The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-08 00:00:00

mu SUN, LONDON, IVIOADAY EVENING JUNE 8, 1.863

SEA.—FELLOWS and CO., ShipbrokPrs, 127.
Fenchurch-street, E.C., require MIDSHIPMEN and
FOUR First-class APPRENTICES in an A 1 clipper India-
man, 1,501 tons. Premium moderate, returned in wages.
Also stout Lads, without premium, for other ships. Wages
£35.

SEA.—MIDSHIPMEN required for splendid
ships for Australia and India. Premium, 50 to 60
guineas, may be paid in two instalments. Apprentices also
wanted, with and without premium.—Apply to W. Suther-
land, ship and passage broker, 11, Fenchurch-buildings, by
107, Fenchurch-street. Established 1851.

SAWYER'S FAMOUS LONDON DINNER
FOR THIS DAY.
At 28. 6d. eaoh Person.
SOUPS.
Ox Tail. Brunoise.
FISH.
Mackerel, Maitre d'Hotel. Fried Fillets of Brill.
ENTREES.
Veal Cutlets a la Reforme. Boudin a la Richelieu.
JOINTS. -
Roast Beef. Roast Mutton.
SWEETS.
Victoria Puddings. Gooseberry Tartlets.
Cheese and Salad.
An extensive and carefully selected stock of FRENCH,
RHENISH, MOSELLE, and other WINES, imported ex-
pressly for the London Dinner.
THE LONDON, 191, FLEET-STREET.

AMERICA.
(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)

VICKSBURG.
Despatch from Adjutant-General ltawlins.
MEMPHIS, TENN., May 23,
_

I forward the following, just received from Col.
John A. Rawlins, Assistant Adjutant-General:—
Rear of Vicksburg, May 20.
The army of the Tennessee landed at Burlens-
burg on the 30th of April.
On the Ist of May we fought the battle of Port
Gibson, and defeated the rebels, under Gen. Bowen,
whose loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners was at
least fifteen hundred, and loss in artillery five pieces.
On the 12th of May, at the battle of Raymond,
the rebels were defeated with a loss of eight hundred.

On the 14th of May we defeated Gen. Joseph
E. Johnston, and captured Jackson, with a loss to
the enemy of four hundred, besides immense stores
and manufactures, and seventeen pieces of artillery.
On the 16th of May we fought the bloody and
decisive battle of Baker's Creek, in which the entire
force of Vicksburg, under General Pemberton, was
defeated, --,vith the loss of twenty-nine pieces of
artillery and four thousand men.

On the 17th of May we defeated the same force
at the Big Black River Bridge, with the loss of
two thousand six hundred men and seventeen pieces
of artillery.

On the 18th of May we invested Vicksburg
closely.
To-day General Steele carried the rifle pits on
the north of the city. The right of the army rests
on the Mississippi above Vicksburg.

JOHN. A. RAWLINS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

Postscript.—l learn further that there are from
fifteen to twenty thousani men in Vicksburg, and
that Pemberton has lost nearly all his field artillery,
and that the cannonading at Vicksburg closed at
about three o'clock p.m. on the 20th of May.
General Grant has probably captured nearly all.
S. A. HURLBUT, Major-General.

Despatch from W. G. Fuller, Assistant Manager
of Telegraph. Communicated to the Press by
President Lincoln.
MEMPHIS, TENN., May 23.
Col. Anson Stager, Washington, D.C:
Official information from below to Wednesday
states that General Grant has captured Haines'
Bluff and the outer works of Vicksburg, a large
number of prisoners, and fifty-seven pieces of artil-
lery. The battle is still raging, with every pros-
pect of capturing the entire force in Vicksburg.
We have Jackson, Black River Bridge, and Haines'
Bluff. A report is making up for Washington.
W. G. FULLER,
Assistant Manager of Telegraph.

