The New York herald., 1862-11-24
OBSERVATIONS OF A VICKSBURG JOURNALIST.

The Bombardmcnt OF Vicksburg and It's
Enects-Highly Entertaining Account
Of tho Union ntiment-The Currency
Troubics-The Condition OF the Rail-
roads, the Newspaper Press, &c. f
We indebted to Mr.. Frank Montgomery, late iocl
editor Of the vicksburg Wag, who recently arrived in
st. LOUIS for variety OF Information Of interest from
the States and frcm the ooniederacy in general
Mr.. Montgomery a native Of Virginia. and until about
four years ago resided in louisiana He then went to
vcksburg and was there connected with the Daily Sun
until its stoppage by the He then connected
with the Wh,o-thc leading paper tho state-which
for long time soutiy opposed secession, and insisted
upon the cooperation Of Mississippi with the other
Southern States. Mr.. Montgomery is experienced
journalist ad having been present in yicksburg through
the inception and progress Of the has enjoyed the
very best opportunities for observing the character
the and the men engaged in it, We may ado
that Mr. Montgomery is refugee from Vicks
turg and had many perilous adventures in es
Gaping. He tried to get away whom the several
boatoads Of rebel prisoners taken to vicks
burg to be exchanged The Union officers u command Of
the dag of truce boats deemed the attempt to escape
violation Of the sacred character of flag OF truce Mr..
Montgomery therefore remanded into the custody of
the rebel aiicers, and by them thrown into jail,
where he remained for time daily expectation
in command of the doeaces or vcksburg released
him finally the solicitations OF his friends and he
mediatcy ef; the place for the North The accounts
given below nearly as possible in Mr.. Mont.
gomery's own language.
Affairs SOUTH NEW
ORLEANS.
TIE whole South and especially the cotton States
in condition vergng perfect despair at the time Of
the fall or New Orleans close upon the heels Of the loss
of Forts Beury and Doneison Nashville. Columbus and
other important points, The navigation Of the Mississippi
was considered lost and not single gun was mounted
any where below Fort Pillow resist the expected
val of the gunbeas The arrival Of all the steamboats, from
New Orleans vcksburg productive Of the greatest
sterfatcn Several Of these boa,s-and among them
the gurboat Ivy, formerly known the VIM. H. Webb
landed at the wharf boats, and given up public
pliagc Tho furniture carried ashore by the popu
ace the carpets up the crockcry distributed the
people, and the boats drenched from stem TO stern 10 ur
psbtne, preparatory 70 burning. They were then
chcred in the river, and one memorable night crowds
assembled the vcksburg lcvce burn But
many prominent citizens protested aud the boats
saved The next day orders received 70 build fot
ncaions aud hold vicksburg at all hazards appears
that a: ha time careful computation had been made Of
the stock Of provisions the couedasacy and the
cuson arrived At that unless supplied with beef cattle
virginia and the people throughout the GOTTEN States
would suffer immensely for food The vicksburg and
Shreveport Railroad was run TO W full capacity in carry
cattle and bsats despatched 70 bring down ing
but beef the Red river country anticipation Of the
arrival Of the fleet from New Orleans The battle OF Shi
loh occurred shortly AFTER and hsraded in the South
great rebel victory Flushed by this reported
cess determination was formed 70 hold vicksburg if
poseibk.
rHx COMMANDMENT or y,cxssuRa Axp ITS xxzUI1s
The eleven weeks bombardment OF vicksburg, though
terrible Affair was meagre IN results % oar forces The
red ffom the tovnain confusion Houses deserted
and teams were pressed into service ~ runoos prices to
haul away y ia,nsqIs mt & and ssssase; The The nsghsosns
- work for the Tying inhabitants Of tho city Many
families secured houses few miles from town; others
jackson, y miles distant; bus majority made
arrangements camping under belief thai the fate
the city would be settled In few days, and then they
might return - their homes Thin deuspn caused intense
suffer mg, the camp arrangements very inferior
many cases consisting only of common carpets sus-
pended poles 70 keep on The sun by daysna the sews
lie could not be obtained for any pr,cs Meanwhile the
SombardneDt progressing with great fry. Owng 70
nctcd than Is reuersiv Suppressed in the NTH The
principal part Of the cHy is terracsd side hills. The
streets cut through The hills With steps leading UP
the houses The shells seldom fell 10 the streets,
aud the people who remained thus protected. Ono
house, however struck by shell, which went
through the roof and noors and exploded on the ground
falling Hat upon the ruins The shells which exploded
number compared 70 those which DID not ex
~
lila exploded frequently than those from below.
The genera! course, when shell did explode, cal
suated render comparatively harmless The Kissing
monsters broke through roofs and floors as easily as
the latter made OF brown paper and buried them
selves in cellars and several feet underground The
mass OF earth thrown BY the explosion neutazed the
destructive rover OF the bombs materially After the
was abandoned the citizons did 6ne busi
ness collecting the noneSpaodcd shells, and removing
the powder from them. Several hundred pounds
we're so reclaimed, and u Was worth $40 per pound 70
the owners The day Commodore Farrssuts feet bIst
nd "
sized by the report that three had bcen killed IN zoe
of tho ower batteries This quite dsheartening to
majority and at that time Eve hundred soldiers could
have taxen the city Unlscky for US ne more men were
killed for several days, and the rebels conndence was
revived Tho distance 90 which some OF the shell from
PoY,ers mortar fleet thrown was amazing 10 the
rebels One day soldier reclining under tres in the
cemetery about three miles IRON the CITY was killed by
the bough II tree knocked down by passing she'll
The soldier supposed bimsea free from all danger
man would be Albany pending bombardment OF New
York This shell buried itsc quarter Of mile be-
voud and must have performed circuit Of n least i've
ana half miles. Many bouses we're slightly injured ~
tne bombardens BY the loss oi chimney tops damaged
uoyches roofs sdes kc Hardly dozen sound paDs6 ~
s,ass remalped 10 vscksburg the withdrawal
ot our feet so far known poblsoly iu the
city, only three psr.0"s s aA.a s,ssmsa. sTpss
n,oseeed rom the night bombardments Reports Of
ey. easnalties were circulated, and seemed ae al
hoay admired the pyrstechncs and tho day after the
rst night bombardment proposition 10 surrender was
discussed. This fact Is hint 70 naval commanders ot
the Mssissippi. - -.
rny Irpsiso porST HOPES or TEE sovrHrnsERs
Al, Montgomery remarks that while Vcksburg wa'
se,,ng martyrdom the condition of Affairs throughou
the corfeieracy seemed improve. thousands o srti
ces began 20 arrive from Memphis, b1ying been SNUG
sed through our lines by rebel sympathizers ihe aes
nar ,lt ftr the lossss before enumerated and he ado
oual gloom caused by the destruction Of the Merrnac
the evacuation cl Fort Pillow, Corinth, Norfolk YORK
yn Inc non gains In North Carolina and al Fort Pu
s began 10 disappear 10 tbs cheering news OF stonewa
J.cssons raid up the Shenandoah valley and IN The re
por,s OF a brilliant victory at Far Oaks, on tn
| 1hirEabotnipy The successful driving away
/ onr troos from Richmond gave renewed eour
| age everywhere. The rigid enforcement oi ID
Conservation act enlarged the Southern army beyond th
caracy Of the South 70 support The men were foiste
anon the states and gathered In camps Of instruction an
Ief 10 be supported by the State governments fe,
English steamers the blockade at Charleston and
other points the southern coast bringing 70 th