ment Vicksburg is ours. Ord and Steele have both been notified to move the moment Vicksburg falls, Ord to take ten days' hard bread, salt, coffee, and sugar. I will change this to five in view of the provision train you expect to take. I will let you know the moment Pemberton's answer arrives.

U. S. GRANT.

JULY 4, 1863-5. 30 a. m.

Admiral PORTER:

The enemy has accepted in the main my terms of capitulation, and will surrender the city, works, and garrison at 10 a. m.

The firing now going on arises from misapprehension.

U. S. GRANT.

JULY 4, 1863.

General GRANT:

I congratulate you in getting Vicksburg on any honorable terms. You would find it a troublesome job to transport so many men, and I think that you will be left so free to act it will counterbalance any little concession you may seem to make to the garrison.

I see they are taking a blow-out to-night.

PORTER.

JULY 4, 1863.

General GRANT:

I will have a steamer all ready to carry dispatches to General Banks and the fleet below. What time will you with to send, and will you take up your headquarters in the city at once?

PORTER.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Near Vicksburg, July 4, 1863.

Major General N. P. BANKS, Comdg. Department of the Gulf:

GENERAL: The garrison of Vicksburg surrendered this morning. Number of prisoners, as given by the officers, is 27,000; field artillery one hundred and twenty-eight pieces, and a large number of siege guns, probably not less than eighty. The other stores will probably not amount to any great deal. I held all my surplus troops out on Big Black River and between there and Haynes' Bluff, intending to assault in a few days. I directed that they be kept in readiness to move on the shortest notice to attack Johnston. The moment the surrender of Vicksburg was agreed upon, the order was given, and troops are now in motion. General Sherman goes in command of this expedition. His force is so large I think it cannot fail. This move will have the effect of keeping Johnston from detaching a portion of his force for the relief of Port Hudson. Although I had the garrison of Vicksburg completely in my power, I gave them the privilege of being paroled at this place, the officers to retain their side-arms and private baggage, and field, staff, and cavalry officers to take with them one horse each. I regard the terms really more favorably than an unconditional surrender. It leaves the transports and troops for immediate use. At the present junction of affairs in the East and on the river above here, this may prove of vast importance.