THE GREAT BATTLE AT BAKER'S CREEK
AND BLACK RIVER BRIDGE_

The following despatch was received by the War
Department yesterday :
MEMPHIS, TENN., May 23 (11/ a.m.).
Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.
The following despatch has been received at these
headquarters, and is forwarded as requested :

_
S. A. HURLBUT, Major-General.
REAR OF VICKSBURG, May 20 (6 a.m.).
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War.
General Grant won a great and momentous vic-
tory over the rebels, under Pemberton, on the
Jackson and Vicksburg road, at Baker's Creek, on
the 16th inst.

Pemberton had a most formidable position on the
crest of a wooded hill, over which the road passes
longitudinally. He had about 25,000 men. The
battle begun at 11 a.m., and was gained at 4 p.m.
Its brunt was borne by Horey's division of M'Ler-
nand's corps, and by Logan's and Crooker's divisions
of M'Pherson's corps.

Hovey attacked the hill, and held the greater
part of it till 2 o'clock p.m. When, having lost
1,600 men, he was succeeded by Boomer's and
Holmes's brigades of Crocker's division, by which
the conflict was ended; in that part of the field
Broomer lost 500 men.

Logan operated on the right, and cut off the ene-
my's direct retreat, so that he was compelled to
escape by his right flank through the woods.
Logan lost 400 killed and wounded. We took
about 2,000 prisoners.
On the 17th, advancing to the Big Black, we
fought Pemberton again at the bridge there, and
captured 300 more prisoners. He fought in rifle
pits, protected by difficult bayous full of abattis.
Lawle's brigade of M'Lernand's corps charged
the rifle pits magnificently, and took more prisoners
than their own numbers. Pemberton burned his
bridges and returned to Vicksburg with only three
cannon out of 60 that he bad taken out.

Building four bridges over the Big Black, Gene-
ral Grant arrived before the town on the evening
of the 18th, and now holds it closely invested. He
had open a line of supplies, via Chickasaw Bayou,
having cut the town off from Haines' Bluff, which
is abandoned by the enemy, and which General
Grant will occupy.

There was sharp fighting through the day yes-
terday,

Steele won and holds the upper bluffs, and the
enemy's upper water batteries, and gets water from
the Mississippi.

Sherman's corps lost yesterday 500 killed and
wounded.

M'Pherson, who holds the centre, lost little, as
did M'Lernand, who holds the left.

The gunboats kept the enemy alert during the
night, and probably the town will be carried to-day.
There ars from 15,000 to 20,000 men in it.

NEW YORK, May 26, 1863.
The steamers Hansa and City of Baltimore
arrived at New York, and the Asia at Halifax,
May 25.
The following is the " situation" from the New
York Herald of May 26 :
The battles of General Grant in the vicinity of
Vicksburg, and the brilliant victories of Admiral
Porter on the Yazoo, have to be numbered amongst
the most successful operations of the war. Admiral
Porter, in his official despatch, dated from the
Yazoo river on the 20th inst., details the capture of
Haines' Bluff by Lieut. Walker, of the gunboat De
Kalb,who not only drove out the enemy,but secured
all their guns,
ammunition, camps and equipage.
The defences consisted of 14 fcrts, and took the
enemy 12 months to construct. Admiral Porter
destroyed the gun carriages,blew up the magazines,
and destroyed the works generally, which he de-
scribes as a network of defences such as he never saw
before. Admiral Porter, in his official despatch,
also describes the close investment of Vicksburg by
Gen. Grant's army, upon which city, he nays, he

INIMP
hopes to be able to announce a general assault very
soon, and the capture thereof. He says, further,
that there has never been a ease during the war
where the rebels have been so successfully beaten at
all points, and that the patience and endurance
shown by our army and navy for so many months
ere about being rewarded.

