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Synopsis of Gen. Grant's Report.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.
Gen. Grant's official report of the operations of the Army of the Tennessee, from the day he assumed the immediate command of the expedition against Vicksburg to the surrender of that place, is made public to-day. Gen. Grant states that, from the moment he took the command in person, he became satisfied that Vicksburg could only be turned from the South side, and in accordance with that conviction, he prosecuted the work on the canal across the peninsula on the Louisiana side of the river. He gives details of the operations on the canal and of the failure in sending a naval expedition through Black Bayou. From the time the order was given to occupy New Carthage, and run the army by Vicksburg on transports under protection of Porter's fleet, to the landing at Bruinsburg, the operations are detailed at length. Upon a call for volunteers for crews for the vessels about to run by the batteries, Gen. Grant says that, for this dangerous enterprise, officers and men presented themselves by hundreds, anxious to undertake the trip. The names of those whose services were accepted will be given in a separate report. A striking feature, he says, so far as observation goes, of the present volunteer army, is that there is nothing which men are called upon to do, mechanical or professional, that accomplished adepts cannot be found for the duty required in almost every regiment.
The march to Grand Gulf, and thence to Jackson, and thence to Vicksburg, including various battles, are detailed, in which is shown Grant's knowledge of the enemy's forces and position, even to the fact that, before reaching Vicksburg, Joe Johnston had ordered Pemberton to come out and attack Grant's army in the rear, which resulted in a battle of four hours at Edward's Station, defeating the enemy.
Of the continued march to the front of the enemy's works at Vicksburg, nothing is added not known already. Of the assault on the works, Grant says that the assault was gallant in the extreme on the part of all the troops, but the enemy's position was too strong, both naturally and artificially, to be taken in that way. No one succeeded in entering the enemy's works but Sergeant Griffin, of the 21st Iowa regiment and some elven privates — none returning but one man. It was during this assault that Gen. McClernand sent dispatches to Gen. Grant that he held two of the enemy's forts, and requesting a diversion by Sherman. Grant says: "The position occupied by men during most of the time of the assault gave me a better opportunity of seeing what was going on in front of the 13th Corps than I believed it possible for a commander to have. — I could not see his possession of the forts, nor the necessity for reinforcements, as represented in his dispatches, up to the time I left it, and expressed doubts of their correctness, which doubts facts subsequently, but too late, confirmed; but, at the time, I could not thus regard his reiterated statements, for they might possibly be true; and that not a possible opportunity of carrying the enemy's stronghold should be allowed to escape thro' fault of mine, I ordered a diversion, which was promptly and vigorously made, and resulted in the increase of our mortality list full fifty per cent., without advancing our position or giving us other advantage."
Gen. Grant details the surrender, and says that the terms agreed upon he regarded more favorable to the Government than unconditional surrender, as it saved the transportation, (which was limited on the river then,) of the rebel army, and left his forces to move on Johnston.
Col. Grierson's raid was made by Grant's instructions, and is regarded by the latter as the most brilliant of the war.
After acknowledging the co-operation of the navy, the report concludes thus: "The result of this campaign has been the defeat of the enemy in five battles outside of Vicksburg; the occupation of Jackson, the capital of the State, and the capture of Vicksburg, its garrison and munitions of war; a loss to the enemy of 37,000 prisoners, among whom were fifteen general officers; at least 10,000 killed and wounded, and among the killed Gens. Tracy, Tighlman, and Green, and hundreds, perhaps thousands of stragglers, who can never be collected and reorganized. Arms and munitions of war for an army of 60,000 men have fallen into our hands, besides a large amount of other property, consisting of rail road locomotives, cars, steamboats, cotton, etc; and much was destroyed to prevent its capture. Our loss in the series of battles may be summed up as follows: Port Gibson, killed, 130; wounded, 718; missing 5. Fourteen Mile Creek skirmish, killed, 4; wounded, 4; missing none. Raymond, killed 69, wounded, 31; missing 32. Jackson, killed, 40; wounded, 240; missing, 6 Champion Hills, killed 426; wounded, 1,842; missing 189. Big Black Railroad Bridge, killed, 29; wounded, 242; missing 2. Vicksburg, killed, 545; wounded, 3,688; missing, 303. Total killed, 1,242; wounded, 7,295; missing, 537. Of the wounded, many were but slightly injured, and continued on duty. Many more required but a few days or weeks for their recovery. — Not more than one-half of the wounded were permanently disabled.