, 1863-07-21

uIe1utts lOHn. GtedInOoats lOaQlnR ana un-
loading, and all the confusion consequent,
aives the city the look peculiar to palmy days,
before her citizens learned to rebel against
The Government that had 80 long protected
them and guaranteed prosperity and happi-
ress. Vacant business places are in process
Of occupation By enterprising Yankee suffers,
DC Citizens TINT we're outside hare now re-
turned, but this does not compensate for the
loss Of those who were inside md now return
cd to their homes. VerY many citizens, who
belong in the country about Vicksburg, we're
advised to 60 inside the Notifications at our
approach, as the "safest place In the Confed-
erncy," where they would be protected from
the "insnlts and ravages Of Yankees" Many,
nearly all the Inhabitants for quite distance,
believing many Of the foolish things told
OF our army, followed the advice
and vent in Immediately after the
battle Of Black River Bridge. As they come
ont one by one or in groups, they amuee the
curious byetanders with recital Of their
troubles during the Siege. They are unanl-
mously Of the opinion that If Vicksburg is tho
safest place, they desire to leave the Confede-
racy. Night and day they were shut up in
caves with poor ratious, and allowed hut little
sleep. When the mortar boats were quiet and
our artillery not firing in that direction, they
dnre enot move about much, for fear Of our Ed
field rifles. At the distance Of one to one an''
BALI miles, these bullets strike with cor-;'
cradle furce. In q Vicksburg paper ~
during the siege, 6nW an aril:.., z.,..
editor, severely repriInanding th. ...s4;:.ry ~
thorities for negligence In allowing s, mach
ealeless E SHOOTING by their own soldiers In Tho
stances OF deaths and wounds among the citi-
zens, occurring the day before, from this
cause. He knew that the ahots did not come
from the Yankees, because "they have no
guns competent to the work"
Those persons now being delivered from
! bondage and returning Aoinewa1sls are Ell.
'l,at the Issue 10 eo favorable to our arms. Nv
| observation leads me to the belief that there
| !, less bitterness and more Of that conditional
Unfon sentiment peculiar to the class formerly
| tenominated Is uniunists." entertained by the
citizens in and around Vicksburg, than has
has marched. 1tdoes not yet tsnnspire wheti.
II it results from their overwhelming defeat,
ur from convictions long entertained for:
| ,ber, probably.
Tie rebel so1dlery are receiving the benefit
"f great amount Of sound Information aud
wholesome truths Every street and corner
is crowded With soldiers Of the two armies,
| mixing together In = way that one would not
expect after hunting each other down for six
| ~eeks. The men Of our army take particular
| pains to instil into the minds of their rebel
chums, first principles. Every soldier il now
| a statesman ; perfectly competent to expound
ne conttliutlonEenlarge upon The Declafa.
Congressional euactments, to give q lucid ex.
osiiion Of all the questions involved in our
| National controversy, md able to show up
the grand absurdj,y Of State Soyereiguty-
| ,hc fuolishness Of rebellion, DC.
/ In the fort'f1cations one can sec IN almost
tyery direction, squads Of meu gathered, aud
some gentleman wearing blue pants is gcner-
| nlly nUliced by his gestures aud manners to
lie the subject Of attraction. We ride up to
1lsfen, and find that be is In tho midst Of a
forcible exposition Of affairs that is sending
home conviction to the minds Of d crowd q
Rntternuts. We 60 In another direction and
lind squad seated, and there things have
assumed the form Of Argument, In which, the
gentleman wearing blue pants has decidedly
the advantage, and be knows it. # he fills
10 connect, he fni}B back upon the declara
ton" You must submit to the old Govern
another way and you will see one Or two
rebels buttonholed BY the gentleman wearing
blue pants, and he Is telling them, In conf
DENTAL wsy, that they arc making great fools
of themselves, and advises them 10 quit the
brsintss as d bad job.
ard they cannot fail to enlighten the rebels in
many things. whereby purfosely deceived BY
their leaders. It hardly seems possible that
they can be so ignorant Of facts ID most o1
them represent themselves to be- Hereafter;
the captured army win think more Tor them
after receiving these Instructions aud kline
advice, they will exert Il moral influence TO,
good upon public sentiment nearly, if moi
quite equal to that exeited by the fall o1
Flcktbu1g~ Very many now say they are
willing to live nnder the old government
that they arc tired Of the war and feel the5
arc only tools for wicked ambitious men
Others are on the "anxtous seat" and still
others arc convicted TINT they are doing
wrong and wish to get North OF out Of tht
army; yet there are many who Tlll enter the
army again and impelled By the same passions
will tight 1t out to tho last. Many
iase been paroled on taking tie
large numbers are ayailing themselves Of this
| nrporl unity to "forsake the sinking ship.'
