May 24, 1863

May 24, 1863

—Pres. Lincoln and Sen. Doolittle of Wisconsin visit three military hospitals in Washington. The New York Herald reports: "The President expressed his gratification at the excellent condition of the hospitals and the comfortable condition of the patients. He shook hands with over one thousand soldiers, nearly all of whom were able to stand up. The soldiers seemed highly delighted as the President grasped them by the hand."


—Sergeant Alexander P. Downing, of the 11^th Iowa Infantry, writes in his journal of what soon becomes a routine of the siege:
Sunday, 24th — The rebels tried to shell us again this morning, but could not get range of us. There was not much fighting today, our men having orders not to advance. Our siege guns, mortar boats and gunboats are throwing shells into the rebels day and night. We were relieved from picket this afternoon by another regiment.

—Kate Cumming, a nurse in a Confederate Army hospital in Chattanooga, writes about the inaccurate rumors afflicting all loyal Southern hearts:
May 22.—All kinds of bad news is floating about; viz: Jackson, Mississippi, burnt to the ground; Vicksburg fallen, etc. The fall of Vicksburg has cast a gloom over all, but it is not the Confederacy, and the enemy will have to do some hard fighting before they take that. Many are calling General Pemberton, who was in command, a traitor.