The news received in Washington yesterday,
although it does not embody any official account of
the capture of Vicksburg, all tends to the belief that
Gen. Grant has by this time become master of the
place. The latest intelligence the Government ap-
pears to have received was up to Friday last, at 9
p.m., when it was supposed that the city must fall
on the next day. At that time Gen. M'Pherson's
force, in the centre, was within one mile of the
Court House at Vicksburg, while Gen. Sherman on
the right, and Gen. M'Clernand on the left, were
each within a mile and a half of the town, and the
gunboats were shelling it in front.
Despatches from Cairo last night state that up to
9 o'clock no boats from below had arrived at Mem-
phis, and that some days may elapse before they
have positive information, as all the boats were sent
up the Yazoo river on special service.
The Southern journals, as will be seen by the
extracts which we give to-day, speak despondingly
of the state of affairs at Vicksburg. Without having
any more official information evidently than that
which we possess relative to the capture of that
place, they predicate their arguments upon the as.
sumption that it has fallen, that Port Hudson is
abandoned, and even that the whole Mississippi is
in possession of the Federal troops, and argue from
these standpoints that the rebellion can still main-
tain itself. The _Richmond Whig says :—" If we
cannot bear defeat as well as the Yankees we are
unworthy to be free. Until some one of our large
armies has been beaten as often and as severely as
the Yankee Army of the Potomac, we cannot say
our courage has been fully tested, or our ability to
conquer peace and independence has been estab-
lished."

Our correspondence from Gen. Dix's department
to-day will be found very interesting, giving in
detail the description of Col. Kilpatrick's brilliant
cavalry raid into Matthews and Gloucester counties.
The news from the Army of the Potomac is that
all is " painfully quiet along the lines," and that is
rather old news now.

A despatch from St. Louis, dated yesterday, says
that a band of rebel guerillas captured the town of
Richmond, Clay county, Mo., on Tuesday night,
together with the Union force which occupied it.
Two officers of the Twenty-fifth Missouri were
killed in the fight, and another lieutenant was shot
after the Union troops surrendered. It was feared
that the whole force would be treated in the same
manner. The guerillas made a clean sweep of the
whole town. The same band also plundered the
town of Plattsburg, Clinton county, on Thursday
night, and took 11,000 dols. from the Court-house
belonging to the State.
Our advices from St. Thomas via Colon state that
the Alabama is at the Moule (Guadaloupe), block-
aded by the United steamers Oneida and Alabama.
Admiral Wilkes reached St. Thomas on the 30th
ult. from Havana via Ponce, Porto Rico, and after
communicating with Mr. Edgar, the United States
Consul, proceeded to-Guadaloupe inthe Vanderbilt,
in search of the pirate. Should she be met at that
place by the brave old Admiral, there will be no
chance of her committing fresh depredations on the
merchant vessels of the United States.

MURFREESBORO, May 25, 1863.

Vallandigham arrived here on a special train,
under a strong escort, at ten o'clock last evening.
having left Louisville this morning, and passed
through Nashville without stopping.
His arrival was expected by the military and
public, but the time not being known no demon-
stration of any kind took place.
He was quietly taken in a carriage to the quar-
ters of Major Wiles, Provost Marshal General,
where he was received by General Rosecrans, and a
number of other officers. He appeared to be fully
composed, and abstained from the expression of
any disagreeable sentiments.
At two p.m. his southward journey commenced.
Major Miles, with a mounted escort, started down
to take him below our lines in Shelbyville. The pri-
soner was very cheerful, and discussed his situation
indifferently : but on approaching the nearest rebel
picket, commanded by Colonel Webb, of the Eighth
Alabama, some eight miles out, he became percep-
tibly affected.

Upon taking leave of his companions, he said in
substance—" I am a citizen of the United States,
and loyal to them. I want you to understand that
you have been a prisoner to the Confederate autho-
rities."

To Colonel Webb he made similar remarks. The
former received him with a remark that he had
read his speeches but did not like him ; that he
could not receive him within the Confederate lines,
but he would permit him to remain at his post until
he had ascertained the pleasure of the authorities,
The flag of truce party then left Vallandigham
and returned. Vallandigham's speech was a very
ingenious stratagem, by which he expected to
prevent his reception by the Confederate authori-
ties, and secure himself the credit of martyrdom as
a persecuted loyalist.
I deem it more than probable that in the face of
the antagonism to the South he assumed the enemy
will refuse to receive him. He was given to under-
stand by General Rosecrans that, should he
arrange to return to our lines in the same way, the
President's orders to carry his original sentence into
effect would be executed. _ _

MURFREESBORO, May 25, 1863.

