Many and many a time they looked forth from their hills and prayed for Johnston, but he could not come.

Always the Union flag floated before them, and the ring of steel so strong and broad was contracting inch by inch.
The Northern engineers ran mines under the Confederate works.

They used every device of ingenious minds to push the siege.

Spies brought word that all food would soon be gone in Vicksburg, and Grant, grim of purpose, took another hitch in the steel belt about the hopeless town.
The hostile earthworks and trenches were now so near that the men could hear one another talking.

Sometimes in a lull of the firing they would come out and exchange tobacco or news.