The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-01-17
The Expedition against vicksburg.

"first to get possession of the river and thus
cut our Confederacy in two; second, TO seize
the Confederate Capital and hold it up to for
eign nations, as an evidence that the Confed-
eracy does not exist" He is right The first
object of the Government of the United States
has been attained in the establishment OF an
effective blockade. The recent successful OPP
erations in North Carolina and Tennessee and
the present movements in Virginia look
toward the capture OF Richmond. The Con-
spracy clings with death grasp to the Mis-
sissipp at Port Hudson about 20 miles above
Baton Rouge, and at Vicksburg. These are
positions of great strength, and their defense,
as Mr. Davis admits in the speech already
quoted, is necessity TO the Conspiracy. $50"
said he to all who desired to lend helping
hand, "go to Port Hudson and Vicks5urg
without delay" So long as they hold these
two points, the rebels have entire control of
the Mississippi for a distance of about 10
miles between them. We shall hear from Far
ragut at Port Hudson in good time; for the
present it becomes our duty to chronicle the
unsuccessful operations against Vicksburg.
Oxford on the Mississippi Central Railroad
early in December, and it was hoped that he
would either take Jackson, As miles east of
Vicksburg on the Southern railway, or at least
seize the railway at some point west of Jack
son so as to cut off supplies and achievements
from the besieged city. 1t was supposed that
an attack from the Mississippi would be made
D.,+, 81, boz
Van Dorm with body of rebel cavalry rode
into Holly Springs, 30 miles in the rear of Gen.
Grants headquarters, and destroyed 1900 or
1900 bales of cotton, large armory and other
buildings, and the ordnance and subsistence
stores of the army. With this practical proof
of the insecurity of his communications Gen.
Grant seems to have been satisfied. He did
not even threaten jackson, but presently be-
gan to destroy the roads, which he had been
rebuilding, and eventually fell back to Mem
phis.
Gen. Grants failure to advance left the
whole burden of the reduction of Vicksburg
to fall upon the little army under Gen. Sher-
man, supported by Admiral Porter's fleet. On
the other hand, Gen. Price was at liberty, as
soon as it became evident that the army of the
Cumberland would retire, TO reinforce Lieut..
Gen. Pemberton, commanding at Vicksburg,
with every available manand gun hitherto de-
tanned on the Mississippi Central Railroad
Mr. Davis again says: "When arrived here,
1 thought the enemy were pouring down upon
us from the northern borders of our State;
but on going to Grenada, there learned that
nothing could be seen of them but their
backs"
This was on Saturday, the goth December,
and on the same night Mr.. Davis went to
Vicksbgrg. The course of the river here may
be represented by the letter S. The upper
curve of the letter will represent Milliken's
bend. The Yazoo river, flowing from the
northeast, joins the MISSISSIPPI at IiIe top of
the lower bend; and Vicksburg lies a little
east OF south from its mouth on the lower
part of the same bend. On the western bank
of the Mississippi, opposite to Vicksburg, is
the terminus of the Vicksburg, Shreveport
and Texas railway, very important line to
the Conspiracy, since it is the main inlet for
supplies from Louisiana and Texas. A con-
siderable number of earthworks on the west
bank of the river had been erected for the de-
fence of this road before Mr.. Davis's visit. The
batteries on the east bank had been strength
ened so as to be almost impregnable. They
had already resisted siege lasting from early
in June last to the 2Sth July. Up to the 4th
July it was estimated that over $4,000 shot
and shell were thrown into the city to no pur-
pose. 1t is said that los guns are now in po-
sition on the Mississippi front In thes rear
however, as late as the 22d December, no can
non were mounted. The decisive battle with
Grant had been expected at some other point.
A few days later the hills northeast of the
city were covered with earth-works, and the
banks of the Yazoo with the adjacent bayous
and marshes were lined with rifle pits. The
weakest point seems to have been the south
east approach, Just below the line OF the South
ern railway, and this line Gen. Sherman was
unable to reach.
Mr.. Davis left yicksburg on Tuesday, the
23d of December. On the same day nine steam
ers, under Capt. Gwynn of the Benton, went
up the Yazoo, for the purpose of removing the
torpedoes by which the Cairo bad been sunk,
while patrolling the river a short time before.
Eleven miles up the stream they were fired on
from the plantation known Belle Isle, be-
longing to Col. w. Ii. johnson, of the rebel
army, and responded, destroying the build
ings. That night they stopped two miles
above Belle Isle, Smelling the shore.
On the morning of the oath, Wednesday,
they were fired on continually. At about II
O'Clock body of rebel troops appeared in the
rear of Johnsons place, and were sheled by
the gunboats. The reconnaissance was con-
tinued, and just below Haines' Bluff torpe-
does were discovered and removed. Two
thousand rebel infantry at this point kept up
a constant fire upon the boats from rifle pits.
The casualties as yet were not numerous.
The transports, for which Capt. Gwynn
seems now to have been waiting, reached the
mouth of the Yazoo on Christmas day. No
one belonging to the accommodating expedi-
tion was injured Thursday. A successful ex-
petition sailed from the mouth of the Yazoo
to-day, to attack the Vicksburg, Shreveport,
and Texas railroad.
More torpedoes were found below Haines
Bluff Friday morning The ronclads were
now ordered up to drive Off the rebel infant
ry, after which they rounded the bend and
could distinguish the hostile batteries. The
bluff rises 80 feet above the river. Twenty
heavy rifed guns were mounted in different
batteries one above another On its face Ana,