bellion and even joined in it, but now of their own accord rendered us the most valuable assistance, in order that the rebellion might be ended as speedily as possible and something saved by the Southern people out of the otherwise total and hopeless ruin. "Slavery is gone, other property is mainly gone," they said; "but, for God's sake, let us save some relic of our former means of living."
WE ENTER THE CAPITAL OF MISSISSIPPI.
It was on the 1st day of May that Grant had made his first advance into Mississippi. Two weeks later—the evening of May 14th—we entered the capital of the State. Here I received an important telegram from Mr. Stanton, though how it got to me there I do not remember. General Grant had been much troubled by the delay McClernand had caused at New Carthage, but he had felt reluctant to remove him as he had been assigned to his command by the President. My reports to the Secretary on the situation had convinced him that Grant ought to have perfect independence in the matter, so he telegraphed me as follows:
C. A. Dana, Esq., Smith's Plantation, La.:
General Grant has full and absolute authority to enforce his own commands and to remove any person who by ignorance, inaction, or any cause interferes with or delays his operations. He has the full confidence of the Government, is expected to enforce his authority, and will be firmly and heartily supported, but he will be responsible for any failure to exert his' powers. You may communicate this to him.
Secretary of War.
The very evening of the day that we reached Jackson, Grant learned that Lieutenant-General Pemberton had been ordered by General Joe Johnston to come out of Vicksburg and attack our rear. Leaving Sherman in Jackson to tear up the railroads and destroy all the public property there that could be of use to the enemy, Grant immediately faced the bulk of his army about to meet Pemberton.
When Grant overtook Pemberton he was in a most formidable position on the crest of a wooded ridge called Champion's Hill, over which the road passed longitudinally. About eleven o'clock on the morning of the 16th the battle began, and by four in the afternoon it was won. After the battle I started out on horseback with Colonel Rawlins to visit the field. When we reached Logan's command we found him greatly excited. He declared the day was lost, and that he would soon be swept from his position. I contested the point with him. "Why, General," I said, "we have gained the day." He could not see it. "Don't you hear the cannon over there?" he answered. "They will be down on us right away! In an hour I will have 20,000 men to fight." I found afterwards that this was simply a curious idiosyncrasy of Logan's. In the beginning of a fight he was one of the bravest men that could be—saw no danger—went right on fighting until the battle was over. Then, after the battle was won, his mind gained an immovable conviction that it was lost. Where we were victorious, he thought that we were defeated. It was merely an intellectual peculiarity. It did not in the least impair his value as a soldier or commanding officer. He never made any mistake on account of it.
On leaving Logan, Rawlins and I were joined by several officers, and we continued our ride over the field. On the hill where the thickest of the fight had taken place we stopped, and were looking around at the dead and dying men lying all about us, when suddenly a man, perhaps forty-five or fifty years old, who had a Confederate uniform on, lifted himself up on his elbow, and said: "For God's sake, gentlemen, is there a Mason among you?"
"Yes," said Rawlins, "I am a Mason." He got off his horse and kneeled by the dying man, who gave him some letters out of his pocket. When he came back Rawlins had tears on his cheek. The man, he told us, wanted him to convey some souvenir, a miniature or a ring—I do not remember what—to his wife, who was in Alabama. Rawlins took the package, and some time afterward he succeeded in sending it to the woman.
I remained out late that night conversing with the officers who had been in the battle, and think it must have been about eleven o'clock when I got to Grant's headquarters, where I was to sleep. Two or three officers who had been out with me went with me into the little cottage which Grant had taken possession of. We found a wounded man there, a tall and fine-looking man—a Confederate. He stood up suddenly and said: "For God's sake, gentlemen, kill me! Will some one kill me? I am in such anguish that it will be mercy to do it—I have got to die—kill me—don't let me suffer!" We sent for a sur-