C. I. Vallandigham was received here on an extra
train from Nashville between ten and eleven o'clock
night. After some hours conversation with General
Rosencrans and others, he was put in an open spring
wagon and escorted by a squadron of cavalry to the
outposts, and at nine a.m. to-day was delivered into
the hands of the authorities. A single private
soldier received him, to whom he made the follow-
ing declaration :—" I am a citizen of the State of
Ohio and of the United States. lam here by force
and against my will. I therefore surrender myself
' MAY 25, 1863.
to you as a prisoner of war."
W
iN Ge
d T 0i
n Washington at ten
minutes past eleven this morning :
N
The following wasArSencelv
CAIRO, 111., May 25, 1863.
Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary to the Navy :
The following despatch has just been received
from Admiral Porter. _ _

_
A. M. PENNOCK,
Fleet Captain of the Mississippi squadron.
Flagship Blackhawk, Haines'
Bluff,
Yazoo River, May 20, 1863.
Ron. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy :
On the morning of the 15th I came over to the
Yazoo to be ready to co-operate with General
Grant. Leaving two of the iron-clads at Red river,
one at Grand Gulf, one at Carthage, three at War-
renton, and two in the Yazoo, left me a small force
Still I disposed of them to the best advantage.
On the 18th, at meridian, firing was heard in the.
rear of Vicksburg, which assured me that General
Grant was approaching the city. The cannonading
was kept up furiously for some time, when, by the
aid of glasses, I discerned a company of our artil-
lery advancing, taking position, and driving the
rebels before them. I immediately saw that Gene-
ral Sherman's division had come on to the left of
Snyder's Bluff, and that the rebels at that place had
been cut off from joining the forces in the city. I
despatched the De Kalb, Lieutenant-Commander
Walker; Choctaw, Lieutenant-Commander Ram-
say; Romeo, Petrel, and Forest Rose, all under
command of Lieutenant-Commander Breese, up the
Yazoo to open communication in that way with
Generals Grant and Sherman.
This I succeeded in doing, and in three hours
received letters from Generals Grant, Sherman, and ,

Steele, informing me of this vast success, and asking
me to send up provisions, which Was at once
done.

In the meantime Lieutenant• Commander Walker,
in the De Kalb, pushed on to Haines' Bluff, which
the enemy had commenced evacuating the day be
fore, and a party remained behind in the hopes of
destroying or taking away a large amount of am-
munition on hand.

When they saw the gunboats they ran out and
left everything in go.od order—guns, forts, tents,
and equipage of all kinds, which fell into our hands.
As soon as the capture of Haines' Bluff and four-
teen forts was reported to me I shoved up the gun-
boats from below Vicksburg to fire at the hill bat-
teries, which fire was kept up for two or three hours.
At midnight they moved up to the town and opened
on it for about an hour, and continued at intervals
during the•night to annoy the garrison.

On the 19th I placed six mortars in position,
with orders to fire night and day as rapidly as they
could.

The works at Haines' Bluff are very formidable.
There are fourteen of the heaviest kind of mounted
eight and ten inch and seven and a half inch rifled
guns, with ammunition enough to last a long siege.
As the gun carriages might again fall into the hands
of the enemy, I had them burned, blew up the maga-
zine and destroyed the works generally. I also
burned up the encampments, which were perma-
nently and remarkably well constructed, looking as
if the rebels intended to stay for some time.
These works and encampments covered many
acres of ground, and the fortifications and the rifle
pits proper of Haines' Bluff extend about a mile and
a quarter. Such a network of defences I never
saw.

