Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-07-12
The BoMBARDsiENr OF viCK,BURG
The Place Improbable By Q Naval Fsrce-
A Scribe By Van Dsrn.

The correspondent Of the Missouri Rsrubliean,
with flag officer Davis feet, gives the following
particulars the movement Of that lila apans,
Vicksburg, under date Of the I'd
Last Thursday the mortar vessels, sloops Of.
war and gunboats Of Dag ofhcer Fsrragu,'s feeI
LAYING below the city now before US, our oba .
GERS saw lie strength, but resolved, nevertheless
on an Immediate attack. IL was necessary there
should be cooperating naval force above the
town, and Flag Onicer Davis feet had not ar.
rived. Early next morning Il was resolved a
portion OF the vessels should run by.
After detailing this movement, the correspond
ent says:
Frequently "slowingu 10 deliver more e6ectu.
ally their broadsides, the vessels shelled every
battery, and tore up the works with shot, vel
whenever IRE slackened, fresh men from troops
behind rushed forward to the guns; One hour
vessels, finding further effort useless, passed on
and came to anchor above. Without land force
nothing could be done.
General Van Dom, with nineteen nd men.
occupied the town. No landing was possible,
and fresh troops constantly took the place Of those
exhausted Some Of the up river rams whicb
had arrived down day or two previously, were
sent to watch the Yszoo river. Up It the rebel
monster gunboat Arkansas, iron clad, and re-
ported completely finished, had been taken for
completion from Memphis, and might at sny
moment issue out. And thus matters fessed until
Sunday.
Were II wished, vicksburs could have been
leveled to the ground; but such a course would
have proved barren Of results. There 10 even
reason to believe the Rebels court that fate,
hooing thereby to excite that already dawnina
sympathy Of virtuous johnny - Vicisbufs
cannot be taken by the navy, although IL NAV be
DESTROYED; and we will have to patiently walt
until land force arrives. Determined that they
should have little rest Commodore Porter i'm
proved the position OF his mortar vessels md Al
short intervals, threw she'll
The Rebels from their batteries thought our
neei lsy At the bend, and that troops were being
nifty for boarding." throwing overwhelming
bodies on the two OF three thousand soldier thai
might be opposed to them, and by one grand eosp
de MAIN gaining success.
Doubtless Van Dorm was In ecstasies over the
sudden idea, and his evil genius prompted him
to make one Of the boldest, and, az IL proved |.
most unsuccessful dsshes yet undertaken. eau
iousiy marc hing 600 troops out from their camps
far behind the bluffs, he skirted the woods, passed
unseen below the vessels on that side of the river
and cautiously approached his Intended yictims'
Hidden In dense timber he deployed his troops
WIN tne rare military skill Of veteran, and
when two hundred yards from the river ordered
q charge
UtteTlng an exceeding terrifying yell, the but.
ter-nut multitude rushed forward, and % quickly
so soon upon the open bank, and still more Al
being greeted by terrible discharge Of shot.
Quicker than the approach was the retreat and a
headlong flight ensued. Some hundreds were
q swamp, while other regiments were ORDERED
riors.
Three were captured, but the number killed
that Van Dorm and Breckinridgc were at Vicis.
burg and would endeavor, at every cost, 70 hold
IL. They belonged 70 regiments one Oh vhich
numbered 2oo, and the other $50 men. General
passage.