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Moore, John, 1826-1907 to Mary Moore Kelly

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04195.14 Author/Creator: Moore, John, 1826-1907 Place Written: Vicksburg, Mississippi Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 5 July 1863 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 24.7 cm, Width: 19.3 cm Order a Copy

They took possession of Vicksburg the previous day. All 27,000 prisoners will be paraded then released to spare expense. States that they took possession of "228 pieces of artillery between 30 and 40000 small arms and 27000 prisoners, including 16 generals. This is the biggest thing of the war. All prisoners will be paroled here and turned loose. This is done for two reasons: 1st is believed that the men will go home and will be difficult to get into the service again; 2nd it will save a vast expense in transportation and some 6 or 8000 of our own men as a guard. Those eight thousand can be better employed here." More than half the army has marched toward Jackson in pursuit of Joe Johnston. Grant has been a fine leader. "A good deal is said about the rebs being reduced to mule-meat before they surrendered. But it was not true; they had five days rations when they surrendered. They are no fonder of mules than our own people, though doubtless they will make capital of having been starved out."

Moore, John, 1826-1907
Kelly, Mary Moore, 1819-1899

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