, 1862-07-10
TIE SIEGE OF FICASBUR(G9.
WHAT A REBEL EDITOR SAW.
Interesting Details Of the Bonn
bardment and lis Effects,

We arrived at the Two-luile Bridge on s1n-
O.. evening last, at about three o'clock, amid
the booming of heavy mrrtars and thr hurst
ing o. shell IRON the titteen-inch mortars of
tAc Yankee hett, which is snchorcd close In
under the shore below the point on the Mis-
sissippi side, and almost completely PROTECTED
from our batteries below the city, nnd too far
from the upper batteries for them to reach
their aCvtrsaries.
The fire Of the enemy, on Sunday at mid
which were ordered by the confederate com.
nlarder in honor Of the great victory over
Mcclellan in Virginia. It was thought that
the ent my mlstook this salute for al attack.
is We learn some OF our guGs were shotted-
al opened furious1y Upon tie citT, coutiu
ulng' with an anteFnlssion OF about an honF,
uptil about twelve o'clock at might. After
light The heavy mcrtars were ranged 10 throw
the shells in The vicinity Of the Catholic
church, where we were told they had been
directed d11,irg the afternoon.
The effect ct those shells IS they exploded.
which usually took place inst as tney reached
tie ground, vas terrific. We entered the citv.
as fortune would hare it, on Crawford street
aid as we passed the residence Of Or. Balfour'
McfHodlst, Baptist and Catholic churches
sIells eNpltdtd in our immediate Vicinity
rendering our position SO uncomfortable that
We suggested TO friend 4 pEecipitate retreat
II orGcr TO get out OF range Of the mortars.
Ibis sugg' stion vas promptly accedcd to by
our ir1eId; rot, however, Until We had soiled
our garments thoroughly by falling to the
earth at the explosion ef each successive
sfel. Our retreat, though rapid, like Banks
br;ore storeWall, WIS accom- mplished in GOOD
order, ard instead Of enjoying co1ntorfab1..
bed in the city, with my friend I glsdiy ac-
ceptf q ecloier's blanket with my fTiead n H.
comb Of Rankin on the greensTard in the
sLtu1bs of The city.
The 1ivSt morning VIC entered the city
everything being quiet excepting the bustle
OF the ci'lZcrs WHO were endeay0rinp tn ret
wha. little furniture remained to q 1,ac,: NJ
safety. During the morning We rode through
nearly every STREET. Witnessing the eT-ct Of
tie shell upon the brick and wood struc5nras
and we're impressed with the comparatively
slight damage done to either class Of bui1i-
in.s, when the number Of shots (probaby
l5,C0} were faken into account. In some
Instances, as in the case OF the late AIr, Gam
ble'6 house, shell would pass through col.
u1nn Ct houses, leaving hole search IL larger
tEan itself, aEd pass on until it reached a
hill, where it Wcpld enter and explode, The
titteen irch shell, when it strikes the hills Of
tlckSburE, enters the earth to depth of
from five to ten feet, but when it strikes in
tie streets it explodes much nearer the sur
face.
No fires have set originated from the cx-
ploslen Of shell, and It is evident that the
eneny do not desire to burn the torn in
~ NtaeGiJ, W lASf "O4AN udFt tuTOTn ncGl-
diary she'll instead Of the missiles already
sent in.
On Monday at ? o'clock p n, the enemy
reoponed their mortars, and kept up q con
tant fire with the exception OF an hour or two.
apparently to take their meals, duriug the
whole night, and did not cease until Tue sday
evening at O'Clock.
All Vas quiet this {Wednesdsy} morning, at
u O'Clock. We hare not heard Of auy fnIa~
ries being sustained By our batteries up to
this evening.
The deet which passed by this city on the
memorable evening Of Saturday was severely
cut to pieces By our batteries, and q gentle
man who was in the upper batteries reports
boats sunk after it went ronnd the bend
Now, nothing is to be seen Of the fleet
above the city, except the constant cloud Of
black smoke which ascends aboyc the fleet
around the bend.