The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-28 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG.

The New York papers publish full details respect-
ing the siege and surrender of Vicksburg. The first
attempt to take the town was made on the 18th of
May, 1862, when Admiral Farragut put in an ap-
pearance before it with the Federal fleet, imme-
diately after his capture of New Orleans. The
Confederates, who had foreseen their (larger, had
made haste to fortify themselves. Their position
was then so superior to Admiral Farragut's power
for assault that this attempt failed. The next
attempt was made in the following December, when,
Gen. Grant having reached Yallabusha, on his way
to central Mississippi, sent General Sherman with
a large corps to operate against Vicksburg. After
some desperate fighting, the Federal forces were
driven back with considerable loss. The third
effort to reduce Vicksburg commenced in Febru-
ary of the present year. General Grant, having
withdrawn his army from the interior, landed
opposite the place, with Young's Point as his
depot of supplies. A number of strategic movements
ensued, most involving desperate conflicts and heavy
losses, until at last, on the 18th of May, just a year
after the place had been first menaced, it was
regularly approached, and the Federal lines drawn
round it. Admiral Porter, with his fleet, guarded
the river way, while land works were constructed
in opposition to the fortified positions of the Con-
federates. On the 19th of that month one of the
besieging brigades assaulted what was thought to
be the weakest part of the enemy's line of defence.
The place, however, proved to be immensely strong,
and the division was driven from the works with
frightful loss. Another attack followed on the
22nd. After a daring attempt to get possession
of the works, the Federals were obliged to fall
back with 3,000 of their men hors de combat. The
Northern generals considered after this terrible lesson
that the city could not be stormed ; it was, therefore,
determined to reduce the position bysiege and parallel
works, a course which, though ultimately successful,
p e.ns t
ix in aolfl_mde
ind and
money. Day after day—forty e
cost the Federals a large ex
siege proceed, one-half of the force digging while
the other protected.
The first mine was blown up
and, after a sanguinary en-
cm the 25th of June,
gagement, the Federals obtained partial advantages.
They continued their mining until the place surren
Bored. This description o. their works had advanced
so far when the place fell into their hands that they
could have blown up a large portion of it. The
mining was only discontinued a short time before
the surrender, w hen the Federals captured despatches
which convinced them that famine would soon effect
the object they had in view. When they discovered
the extremily to which the brave garrison and the
inhabitants were reduced, they relaxed their efforts,
a sufficient demonstration being kept upon the lines
by the Federal riflemen, and an occasional can-
nonade. Their sea force also had a splendid com-
mand of the doomed city, with long-range guns.
Some 100 pounder Parrott guns, with a range of
three and a half miles, were very serviceable, the
flight of shells being tolerably accurate
at that distance. On the Ist of J uly the Conf.derate
fire slackened considerably. There was a complete
lull during the day, and as night set in only a ran-
dom discharge from the front batteries. Notwith-
standing that despair at their position was then
spreading itself in the ranks of the garrison, they
boldly repelled every attempt which was made to
positions, besides keeping
capture either of their
themselves busily employed in running countersaps
to the mining of the besiegers. Perhaps the only
noticeable feature of the last day of siege was the