Pemberton appealed to me in person to compel these men to sign their paroles, but I declined.  It also leaked out that many of the men who had signed their paroles, intended to desert and go to their homes as soon as they got out of our lines.  Pemberton hearing this, again appealed to me to assist him.  He wanted arms for a battalion, to act as guards in keeping his men together while being marched to a camp of instruction, where he expected to keep them until exchanged.  This request was also declined.  It was precisely what I expected and hoped that they would do.  I told him, however, that I would see that they marched beyond our lines in good order.  By the eleventh, just one week after the surrender, the paroles were completed and the Confederate garrison marched out.  Many deserted, and fewer of them were ever returned to the ranks to fight again than would have been the case had the surrender been unconditional and the prisoners sent to the James River to be paroled.

As soon as our troops took possession of the city guards were established along the whole line of parapet, from the river above to the river below.  The prisoners were allowed to occupy their old camps behind the intrenchments.  No restraint was put upon them, except by their own commanders.  They were rationed about as our own men, and from our supplies.  The men of the two armies fraternized as if they had been fighting for the same cause.  When they passed out of the works they had so long and so gallantly defended, between lines of their late antagonists, not a cheer went up, not a remark was made that would give pain.  Really, I believe there was a feeling of sadness just then in the breasts of most of the Union soldiers at seeing the dejection of their late antagonists.

The day before the departure the following order was issued: 

“Paroled prisoners will be sent out of here to-morrow.  They will be authorized to cross at the railroad bridge, and move from there to Edward’s Ferry, (14) and on by way of Raymond.  Instruct the commands to be orderly and quiet as these prisoners pass, to make no offensive remarks, and not to harbor any who fall out of ranks after they have passed.”

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Retrospect of the campaign—­Sherman’s movements—­proposed movement upon Mobile—­A painful accident—­ordered to report at Cairo.

The capture of Vicksburg, with its garrison, ordnance and ordnance stores, and the successful battles fought in reaching them, gave new spirit to the loyal people of the North.  New hopes for the final success of the cause of the Union were inspired.  The victory gained at Gettysburg, upon the same day, added to their hopes.  Now the Mississippi River was entirely in the possession of the National troops; for the fall of Vicksburg gave us Port Hudson at once.  The army of northern Virginia was driven out of Pennsylvania and forced back to about the same ground it occupied in 1861.  The Army of the Tennessee united with the Army of the Gulf, dividing the Confederate States completely.