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286 that he could listen to nothing short of unconditional surrender, but expressed a willingness to meet General Pemberton during the afternoon at any hour he might name. Three o'clock was appointed for the conference, and orders were given to cease firing along the whole line at that hour.

The conference was begun in presence of several officers of both armies, but it had not progressed far before General Grant invited General Pemberton to walk away a little distance where they would be unheard by others. They sat down under a tree and talked for about an hour. The conference was ended without any agreement as to the details of the surrender, General Grant agreeing to send in his proposals that evening. They were sent in accordingly, General Grant demanding the surrender of the works and city, prisoners to be paroled, private soldiers to be allowed all their clothing but no other property, and officers to retain their side arms, private baggage, and one horse to each mounted officer. Pemberton replied, accepting the terms in a general way, but making several stipulations to which Grant refused to accede. In his reply to Pemberton, Grant said that if the terms were not accepted by 9 on the following day, they would be considered rejected. Acceptance could be signified by the display of white flags along the Confederate lines before that hour. The white flags were displayed and the long siege was over. At 9 General McPherson rode into Vicksburg to receive the surrender; he met Pemberton half a mile inside the lines, where they were soon joined by Grant. Gen. Logan went in to establish a provost guard; the stars and stripes were hoisted over the court-house, and the soldiers sang "Rally round the Flag" with an enthusiasm which had a double force in view of the triumph and the fact that the surrender took place on the Fourth of July, the anniversary of the nation's birth. Early in the