines to prevent such of my troops as may not have been notified, from firing upon your men.”

Pemberton promptly accepted these terms.

During the siege there had been a good deal of friendly sparring between the soldiers of the two armies, on picket and where the lines were close together.  All rebels were known as “Johnnies,” all Union troops as “Yanks.”  Often “Johnny” would call:  “Well, Yank, when are you coming into town?” The reply was sometimes:  “We propose to celebrate the 4th of July there.”  Sometimes it would be:  “We always treat our prisoners with kindness and do not want to hurt them;” or, “We are holding you as prisoners of war while you are feeding yourselves.”  The garrison, from the commanding general down, undoubtedly expected an assault on the fourth.  They knew from the temper of their men it would be successful when made; and that would be a greater humiliation than to surrender.  Besides it would be attended with severe loss to them.

The Vicksburg paper, which we received regularly through the courtesy of the rebel pickets, said prior to the fourth, in speaking of the “Yankee” boast that they would take dinner in Vicksburg that day, that the best receipt for cooking a rabbit was “First ketch your rabbit.”  The paper at this time and for some time previous was printed on the plain side of wall paper.  The last number was issued on the fourth and announced that we had “caught our rabbit.”

I have no doubt that Pemberton commenced his correspondence on the third with a two-fold purpose:  first, to avoid an assault, which he knew would be successful, and second, to prevent the capture taking place on the great national holiday, the anniversary of the Declaration of American Independence.  Holding out for better terms as he did he defeated his aim in the latter particular.

At the appointed hour the garrison of Vicksburg marched out of their works and formed line in front, stacked arms and marched back in good order.  Our whole army present witnessed this scene without cheering.  Logan’s division, which had approached nearest the rebel works, was the first to march in; and the flag of one of the regiments of his division was soon floating over the court-house.  Our soldiers were no sooner inside the lines than the two armies began to fraternize.  Our men had had full rations from the time the siege commenced, to the close.  The enemy had been suffering, particularly towards the last.  I myself saw our men taking bread from their haversacks and giving it to the enemy they had so recently been engaged in starving out.  It was accepted with avidity and with thanks.