Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/119

 its own with a firm grip, but the Un-ion men, too, had great pluck and zeal. Some fights the North would win, and then the South had its turn.

In 1863 the beats of Grant's drums were heard near Vicks-burg on the Mis-sis-sip-pi. To this town he laid close siege for six weeks and, at last, took it, on Ju-ly 4, 1863. This gave much joy to the North and U. S. Grant come to be known as one of the best Un-ion Gen-er-als. He then took charge of all the troops of the West which were east of the Mis-sis-sip-pi, and drew men from all of them, as well as from the Ar-my of the Po-to-mac. Sher-man, too, in whom he had great trust he brought with him.

Then Grant made up his mind to storm two high hills held by the foe. Look-out Moun-tain and Mis-sion-a-ry Ridge gave way to his zeal and were won by the Un-ion troops.

The year 1863 was one of great gain to the cause of the U-nit-ed States in the West. A fine new set of Gen-er-als, Grant, Sher-man, Sher-i-dan, and more, held sway.

GEN. WILLIAM T. SHERMAN.

In the East less had been done, for the great Lee, head of the force of the South, was more than a match for the men who fought him. But at Get-tys-burgh Lee's ar-my met such ill luck that it was not quite up to what it had been ere this, so he tried no more to come north of the Po-to-mac.

In that Ju-ly, 1863, the course of the war took a turn, and the cause of the South grew weak from then on. In