150-years-ago -- THE FALL OF VICKSBURG

The Richmond Daily Dispatch 

July 14, 1863

Brig. Gen. Stephen D. Lee
(Library of Congress)

Though no official dispatches have
announced it, the fact seems now to
be certain that Vicksburg fell by the
starvation of its garrison. The men
had been without food for three days.
After the surrender, in marching to
stack their arms numbers of them
staggered like drunken men from the
effects of starvation and fatigue.
For two weeks, says an officer who
came from the city, they had been
living on mule meat and bread made
of peas; and yet, he added, if it had
been known that relief would have 

come they would still have held out. 

The privates who have arrived at Jackson,

Miss., speak in the highest terms of Gen.
Pemberton. They say they went into 

the fortifications prejudiced against him, 

but that no man could have done more to defend
the city than he did. It is stated by officers

 that all the officers in the city concurred in 

advising Pemberton to surrender.
About 200 of the paroled prisoners, including 

Brig Gen. Stephen D. Lee, have arrived at 

Jackson. The Yankees were led to believe

 that if they took Vicksburg the war was ended,
and they could all go home, and they would remark to our
troops, "well, boys, we can all go home now.".

Fall of Port Hudson.
The following dispatch was received at the War
Department yesterday: Mobile, July13, 1863.
Gen'l Cooper A. and I. G.:
The New Orleans Era. of the 19th announces
the unconditional surrender of Port Hudson
at 7 o'clock on the 9th inst.