Mines were

lucky assault, he had received reinforcements. sprung under Confederate forts, and breastworks thrown up in advance of the Union army as it gradually worked its way toward Vicksburg. But while the troops were digging mines from without, famine silently at work within the Confederate ranks was more persuasive than bullet-shot or saber-cut.

Finally, after forty-five days of siege, Pemberton, hopeless of relief, and at the end of his resources, hung out the white flag, and surrendered his army and the city on the 4th of July.

As a result of this campaign in and about Vicksburg the enemy lost about 10,000 men killed and wounded, and 37,000 prisoners, which includes those taken before the siege.

Gen. Grant reports his losses in this memorable campaign, from the day he landed at Bruinsburg until that of the surrender, at 945 killed, 7,095 wounded, and 537 missing.

This was by far the most disastrous blow to the Confederacy that had yet been given. No other campaign of the war exceeds this in brilliancy of conception and in successful prosecution.

Gen. Johnston had been using every exertion to raise an army strong enough to fall upon the rear of Grant's army and raise the siege of Vicksburg. Gen. Sherman was sent with a force to hold Johnston in check. Not being able to meet Gen. Sherman in a pitched battle, Johnston began operating down along the Big Black river, with the probable intention of forming a junction with Pemberton, and of cutting a way out for him. But before this could be attempted, Pemberton surrendered his famished army. Gen. Johnston, hearing of the surrender of the

Confederate army, marched eastward, pursued by Sherman, to Jackson, where a small engagement occurred. During the night he hurried across the Pearl river, and continued his retreat through Brandon to Morton.

On June 6th a force of Confederates from Arkansas made an unsuccessful attempt to take Milliken's Bend. Just prior to the fall of Port Hudson, Confederate General Holmes with 9,000 men tried to take Helena, held by General Prentiss with a force less than one-half as large as that of his assailant, but failed.

Sherman pursued Johnston's army as far as Brandon, but realizing that the enemy had escaped, he returned to his old position about Vicksburg. Thus ended one of the greatest, and in many respects most important campaigns of the Civil War.

SURRENDER OF PORT HUDSON, JULY 8, 1863.-General Nathaniel P. Banks assumed command of the department of the Gulf, Dec. 11, 1862, with a force of 30,000; but he sent detail after detail until his available troops to operate against Port Hudson was only 14,000. He was expected to coöperate with Gen. Grant in his efforts to open the Mississippi and expel the Confederates bearing arms in Louisiana and Texas. Gen. Gardner was in command of Port Hudson, with a force equal to that under Banks. He was well fortified. Two spirited. attacks were made upon the Confederate defenses, on May 27th and June 14th. Banks, having gained no permanent advantage, settled down to the employment of the same methods for the reduction of the place as Grant was using at Vicksburg, namely,

digging his way to the breastworks of the enemy, and reducing the efficient defense by cutting off all supplies and succor.

About 2,500 of the enemy's cavalry were in the rear of Gen. Banks's army. Gen. Jos. E. Johnston, at Jackson, was in danger of swooping down at any moment. Fresh reinforcements from Alabama and Georgia sufficient to raise the siege might be expected. Gen. R. E. Lee, so recently victorious at Chancellorsville, might send a relief corps by rail to Gardner. In vain the garrison looked for reinforcements. The ammunition for small arms was gradually expended, until but twenty rounds per man remained; and but little more for the artillery. The meat gave out, and mules were killed and served as food. Rats were cooked and eaten, and pronounced as good as squirrels. Considering the enervated condition of the troops, the enemy made a gallant defense. Suddenly, on July 6th, the Union batteries shook the heavens with tremendous salutes, while cheer after cheer from behind the works, and from the gunboats, rolled to the hills, reverberating the good tidings that Vicksburg had surrendered. The news of this disaster to the Confederacy made it folly to resist any longer. Gen. Gardner accordingly opened negotiations with Banks, and under the terms of capitulation the garrison became prisoners of war July 9th. The Union troops took possession of the city. The loss to Banks's army in this campaign of forty days was about 3,000 The number of prisoners taken at the Port was 6,408, but the number captured in the whole campaign was 10,584 men, besides many guns, arms, etc.

men.

Gen. Banks, after his victory at Port Hudson, led an expedition of 6,000 into Texas by way of the Rio Grande. After taking Brownsville and Point Isabel, and leaving Gen. Dana in command at the former place, he returned to New Orleans.

With the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson came the undisputed navigation of the Mississippi. Only local and partisan hostilities were conducted on it after this. One of the objective points of the war was accomplished. The great river remained open to the close of the war, in undisputed possession of National authority.

CHAPTER VIII.

BRAGG'S INVASION OF KENTUCKY.

MOVEMENT TO CHATTANOOGA, 1862.-The Confederate veterans that had confronted Grant at Shiloh and Corinth retreated to Tupelo. After the fall of these places the enemy's efforts were directed to the defense of two strongholds-Chattanooga on the east, and Vicksburg on the west. The events of the struggle for possession of the latter place have already been given. Gen. Braxton Bragg, now in command of the Confederate armies west of the mountains, abandoned his position at Tupelo, and moved his troops via the Mobile railroad to Chattanooga. His army had been increased by conscription to 45,000 men, and was organized in three corps, under Hardee, Bishop Polk, and Kirby Smith, respectively. Gen. Buell left Corinth on the 10th of June for Chattanooga by way of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, which had been destroyed by the enemy. The rebuilding of the road under instructions from Gen. Halleck consumed much time. The Confederates profited by this delay, and on the 29th of July they entered Chattanooga before the arrival of the Union army, and established headquarters there.

INVASION OF KENTUCKY, 1862-63.-The Confederates conceived the bold plan of carrying the war farther north. McClellan's campaign before Richmond had proved a failure, and