Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-07-14
THE IMPORTANCE OF yICkSnURG

fRE IMPORTANCE OF vICkSBURG.
The importance OF the fail of ,yickshurg To
the Union cause is not likely tn he overra,ad
Gen. Jefferson Davis himself has declared how
necessary that place and Port Hudson are to
the success Of the rebel cause. In December
last he paid visit To Misslssippi to ins pect the
defences OF Ficksburg, with which he e expressed
himself satisfied In speech which followed
al jackson, before the Mississippi Legislature,
he said
'.Ficksburg and Port Hudson are the real
ro'n's OF attack Every effort will be made to
cap u:e ;lrse places, with the object of forcing
t!.r iaSieaticn OF the Mississippi of cutting of.
Cnr communications with the trans -Mississippi
GtpaitmenI and OF severing the western n from
iLe eastern portion OF the Confederacy Let,
tntG, aiI who have at heart the safety of the
cehhty go without delay to Ficksburg and
Port Hudson; let them go for such length of
time as they can spare-for thirty or sixty, or
Tor ninety days. Let them assist in prese rying
the Mississippi river, the great artery of the
country, and thus conduce, more than in any
other way, to the perpetuation of the Oonfed-
eracy and the success of the cause"
The jackson (Mississippi) Appeal some time
ago said:
lean efforts to wrest the river from us are fully
aware of the great advantage TO them and the
lnestimakle detriment TO that such a result
would work out their efforts should and must
be thwarted II necessary Gen. Pemberton
should be furnished with one hundred thou
sand men 10 beat them back. Such a force
would be required only for about the space of
TWO mOntES, a1ter which time the heats of sum.
mer and low water will do our fighting for us
"Our hold upon the Mississippi once wrest-
ed from us Is gone forever, or at least SO long
as the war shall continue, " ich would isolate
the Government from the west, cut off ali IN
tercourse, and place us at disadvantage when
we shall enter upon the adjustment of terms
OF peace. A Great deal has been said abou
r no fTQQ ryos
the Northwest, hut with what plausible pretext
could our Government come forward with
such proposition when the entire river, with
all lis fortlf1ca tlons, erected by the Confpdpra
cy, is already in their possession OF course
they would laugh at such proposition coming
from us under such circumstances and hence
1t Is OF the rstimportance that our present po-
sltion on the river be permanently held. Better
lar would IL be TO sacrifice Richmond, Charles
ton, Savannah, OF Mobile, than to Weld the
river, by which the Contederacy will be rent
IL twain, the west hopelessly cut off from the
east, and vast section OF the best producing
portion OF the country subject to the depreda
tions and spolations OF the enemy. The yery
thought OF such result is excrucating',
The Richmond Eng uirer OF May 3Gth, in an
article reviewing the military and politica,
bearings of the contest, spoke follows:
"Eicksburg, as we have gosd none will not
fall, and cannot fall. We have there a fine
army, brave 10 desperation, and led bv able
commanders. Every motive, every PASSION
men conquer or die, is there present
"1et, if it be fated that, in spite of all human
yalor and devotion can do, Ficksburg and it's
defenders should become the prey ofits enemy,
then indeed will come the tug of war. Then
also will come the political crisis. Whatever
of imbecility and faint. .heartedness and down
right latent toryism and treason exists in the
Coniederacy viii at once receive a new acces-
sion OF weakness; many will again begin to cry
out for an honorable peace as they call it. by
means OF submission. x 4
sThus, Ficksburg is at this moment a point
not only OF strategic, but also of political i'm
pcrtance. While our flag flies defiant over the
great riyer, no party of compromise can ven-
tG1e TO to raj raise a its head no man vii! dara
or in part. All will be good Contederates The
cause which is supposed to be failing and sink
ing is the one which is likely 10 abandoned by
the towards and betrayed by the traitors To
the cause that prospers we are always true as
: Yet some there are of a meaner type-pray
God there be few who would see in the fall
OF Flcksburg an occasion, perhaps even a
reason-perhaps they might even see an honest
and patriotic reason-for drawing back from
the extreme measure OF our proud position, and
TO compromise and an .honorable
peace"
On the 18th of last month the Mobile Regis
ter, in the course of an exceedingly sanguine
leader upon "the situation at Vieksburg con-
GUIDED:
"The relief of Vicksburg has been question
OF forces. Ii Gen. Johnston has been supplied
with the proper number of troops the siege of
cannot only be raised, but Grants
army may be ruined. To accomplish this the
same gigantic efforts should be made by our
government that the Yankees are making to
secure the contrary result. They, we are told,
are moving heaven and earth to reinforce
Grant. We ought TO move the whole power Of
the Confederacy to defeat them. The Missis-
sippi Valley and the Mexican ulf coast hang
ON the issue. Can the Var Department be in
sensible to its magnitude? We should think
not''
We might continue hlese extracts, cut from
the rebel journals from time to time, showing
the convictions of the people of the South in
reference 10 the vast importance of Vicksburg
not only in behalf OF the Mississippi Valley,
but Of the whole Confederacy. There is no
doubt that its capture is tie grandest achieve
ment of the war, both a military perform
ance and in its bearings upon the fortunes of