Out of less than thirty thousand, they had six thousand sick and wounded. They could hold out no longer and July 4th, 1863, Vicksburg surrendered. Grant took nearly thirty-two thousand prisoners. Union loss, twenty-three thousand three. Rebel loss, twenty thousand four hundred and fifty-one.
Among those that took part in that day of celebration and victory was the war eagle, Old Abe, the hero of many battles. He was carried on a perch, near the flag, by one of the color bearers of the 8th Wisconsin.
CHAPTER XI.
At two o’clock in the evening we received marching orders to go to the rear after Johnson’s and Breckenridge’s army. There was a routine of work to do here, such as cleaning up and granting paroles to prisoners, but we had troops enough to see after all of this.
On the morning of the 5th, we moved out to Black River, which was twelve miles distant. We had some strong fortifications at this place. We lay here until the morning of the 7th when we moved out in the direction of Jackson.
We stopped at the battlefield of Champion Hill for an hour’s rest. There was hardly a living tree on the field. Those fine, large magnolias had been torn and shot up until the place looked like an old deadening. One could see the dead leaves for miles. We found several bodies off of which the rain had washed the dirt. Not much pains were taken in burying the dead rebels, while we were at this place.
We moved on twelve miles to Bolton’s Depot, and here ran into Breckenridge’s rear. After a few shots had been fired from our batteries the enemy fell back. We lay here until 5 p. m. on the 8th when we moved out against the rebels. They contended for every foot of ground. We drove them about six miles and then lay down for a short sleep.
On the 9th we marched to Clinton. On the morning of the 10th we moved out in the direction of Jackson. There was skirmishing all the way but this did not annoy us very much for we were used to skirmishing.