In Camp And Field

{Sectíon XI- Conl inútil.) as Dcrore statcd. after settline üowc to siege there were comparativoly lew wounded. Back of Swett's garden under some smal! trees the dead irom the División hospital were buried. It was not possible to provide cofflns and so the dead wore wrapped in blankets and covered over with earth - till their shallow graves were filled. As tho siege progressed all the wounded and sick who were able to be moved were put in ambulances and conveyed to boats on the Yazoo river irom whence they went North. Cane grew in abundance all about and by cutting a number ef these stocks, tying them together with strings, and putting the two ends on cross-pieces resting npon stakes driven in the ground, quite comfortable and springy cots were improvised ior the hospital. Swett's house had all the time been used as a place ior storage of drugs and hospital supplies. Swett himself was a short, thick-set man with a rotund stomach. He used to stand around and lean on his caDe with much seeming complacency. In hii yard were several bunches of fragrant Jasamine in full bloom. This is the most beautiful and deliciously fragrant flower, scenting the air with its delightful odor. In the tiinber all about were magnifleent specimens of Magnolia having upon their branches, in May and June, long beautiful blossoms. Figs ripened in Swett's garden during the siege. These, while not liked by soma when gathered fresh from the trees, by others were relished exceedingly. Thus, tree flower and fruit lent somothing of their charms to assuage the horrors of war. As soon as General Joseph E. Johnston discovered that Grant had securely invested Vicksburg, he began organizing a forcé to relieve the garríson. This forcé sought to attack Grant's rear on tha line of the Big Black. Grant, who by thig time was receiving rcinforcements from tha Xorth, was fully on the alert, and confronten Johnston with ampie forcé to keep tbe latter at a safe distauce from the operations against Vicksburg. Meanwnile all sorts of stories were in cir"ulation - nearly all favorable, however, to the Federáis. At one time it was rumored Port Hudson, some three hundred miles down the river, had capitulated to General Banks; at another, that the Confederates conld not hold out longer; again that Richmond was taken and then that Washington had been captured by Lee. Of nights the mortar boats from the river shelled Vicksburg, and sometimes tha writer with one or more comrades would go out upon a high hill in front of the hospital from whence the bombardment could be seen. The mortar boats were perhaps eight miles distant, and iirst a flash would be seen, then discharge of the mortar, then s streak of fire, then burning fuse; this wauld rise away up in the air and then descend, and just before reaching the ground another flash, the explosión of the shell, broke upon the visión. Some time elapsed after the flash was seen before the report could be heard. The shells thrown by these mortar boats were of one and two hundred pounds caliber, and all through the siege were thrown at regular intervals during the night-time. One cannon belonging to the Confederates received the appellation of "Whistlm? Dick." The ball it threw passed tbrtmgh the air with a peculiar whistling noise that could be heard by all on the southeastem aspect of the works. It was a fine breech-loading rifled cannon of English manufacture. Toward the latter part of June, rumors of the fall of Vicksburg pervaded tha command, and later, as the National anniversary drew near, it was said a most determined assault would be made on tha 4th of July. Finally, preparations for this were in progres? when on the 3d of July word came that the Confederates had already made propositions looking toward a surrender, and next day, the Fourth of July, Vicksburg, after withstanding a siege of iorty-six days, capitulated. The command, though long expecting this event, were almost wild with joy. Some surprise was, however, feit that the Confederates should hare yielded on the day they did; the belief, though, prevailed that they had in some way gained an inkling of the intended assault and feit as though they could not withs tand another determined effort on tha part of the Federáis. Up to date this was the most important success of the war. Tho number of men captured exceeded 30,000 with a vast quantity of small arms, cannon, heavy ordnance and munitions of all kinds. Indeed, more men capitulated at Vicksburg than were taken in one body at any time during the war. A day or two after, the writer procured a pass and visited the city. It was alive with soldiers of both armies. All upon f riendly relations, swapping yarns, telling experiences, trading curiosities, as if hostile words, much less shot and shell, had never passed between them. One teil young Confedérate approached the writer and wanted to exchange a twodollar Confedérate note for the same amount in United States currency; ha said by way oí explanation tbat he would in a few days be soing home over in Louisiana on his parole and wanted the greenback" money to show his folks. This was most probably not true, Confedérate money was wholly