The rebels were a year constructing them, and
all were rendered useless in an hours. As soon
as I got through with the destruction of the
magazines and other works I started Lieutenant
Commander Walker up the Yazoo river with
sufficient force to destroy all the enemy's pro-
perty in that direction, with orders to return with
all despatch, and only to proceed as far as Yazoo
City, where the rebels have a navy yard and store-
houses. In the meantime Gen. Grant has closely
invested Vicksburg, and has possession of the best
commanding points. In a very short time a general
assault will take place, when I hope to announce
that Vicksburg has fallen, after a series of the most
brilliant successes that ever attended an army.
There has never been a case during the war where
the rebels have been so successfully beaten at all
points, and the patience and endurance shown ,by
our army and navy for so many months are about
being rewarded.

I withthsi
ce
ka
es
xbmcueerprget,
iotnhquestion
f mv oi
srsoti fs
Hs i au dpf
sei
own,willhours,w hbi e
ep e
n i
h andowl t hf o
we t
s
entire length. D. D. PORTER,
n
Rear-Admiral commanding Mississippi squadron.
lo
The Jackson Mississippian of May 13 says :
" Our forces engaged the enemy at Fordien's-place,
which is at the junction of the Utica and Cayuga
roads, leading into Raymond, and two miles and a
half south-west from that place. The engagement
commenced between 11 and 12 o'clock, and lasted
four hours. It is supposed, from the firing, t 9 have
been a stoutly contested one. Despatches to the
Governor report that the enemy with overwhelming
numbers had driven our forces back to Raymond.
At four o'clock yesterday evening the enemy were
still advancing, and our gallant veterans were com-
pelled to fall back before a vastly superior force.
We just learn from a gentleman who was engaged
in the fight that the Yankees have driven our forces
out of Raymond, and were advancing on us still,
near Sundown. Our reinforcements had not arrived.
We had decided advantages at one time, but their
large numbers overpowered our forces and com-
pelled them to fall back."

THE CAPTURE OF JACKSON, MISS.
(From the Columbus Sun, May 25.) _

A gentleman of this city, just returned from Jack-
son, gives us some interesting particulars relative to
the late capture of that city by the Yankees. It
seems that on Tuesday a sharp contest was had
with the advance force of Grant's army at Ray-
mond, six or eight miles south-west of Jackson,
The enemy outnumbered us at least five to one,
Our forces were compelled to fall back upon Jack-
son, which they did in good order late at night.
On Wednesday evening, just at dark, the train
on which General Johnstone and staff had taken
passage for Vicksburg arrived in Jackson, and the
General remained over superintending tho move-
ments of the troops. _

On Thursday morning, at about nine o'clock, the
enemy appeared in force a few miles south of Jack-
son, and attacked and drove in our pickets. Our
force did not exceed eight thousand, and so rapid
had been the movements of the enemy that several
of our regiments had not yet been arranged for ac-
tion. The force of the enemy was estimated at
thirty thousand.
It seems to be the purpose of General Johnstone
merely to delay the enemy's arrival in the city as
long as possible, in order to allow our forces time to
withdraw our commissary and quartermaster's
stores.

Our informant left Jackson at 3 o'clock p.m.,
on Thursday. He states that three or four build-
ings had been burned before he left—set on fire by
the shells of the enemy. The train which left Jack-
son on Thursday evening came near being over-
taken and captured by a battalion of Yankee
cavalry. A few miles west of Brandon the cavalry
were seen a short distance from the road, but the
speed of the locomotive having been increased to
nearly thirty miles an hour, the train escaped.
We have since learned that Brandon is in posses-
sion of the enemy, and that the road between that
place and Jackson has been destroyed.
The people of Jackson and vicinity, including the
millitary as well as the civilians, are greatly in-
censed at General Pemberton, and openly accuse
him of bad faith. Our informant states that the
feeling is strongest among the commissaries and
quartermasters, who state that they might have
saved everything had Pemberton given them orders
to move a few hours sooner. There appears to have
been no fighting but with artillery, and this was at
very long taw.
The majority of the public stores were removed.
Still a great quantity was destroyed by our men to
prevent them from falling into the hands of the
enemy. All the railroad rolling stock, &c., was
removed.