Their officers, who are all anxious to main
tain the organizations intact, feel mortified
| ind vexed 10 know that regiments and com
ponies arc so rapidly in process of decima-
ttop. They swear. curse and bluster about,
hut It is no 60. Uncle Sam il running the
mschine now. His faithful servant, Il. 5. O.,
seems to comprehend the crisis, and will Id
about the most fair and expedient thing,
though c. 3. a does swaggcr and b1uster a..
eord,pg 10 his usnal custom.
The general opinion nov prevails that the
number Of prisoners to be Isaroled will reacl,
| thirty thousand. Some ciaim still larger
number. The record, when completed, wiz
show the number, and 1t is useless to spccu-
| late when We Inow 1t cafe to calculate on
twenty-five thousand. If VIC were obliged 70
| send them North, We should be puzzled to
| krow what to DO with this numbcr. It Is no
| light talk to parole this crowd, whether it b.
cone with Individual oaths Or on rolls by
companies, The work goes on as expedi-
ticusly as possible, and some time must Jet
| elapsc before it can be completed. In tho
| meantime our commlssaries furnish them "a
| lions the same as our own men get. Some Of
| the officers are paroled and given pasees to 70
outside the lines. md occasionally one eau 30
seen with lady by his side, .'sporting" con-
siderable dignity. while riding about the
country. The officers are generally quito
Gaudily dressed. All their new clothes are
brought out for the occasion, and 4 vigorous
tfolt Made 10 present d bold front and i'm
posing appearance.
A rebel commissa,y informs me that only
twelve rations were issued for forty-eight
days previous to the surrender. Their ration
consists Of flour or corn-meal, OF both, fresh
meat or bacon, and rice. During this time
| they were furnished, In addition to the quar-
ter ration, one-haf pound pea -four daily.
This soon became unWholesoIne and inliges-
tlble to tho men, and was abandoned. The
fresh meat and bacon were exhausted, aud
then they resorted to 'tmulc beef' as It is
termed. They could have held ont few days
longer In the SAINT way, but they expected q
terrible attAck from us on tho 4th uf July,
even to general assault. They lad heard Of
the intention, they say, and they wished to
ayoid It By doing nt al early day what must
be done eventually, and prevent any more loss
IN addition to the fire thousand already dead
Ct disease, killed aud wounded, since VIC in
vested tie city.
The a1mory and arsenal buildings, though
rudely constructed, contain large amount
OF the ynluable implements Of war. They
contain several thousand stand Of arms OF all
descriptions, from the most primitive form Of
rifle up to the most approved frearm. Much
Of the large amount Of ammunition captured,
both in the arsenal md NUMEROUS magazines
in the earth, is Of foreign manufacture, and
better than OUT OWL. All the ammunition
manufactured in the South, look coarse and
cheap. noticed several hundred saddles In
the armory, and all 80 poor and unsubstantla1
that farmer would hardly use them. Tho
larness, knapeacks, hnversacks, cartridge
boxes. belts, DC, both old and new, would not
equipments are more numerous and Of better
quality than any other branch Of the service.
eone Of the guns aro very fine ones, but
none Of these have been manu- featured hero.
Nearly all the guns VIC have taken during
this memorable campaign, are those formerly
belonging to the Government, or taken from
our army since the war commenced.
Today ] have seen two French and three
Whitworth guns that are very fine ones. Sev-
e1al OF James rihed brass pieces are among
the number taken. The whole number OF
cannon surrendered is said to be about ono
hundred and thirty, if SO, We haYe taken over
two hundred pieces Of artillery since we lnnd.
cd in Mississippi. Very few Of the new En-
have traded the old for the new ones, not d.
minishing tie humber, but changing the con
dilion. Between forty and fifty thousand
stands of arms (eo reported) have been gath