valueless in tha Union lines and the United States currency was doubtless wanted for immediata use. The various places of interest about the city were visited. The several roads pass. ing from the city, upon reaching the bluff, had roadways cut through this. In many places these cuts were twenty and thirty feet deep, and the walls of red clay perpendicular or nearly so. But the clay composing these walls was of such tenacity thai washings never occurred, and the rtdes of the cuts remaraed as durable as il built of stone. From the sides of these walls of clay, caves were cut in which some of tho cititcns passed for security much of their Limo. The writcr visitei several of these caves and found two or three of them carpeted and neatly furnished. Many places were Been where the immense shells from the mortar fleet struck the earth. When these failed to explode a gret round hole was made in the ground, and in caso of explosión after striking the ground, excavation was the result. The great guns along the river front - tho Columbiads of 9, 11 and 13-inch caliber - were visited. It was these that blockaded the river and made the passing of even heavily-armored vessels hazardous. ■ Some of the Confedérate soldiers belonging to the infantry were about one of these huge guns, and one of them said within ear-shot of the writer: 'Til bet this ere old cannon's killed many a blue-belly." Passing out toward the outworks a Confedérate regiment, eontaining not many more man than a full company, was seen drawn up in line for inspection and rollcall, preparatory to completion oí parole papers. In conversation with the Confederates some said they had had enough of the war and hoped the South would make an end of it; others avowed their faith in ultímate sucoess, the great majority however were non-committal regarding their notions of final success or failure. The rifle-pits and works of the Confederates that crossed the railway and dirt road nearly, were visited. The neighborhood of the dirt road seemod especially to have been the scène of most obstinate conflict; it ran along' on a ridge and the approach was particularly well guarded. The space outside the Confedérate works, between these and the Federal rifle-pits was dotted all over with Union graves, íf some dirt thrown over a soldier when he feil could be called a grave. A day or two áfter the assault the Union dead were buried under a flag of truce. The weather being very warm, before this was attended to, decomposition had already begun and the consequent stench would soon grow intolerable. Under these circumstances both armies readily agreeá to a short armistice for disposition oí the dead. The time allowed was too short for regular interment, henee dirt was thrown over the dead bodies where they lay,and in cases where they could be recognized a piece of board put at the head upon which in rude letters were the name and command of the fallen one. Whenever an elevation intervened between the Federal rifle-pits and Confedérate works th tracks of bullets through the grass and weeds were very thick and passed in every dlrection. At one point it seemed as though every inch of space had been penetrated by a bullet This was near the road, where the Confederates had an enüllading fire, and they used it with most deadly effect on the 19th and 22d of May. Immediately after the f all of Vicksburg an expedition atralnst Johnston was oreanized undcr Sherman. The troops marched to Jackson, Miss., under a boiling sun over dusty roads, and besieged that place for the second time, and after two or three days' conflict Johnston once more evacuated it. Meantlme the writer, with the regimental surgeon, was put on duty at the corps hospital. This was in the vicinity of a farm-house, but the sick and wounded were in tents, and every thing for comfort and convenience was found; to be on a more commodious scale than had been the case at the División hospital. One peculiarity was noticed here; instead of each medical man prescribing and combining remedies to suit himself, anumber of pressriptions or formula; were propared in large quantities, and each one numbered, so that in prescribing for a patiënt the surgeon had only to look over the list and see which nutnber came nearest f ulfllling the indications. This done, the number was written on a prescriptionblank, and shortly afterward the medicine called for, being al ready on hand in quantity, was dispensed and ready for the patiënt. The writer during this period occasionally visited Vicksburg, which was now gradually settling down to the new order of things. General Logan was at first given command of the post. Headquarters were established at the court house. This was on a hill and one of the prominent objects of the city, and from its roof floated the stars and stripes. Very soon after the occupation of the city by the Federáis the wharf in its front assumed a busy aspect. Steamboats from the North came down the river with abundant supplies of all kinds for the army. Many Northern visltors also came, some to see friends in the army, some to see the newly acquired stronghold, and some came to look up a new field for trade and speculation.