The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-08-17

FROM vICKTBURG TO CAIRO.

Mr. RusselI's Letter to the London Times.
FROM vICKTBURG TO CAIRO.
CAIRO, June 90
NV last letter was from Natchez, from
which place l went to Vickburg on the
l4th instant
Taking the tram from Memphis, among
our passengers were gentlemen from Texas
going to Richmond to offer services to Mr.
Davis. They declared the feeling in their
State was almost without an exception in
favor of secession. 1t is astonishing how
positive all these people are that England
is in absolute dependence on cotton for
her national existence. They are at once
savage and childish. If England does not
! recognize the Southern Confederacy pretty
quick, they will pass q resolution not to
let her have any cotton, except, &c. Sup
pose England does ever recognize a con-
federation based on the principles of the
South, what guarantee is there that in her
absolute dependence, if it exists, similar
coercive steps may not be taken against
her? "Oh we shall soon be friends, you
know; and SO on.
On the train before us there has Just
passed on company armed with large
bowie knives and riied pistols, who called
themselves the "Toothpick company.
They carried coffin along with them, on
which was plate with ABE Lincoln
| inscribed on it, and they amused them
selves with the childish concsit of telling
the people as they went along that they
were bound to bring his body back in it..
In one of the carriages were some women
dressed as vivandieres, minus the coqu ct
air and the trowsers and boots Of those
ladies. Phey looked sad, sorry, dirty and
foolish. There was great want Of water
along the line, and the dust and heat was
very great and disasreeable. when they
have to march many OF the men will break
| down, owing to the bad shoes and the
/ weight OF cl thes and trash Of various
kinds G. sling on their shoulders.
Memphis is one of the s,ragic positions
/ of the coniederates. On the edge of the
| bluff is constructed a breastwork of cotton
bales, which no infantry could get at and
which would offer no resistance to vertical
and but little to horizontal fire. 1t is
placed 80 close 10 the edge OF the bluff al
various places that shell ana shot would
! knock away the bank from under it
| The river rolls below deep and strong
. and across tn. roads oil water courses
/ leading TO il are feeble barricades of plank
. which a howitzer could shiver To pieces in
! a few rounds Higher up the bank, on q
commanding plateau, there is a breast
work and parapet within which are SIX
guns, and the general Informed me be in
tend.d TO mount thirteen guns at this
part of the river, which wou!d certainly
/ prove very formidable to such steamers as
/ t8ey have on these waters. if any attempt
! were made to move down from Cairo. In
/ rap course Of the day was introduced to
-.actly seventeen colonies and one cap
Ain Ny happiness was fur their increased
n. an introduction to I youth Of some
,"enty three years o. age, with tender
feet. Il | may Judge from runellia slippers
ir,ssed IN green cut away, jean pants
I ana tremendous sombrero with plume
OF ostrich feathers. and gold tassels looped
at the side, who had the air and look OF
! an apothecarys errau, boy. This was
" General Maggles (let US sayl, of AR
| kansas.
| June Is
! have Just returned from a visit 10 the
works and batterie, at the intrenchcd
( camp at Randolph Point. sixty miles
/ above Memphis, by which It is Intended
TO destroy any llotIila coming down the
rIver from Cairo. and 10 oppose any force
| comi by land u cover its flank and
ci"ar the left bank OF the Mississippi.
A few ridse-poi- tents. pitched undel
the shade OF some t.se-. on small spu
Of the slope, was the only indication i'm
mediately visible OF martial character
But a close inspection III front enabled I'M
10 detect two earth works mounted with
guns. on the side OF the bank, considerably
higher than the river, and three heav,
guns, POSSIBLY ~ Founders, lay in tn
dust close to the landing place. with verl
rude carriages and bullock poles to carr
them 10 the batteries.
The first work inspected wa. a plail
parapet Of earth placed some fifty fee
above the river, and protected very slight
ly 10y two small thanking parapets. 81
guns, - Founders, and howitzers o. al
old pattern were mounted en- JarJeue, with
out any traverse whatever. The carriage
t rested on rough platforms, and the wheel
! ran on traversing semicircls Of plank, a
the iron rails were not yet ready. Th
gunncrs, a plain looking body of mer
r very like railway laborers and mechanic
without uniform, were engaged at drill
1t was neither quick nor good work
about equal to the average of squad afte
a couple of days exercise but the me
{. worked earnestly, and l have no doubt
the Federalists give them time, they wi
prove artillerymen in the end.
The general ordered practice to b
made with round shot. After some dela
. a kind of hybrid ships carronade W:
i loade The target was tree, abol
r $500 yards distant, l was told. 1t a.
n peared to be about 700 yards off. Ever
o one was desirous OF seeing the shot; bt
wa were at the wrong side for the win,
and | ventu1 ed to say So However, I'll
general thought and said otherwise. II
j. word Fire!' was given. Alas the fri
II tion-tube would not explode. 1t was OF
'e of new sort, which the Tennesseeans al
trying their 'predtics hand a. a secon
si answered better The qua went of, bl
where the ball went to no one ceuld sa
as the smoke came into our eyes. I'll
party moved to windwavd, and, after a
-, other fuse had missed, the gun WIS aga
y discharged at some degrees elevatio
and the shot fell In goou line 2UU yart
short OF the target, and did not richoche
Gun No. was then discharged, and {
went the bail, al no particular mark, dow
D, the river; but it did 90 off, 80 ,iid the q
i gun also, for 1t gave frantic leap ar
jumped with the carriage Oil the platfori
nor was this wonderful, for it was an o
fashioned chambered carranade or no
is itzer, which had been loaded with o fl
10 charge, and solid shot enough to make
~ burst with Indignation.
ID Turning from this battery, we visitt
a, another nearer the water, with four gu
e (32 pounders), which were well placed
sweep the channel with greater chance
y richoet; and higher up IN the bank,
ward high peak commanding the NJ
sIsslppi, here about seven hundred var
broad, and a small confinement whi'
runs INTO it it, was another battery of t,