(From the Riehmomf Whig, May 23.)
Suppose Vicksburg has fallen, the army inside of
the fortifications captured or destroyed, Port Hud
son reduced or abandoned, the Mississippi in its
whole length controlled by the enemy, and the con-
federacy temporarily or even for the remainder of
the war cut in twain ; suppose, further, that this
really great success to the foe and cruel disaster to
ourselves is attended with consequences as certain
as they are deplorable—increased enthusiasm at the
North, the triumphant vindication of the tyranny
at Washington, conscription enforced even in the
North-west without opposition, perhaps a revival
of the spirit of volunteering, peace parties crushed
for ever, men and money to an endless sum ob
tained, and Europe, busy with its own troubles,
awed into permanent silence—suppose all this, for
it becomes us now to consider the worst possible
aspect of the news, what then ? Our duty will
then be precisely what it has always been—to main-
tain the cause unflinchingly, and to exhibit a spirit
more indomitable and persistent than that of the
enemy. Nothing is to be gained by despondency.
All that has been lost may be regained by fortitude
and perseverance.
It will be worse than useless to reproach the
Government, however guilty it may be, for the
appointment of inexperienced generals, or to re-
pine over the precious blood that has been wasted
by the mismanagement of the forces entrusted to

PRiCE..... -..4d.
STAMPED ....bd.

inccnapetent commanders. A great victory would
have proved, apparently, the sagacity of
the appointment which has brought us so
great troubles. A great defeat should silence
the clamour which cannot at all undo an
event of the past. The unwisdom of our rulers must
be borne as manfully as the evils inflicted by the
enemy. The bitterness of our heart, which breeds
despondency and disaffection, wins no triumphs,
repairs no disasters, sustains no cause. Greatness
of soul accepts all the calamities of war in the spirit
of defiance, and rises superior to every misfortune.
if we cannot bear defeat as well as the Yankee we
are unworthy to be free. Until some one of our
large armies has been beaten as often and as severely
as the Yankee army of the Potomac we cannot say
our courage has been fully tested, or our ability to
conquer peace and independence has been established.
Should Pemberton and his whole army be captured
there will still be left in the south-west materials
for a very large army under Johnston. Pemberton's
men will soon be returned to duty by exchange, the
balance being now greatly in our favour. Besides
Johnston's army there will be others as large, or
larger, under Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg. The
combined forces of Kirby Smith, Magruder, and
Price make an army nearly equal to either of the
above. So long as even one of them remains un-
crushed, the cause is safe.
e mos
Serious disasters have heretofore heralded impor-
tant reforms, decided improvement in the organisa-
tion of our forces, a revival of energy, an accession
thea nd N materialevwie t
o Orleans
rfri war,leesa.
ns
T preluded
e followedlufdaleldaf
by
o
Dao fonistrengths successionnoin afl l
h brillianti,
mp
summer of heroic achievements, in which the enemy
was nearly everywhere pushed back to his own soil.

Scorning to imitate the Yankees by underrating
the consequences of the fall of Vicksburg, we may
yet with reason count upon compensation in the
approaching campaign. The loss of Vicksburg, if
it have no other good effect, will secure us in the
future against the appointment of entirely inex-
perienced generals. Of this we may be perfectly
sure. Moreover, it will add to the strength of our
armies. This is a necessity. The North, stimulated
by success, will hurl its myriads upon us, and we
must meet them with every available man. Within
two years we have withstood fourteen hundred
thousand of the Vandals. What shall hinder us
from withstanding as many more during the year
to come ? Nothing but a want of manhood, which
the South has never failed to show. We have
veterans commanded by great generals, the enemy
have recruits commanded by generals inferior to
our own. Let them come on ; we will see whose
heart is stoutest, let the war last as long as it may.

CAIRO, May 25, 10 p.m.

No boats from below had arrived at Memphis up
to 9 o'clock to-night. All the boats at Milliken's
Bend have been sent up the Yazoo for the purpose,
doubtless, of meeting any possible contingency. It
may, therefore, be 24 hours before we have any-
thing definite.

