The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-06-05
No 50

SO ! could not help thinking OF what a
planter Told tome last vint n while sDe, 4
ing OF lhelprebability Of = movement in iha
rear OF Nteksburg and the impossib ility of
successful results from a. eYou might
as well try to climb trees with your ar
ullery as to get them along the roads in
the neighborhood Of WALNUT Hills" said
he. / fully realized the truth Of his re-
marks ~ lsaw the difficulty with which
guns were moved from place 10 place on
The 18th. ! dOabt IL any city in the
south is az well calculated, by nature
and art, tlr defense against an invading
army as 'he defiant metropolis on the
bAnksof the Mississippi. Once in posi-
ton on the hills which surround the
South western. Gibraltar, Il seems as IL
an army of five thousand men ought 10
check the advance of fifty thousand, il
indeed IL be not true, as one Of our Gene.
rails said TO, day, that five thousand men
ought TO. do as much fighting as fifty
thousand from thr.difliculty Of mancnu-
vering large bodies of troops on such
hills as we have here. a 30 1a esH
The country in which our army has
to operate is al cleared, and is IN excel
lent state of cultivation Large crops Of
| cotton, and corn are growing this year.
! There are some fine residences in the vi
entity, but as they arc all being used AZ
| hospitals now, the indications are that
their beauty will be somewhat marred
before long. r- go. @. lu9 ir
| EVACUATION OF HAINEs' BbUFF.
Haines' Bluff was evacuated by the
| rebels on the l7th--the day which they
were whipped al Big Black. The posi-
ton became untenable TO them a. soon
as Sherman crossed Big Black. They
knew they, could not prevent us from
marching an army between Vicksburg
and the Bluff and accordingly they de-
serted the position in time 60 avoid cap
ture. They spiked all their guns, and
removed nerly all their portable proper
~, Admiral Porter claims to have Gap
tured this point, and be claimed the vic
tory at Grand Gulf But the truth of
the matter is this: A body Of Sher-
mans cavalry was accommodating in the
vicinity Of the river, on the 18th, for the
purpose Of opening communication with
the guHbORts OF transports, the officers
of which, were up'to that time, unaware
of our proximity TO them. The troops
accidentally bmndered into Haines'
Bluff and found it deserted, save by
about one hundred rebels, who had
stacked their arms, and were waiting
the march Of events with arms folded
This ia the history Of tho falTof Haines
Bluff, as | understand ii from the most
reliable sources, The ghnboats are GER
tainly nOt entitled to the credit of COM
Polling the evacuation OF the place, after
haying been repuised in every effort TO
reduce IT, As well might the victory az
Fort Donelsodbe clIimed for them.
WHAT WAS DONE on TtIE 20TH. ,,i
On the night OF tie f9hColoheI MAth-
er, Chief Of Artillery on McClernand's
staff advanced bis heavy guns 20 with
in six hundred yards of the rebel bat
tsries. He met with no resistance.
| Tue general assault ordered for the
10th was hot made, because our lineswerel
not complete. Our troops were not inposi-
tou TO make Simultaneous charge all
along the lines. The order was not
C>untermand d, but there seemld 70 be
gene al underStan ling when the time
came that The Tempt was not to be
made. The 10th was spent in artillery
practice all along the lines. There was
no infantry firing done except by sharp
shooter, but that was most eiieetual in
some places. The rebel gunners were
driven from their guns in several forts
by our experienced femen who craWIs
d tdnp Within seventy FIVE yards Of, their
works, and keeping yiPilaDt watch,
"Ufew q bead" on every buttsunut who
showed his head above the rifle pits.
Oar lines advanced a short distance on
tue 2Uth. At night our skirmishers were
not quarter OF mile from the rebel
! breast works. ........ .. .u. .4..l
| On the night Of the Goth our pickots
were within conversing distance Of the
rebels IN the rifle pits, aud remarks were
freely exchanged. Ga the center the
following conversation occurred; ..,-.
"Do you get anything TO eat sscesh?"
J. Eyes all we want" .,.- Id
I "How many Of you are there over
ltheIO" ..
| oWe've got about hundred and fifty
thousand--enough 20 whip all the Yam
KEGS IN Gods world" .....
49,. q How low. did Il, you like the Champion
"You whipped us there, but you can't
do il here.'' ....
"Hell we cant! You come out Of
those dirt piles, and seq II we can't whip
you. Well whip You two 70 one in an
open field" ..-, j..
ave could go out and whip you in ten
! minutes, IL we wanted 20, but we want
you 90 stay where you are til Joe JohR-
ston gets up behind YOU .l l
"Joe Johnston will play hell getting
. behind as Guess he'll stay so far be-
; hind us that wei never see him" ,
The conversation was dominated by
! an invitation from the rebels 70 one Of
onr meu, requesting the pleasure Of his
company AZ supper The Coniederates
gave their word Of honor that be should
be permitted TO return whenever he
pleased Ontais representation, the Fed
eral picket--a private 10 the 9Th Mis-
souri, accepted The Invitation, went over
. and entered one Of the rebel forts. lie
! has not been seen or heard Of since. The
I reb, Is hold him as prisoner, suppose
+ On the same evening rebel picket came
= 10 our lines 10 sup with few Ut our boys
= lie was welltreAted, and returned 10 BIZ
poet after a two hours stay with thl
Fed-rsls
- II became known on the morning 0
= the 2lst, that a ten o'clock next morn.
]. lag the whole line Of the enemy's work.
e would be assaulted, and did not heal
= Of single doubt being expressed - 4
the result "To storm the works is 4
a take Vicksburg," was the universe
: opinion among officers and men. .4
y TaE ESEMY's sTRosGEsr FomE
a General Grant was Of opinion that ih'
M key tl Vek-burg was ia front Of ien