All the camps were arranged for health, comfort, rest, and drill.  It being midsummer, we did not expect any change till the autumn months, and accordingly made ourselves as comfortable as possible.  There was a short railroad in operation from Vicksburg to the bridge across the Big Black, whence supplies in abundance were hauled to our respective camps.  With a knowledge of this fact Mrs. Sherman came down from Ohio with Minnie, Lizzie, Willie, and Tom, to pay us a visit in our camp at Parson Fog’s.  Willie was then nine years old, was well advanced for his years, and took the most intense interest in the affairs of the army.  He was a great favorite with the soldiers, and used to ride with me on horseback in the numerous drills and reviews of the time.  He then had the promise of as long a life as any of my children, and displayed more interest in the war than any of them.  He was called a “sergeant” in the regular battalion, learned the manual of arms, and regularly attended the parade and guard-mounting of the Thirteenth, back of my camp.  We made frequent visits to Vicksburg, and always stopped with General McPherson, who had a large house, and boarded with a family (Mrs. Edwards’s) in which were several interesting young ladies.  General Grant occupied another house (Mrs. Lum’s) in Vicksburg during that summer, and also had his family with him.  The time passed very agreeably, diversified only by little events of not much significance, among which I will recount only one.

While, we occupied the west bank of the Big Black, the east bank was watched by a rebel cavalry-division, commanded by General Armstrong.  He had four brigades, commanded by Generals Whitfield, Stark, Cosby, and Wirt Adams.  Quite frequently they communicated with us by flags of truce on trivial matters, and we reciprocated; merely to observe them.  One day a flag of truce, borne by a Captain B...., of Louisville, Kentucky, escorted by about twenty-five men, was reported at Messinger’s Ferry, and I sent orders to let them come right into my tent.  This brought them through the camps of the Fourth Division, and part of the Second; and as they drew up in front of my tent, I invited Captain B.... and another officer with him (a major from Mobile) to dismount, to enter my tent, and to make themselves at home.  Their escort was sent to join mine, with orders to furnish them forage and every thing they wanted.  B.... had brought a sealed letter for General Grant at Vicksburg, which was dispatched to him.  In the evening we had a good supper, with wine and cigars, and, as we sat talking, B.... spoke of his father and mother, in Louisville, got leave to write them a long letter without its being read by any one, and then we talked about the war.  He said:  “What is the use of your persevering?  It is simply impossible to subdue eight millions of people;” asserting that “the feeling in the South had become so embittered that a reconciliation was impossible.”