The last positive despatches come to-day by the
Polar Star, which left the mouth of the Yazoo at
1 o'clock on Thursday. The battle was still raging
with the land forces in the rear; Porter's mortar
boats below and mortar boats above engaged.
It is believed that a large number of women and
children still remain in Vicksburg.

CHICAGO, May 25, 1863.

A special despatch from Cairo says :
Dates from below to the morning of the 22d are
received: The bombardment of the enemy's upper
works was continued by the mortar fleet. Persons
who saw the operations through a glass say they
are satisfied that Grant has captured a battery on
Walnut Hill. A furious cannonading is going on
all around.

THE LATEST NEWS VIA WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, May 25, 1863.

Although no positive and direct official informa-
tian has been received here of the final reduction of
the stronghold of Vicksburg, all the news received
from every source indicates its capture by General
Grant on Saturday last, and no doubt is enter-
tained that with Vicksburg all that was left of the
army of General Pemberton has been compelled to
surrender.

A despatch was received to-night from Gen. Dix,
stating that a deserter had arrived to-day at Suf-
folk from Franklin, who said that Vicksburg had
been taken. Gen. Dix adds that if this is so we
shall have the information authentically to-
morrow.

Another despatch received to-day from General
Hurlbut, at Memphis, states that by a steamer just
arrived from Chickasaw Bayou a letter was received
from an ordnance officer of General Grant, dated
9 p.m., Friday night, confirming the previous state-
ments of successes, and stating that 6,000 prisoners
and 74 cannon had been captured. At the hour
when the letter was dated General M'Pherson's
force, in the centre, was within one mile of the
court house at Vicksburg, while General Sherman
on the right, and General M'Clernand on the left,
were each within a mile and a half of the town,
and the gunboats were shelling the city in front.
He concludes by saying that Vicksburg must cer-
tainly bE taken by to-morrow (Saturday).

This is the latest intelligence the Government
has received ; but no doubt is entertained that the
capture of Vicksburg will be announced officially
by the next arrival from that point.

From the various despatches up to to-night, and
the most accurate information in the possession of
the Government, it is believed that Gen. Grant has
nothing to fear from the concentration of any con-
siderable rebel force in his rear. The only force
available to them for this purpose are the 6,000
under Gen. Johnston, the small number driven
away from Pemberton under Gen. Loring, and one
or at most two brigades from Port Hudson—in all
making, at the very outside, not more than 15,000
men.

The destruction of the bridges across the Big
Black river will prevent the speedy arrival of this
small force, and it would only add to the glory of
the triumph of Gen. Grant for such force to inter-
fere with him during the last hours of his attack
upon Vicksburg.
The very significant editorial of the Richmond
Whig of Saturday, upon Vicksburg, is evidently
intended to prepare the public mind for the intelli-
gence, certainly expected there, of its capture and
,
the surrender of the whole of General Pemberton 's
army on Saturday.
ADDITIONAL PARTICITLARS.
WASIINGTON, May 25, 1863.
General Dix telegraphed from Fortress Monroe
to-night that a flag of truce boat is expected to-
morrow, and that a deserter who came into Suffolk
to-day from Franklin said that Vicksburg had been
taken. "Ii so," the General added, "wehisghhallokf
official
to-morrow with certainty. It may be mere rumour."
a
followingey latest,rprocur from Vicksburg procured romy
asburg dated
Memphis, v
source,
eThe
ph is the v
s 10.30 this morning, and
which was re-
ceived
here to-night :

The telegram is from Gem Hurlbut. He encloses
a statement from an ordnance, showing the condi-
tion of affairs at r,/ o'clock on Friday night. The
city was not at that time taken. Great advantages,
however, had been gained, the enemy making a
firm resistance.
The impression prevailed that we would take
`icksburg the next time. We at that time com-
pletely commanded the town. Our men had their
colours planted on the enemy's works and were
lying on the extreme slope.
Our captures were about six thousand prisoners
and seventy-four pieces of artillery,some of which
had been destroyed.
The position of our troops was, some within a
mile and others a mile and a half of the Court
House. General Grant is represented to be in good I