The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-13
TIE SIEGE Os WCKSBU70.
.~.~c<-~~~---~~~-~-~
The Par, Taken by this City and vicinity q
the Outbreak Of the Rebellion.
Sketch Of ViCksburg and Surr0undina
Country.
~>~~~-~>~~~>~<><~- -
STRENGTH OF THE REBEL BATTERIES
THE NEW CANAL ACR3SS TIE PENINSULA.
Operations Of the Fleets and Yhoii
Positions.
TUE BOMTARDuEyT RY OiY~AyH NIGHT
A MIGHT IN A LOUISIANA SWAMP
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED,
Aer Ac.s As.
STRENGTH OF the REBEL BATTERIES
THE NEW CANAL ACaaSS TIE PENINSULA.
Operations Of the Fleets and Yhoil
Positions.
TUE BonEAnDnEsr ny oAY>Ass NIGHT
A MIGHT IN A LOUISIANA SWAMP
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED,
ke., &C., As.
Our vicksburg Corresponac nee.

Aes, Acss &es
Our vtcksburg Correspondence.
BgyoRx .oxsausc, Miss July =, 1892
Tho combined ns,ts. ON tho upper and water
OF tho Mississippi, have =, length this city. Til
single barrier 70 the navigation Of the great river bs
tween Lake Pcpin and the Gulf il In process removal
and hope many days to be able ch on,cls on,
snccsss The work goes eisurey bu, steadily onward
and tho cooperation Of tho groat forces from ahov
ana below can hardly fail 10 accomplish :he desires
result. 4 , s~.
UcKsSrR0 yiRsT IN REnElIJor.
vcksburg 10 the FIRST point al which tho rebels ooua
menced tho erection Of works for block ding the Msss
sippi, and is quite ntng that should be tho las
stronghold TO fall. The vcksburgians foremost II
the inception of the rebellion aud the hors fs
the secession Of Mississippi was almost unanimous.
sur ADVANCES MONEY FOR IT'S SUPPORT.
The city made prompt and liberal appropriations so
putting the city in condition of defoncc, and IL
solenny resolved that boa, should be allowed pas,
ether direction thai should not rst acknowledge tbs
supreme power OF She Davis confedsracy.
xArorxoS, ON THE ARKANSAS snoRs,
two hundred miles above this city The nrst 70 nrs
upon unarmso boat, IN which worthy sho
Afterwards Initiated ~ many points on tho river
sixty miles below Memphis, the drst boas captured,
at the outbreak OF the Tho steamer Ohio Belle
her way up from New Orleans and passing with.
touching At Helena The river here rs about three
fourths Of mile wide and the boet IN hagging the Ten
ncssos shore was suddenly stopped BY ix-pounser
shot her bow. She taken in charge BY tho
natives Of Helena, and her we're bansnsd to The
North Az tho capture Of Island Tsp hs Ohio Bolls
rocaptured and returned 70 her owhsrs.
wr ucxsnuRs FIRE VESSELS.
vcsburg had Dot completed her defenccs before the
blockade established as Memphis and Columbus and
Il became unnecessary for her TO mike demonstrations
OF hostility against the weak and unarmed. Until ths
attack by the boats from below the guns q the vcs-
burg forsnsatons had ample opportunity for rustng in
idlsnsss.
why rrs xxsrs pw Hor nAxs Dxxcr ATTACK Last wxws.
When Commodore Farragut's feet arrived here last
week Il found that the deences hal been greatly
trepgheuod and that direct attack by the gupboas
wsuid be attended with considerable loss Az lombard
would Be likely consume considerable time, and
neither Commodore Farragut nor Commodore Porter
wished remain long with their fleets bstors vcksbug
u decided 70 mako attack Saturday morning.
MORTAR orEs rRE.
Al dawn Of the 2sth OF June the mortar boats openes
and the gnnboats moved forward and connsnced nrng
upon the rebel batterics. II was the design FOR ths
boats lie OF In front 0, the batteries and continue TO
pour In shot and shell until tho latter should strike their
nags and give up the CONTEST the rebel rs found
too hot and while Of the national vessels dropped
below their old anchorage the others above. The
Richmond, Hartford and froquos steam soopsof war,
and four Of the smaller sunboas passed. above and were
at anchor IN the river at the time Commodore Davis
notia arrived from above Tho particulars fths action
Of Saturday together with the loss had bssu already
forwarded at the time arrived and will not trouble
you with repetition. Tho attack was unsuccessful as
far the reduction Of the place concerned and the
slower work OF bombardmont will have 70 be carried
iocAuov
The city OF vicks sburg Is situated the Walnut rlls
range Of wooded SUBMITS about four hundred feet hish
and presents . nns Gppoarancs whsn viewed from
below. From the tops Of tbese elevations the nt aliu
vial country around DO FOR Ions distanes IN
every direcn aud with Its fossts Of oak srd cotton
wood intsrspsrsed with extensive pantAtons, forms
picture Of great panoramic beauty.
Portion oy THE CITY
lies the wafer, and above II the hills .ro erownso
With elegant private residences of made cnspcnors
the high walls OF the public buildags. TIE Court House.
ahuge Of light gray limestone crowns the sum
NIT Of Of the hills, and visible for long distance
up and down the river The streets rise from Tho river
with abrupt and dfncut ascent, and are cut with
regular grade, through the buas and hills, directly u
the edge Of the evse The town. when viewed from the
opposite bank appears as The houses were built upon
terraces anether aud the lower doors Of cns
habitation are ofsnsimss visible the roof Of the
building in lis immediate front.
Above and below vickburg the Ellis are crowned with
the batteries that tho rebels have erected to dispute
advance the most Of them being placed u end
or the town. as the most danger were apprsheidss
from that quarter tier OF batteries s placed
the top Of thu bu aAd another about halfway from the
summit tho water single row II water batteries
mounting in all some twenty guns, Is located near
the brink Of tho rivsr and 10 probably dsssnsi ts
repsl all attacks that might he made at short
range. The batteries on the summit Of the hu'
navy insn more trcan than thosc lower down
as mona guns be elevated sufficiently 70 reach
them, white their shct. with light charges OF powder
DO made TO plunge through decks, and disable
whatever boats vessels come within their reach
rhs batteries above the mainly placed tna
upper hills, though mouh;na four rided guns "a
placed almost AT the very wassr's edge In position v
sweep the river both above aud below.
PENINSULA ~ 'FRONT.' OF vcKsnura
Tho general course Of the Mis- ssippi a. all ve know,
nearly due South but detail II is exceedingly tortu
GUS When vcksburg hrst sppesrs IN sight 70 sna
traveller down the river ts direction almost Que east
nearly thres miles distant Az vicksburs the stream
"doublssr completely upon ITSELF and Tor tsree me'
additional It's course 10 sssctly reversed peninsula
or tongue or land ihfs FORMED, with length Of nearly
,brss miles aud width Of little less than fnic Az
Inc COMMENCEMENT Or neck Of this peninsula is more
than al any othsr point, The people Of vicks
bus have long fss Cd that the river would make
across this bend and thus cut thsm OF from the steam
/ soat navigation Of the Mississippi.
rsu brrgcr os iR CANAL upos ylcxspupa
hs chsnnel once formed this neck nc earthly
power prevent tho main Of the stream fron
following hs direction. bar would spcsdiy form At the
iover and % ths cst-cn and the main channel wouk
| gradually ali up Navigation viii fouow the shorter