|
 (5-2011)
Enlarge Pemberton Avenue,
south of the Third Louisiana Redan. Great
Redoubt, Flag of Truce site and Louisiana Monument in background.
By mid-June the
situation confronting Gen. Pemberton was desperate. All hope of relief
by Gen. Johnston's army based in Jackson was gone. Pemberton reported
that 10,000 of his men were no longer available for duty because of
illness, wounds and malnutrition. Moreover, his supplies and munitions
were dwindling to a critically low level. To complicate matters further
he learned that Grant was planning another massive assault on the
Confederate works early in July. After a council of war with his
generals Pemberton concluded that surrender was inevitable and on July 3
sent emissaries to the Union lines under a flag of truce to deliver a
letter to Gen. Grant proposing a meeting to discuss surrender terms.
Grant agreed and at 3:00 p.m. that day Grant and Pemberton met at this
site midway between the lines. No agreement was reached at this
conference but after an exchange of notes terms of surrender were
finally agreed upon and the next morning, July 4, the Confederate
defenders marched out of their forts and trenches; stacked arms and were
paroled. |
Third
Louisiana Redan
