In the Trenches Outside Vicksburg
4 July 1863

Dear Diary,

What a Glorious Day for the Union!  Vicksburg 
has finally surrendered!

We've had the place under seige for nigh on to 
two months.  After our assaults were beaten back 
at the end of May, we've kept the place under 
almost constant bombardment.  Any attempt the 
Rebs made to get out, we stopped cold, and Joe 
Johnston just left them to their fate.

I got into town with one of the first patrols 
after the surrender was announced, and I must 
admit, the sights sickened me.  I thought I was
getting pretty hardened to the face of war, but 
I have never seen suffering like this before.  

Since the city was cut off, with the entire
civilian population in town in addition to the 
Reb Army, food gave out a long time ago.  There 
aren't any mules or horses left - they've been
eaten.  The people are on the verge of outright 
starvation!  Everything you could imagine is 
gone, the town a total wreck, either from looting 
or our bombardment.  I doubt it will ever recover.  
Before the War, Vicksburg was really a pretty 
town - now there's nothing but wrecked houses, 
tunnels and bombproofs dug throughout the rubble, 
and hollow-eyed, starving citizens wandering 
around in a total daze. 

They're our prisoners, to be sure, and we 
started providing rations immediately after the 
surrender - but this type of suffering doesn't 
go away with a full belly.  I wouldn't blame 
them if they hated us for all Eternity.

Still, Vicksburg is ours - the last Confederate 
strongpoint on the Mississippi River.  The 
Confederacy is cut in two, and the Mississippi
River ours!  This may not be the end of this 
horrible War, but I can't help but think it is 
the beginning of the end!