The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-06-19
Correspondence oftho Chicago Tribune.
The Seige Of Vicksburg.


In THE REAR OF VIcKsBURo, May 81.
l have been considerably interested in the
story Of Greene s. Douglass, son Of j. g.
Douglass, of Mason County, ILL.,, who came
into our lines Thursday morning last, bear
ing message from Lieutenant General Penn
berton to General Johnston, at jackson;
Miss. Young Douglass left his homo in
Illinois seven years ago, and went to San
Antonio, Texas, whcro he enlisted in tho
United States service as Changer" under
Capt. Hayes. who was attached to Col. Can.
by's command. He was subsequently, cap
tured and engaged in the rebel service. in
Texas and elsewhere, participating in sever
nj hard fought battles. He came to Vicks.
burg in February, and has remained there
ever since. Gen. Pcmbcrton was shut up ut
Vicksburg and desired to communicate with
Gen. Johnston. Ho looked around for q
confidential agent. and could find mono whose
fidelity was less likely to DO called into ques.
tion than young Douglass. Douglass was
willing, and heprccious document was com.
mitted to his hands. This was last Wednes.
day night. Dressed in the garb of citizen
no left Vicksburg at nightfall and reached
the rebel pickets at 0 p. NJ. Here ho re
maincd till daylight, when he was passed
out of the lines, and sent on his perilOus mis-.
sion. Douglass had long entertained the
hope that he might one day free himself from
the reb,l service and join his friends in ILL.
nois. Here was his golden opportunity. and
he did not hesitate to embrace it. With
great caution, 80 rs to deceive his comrades
within the fort, he plunged into u dense
thickct, and sought deep ravino; and when
we'll out Of range of rebel picket, he called
to our skirmishcrs. and gave himself up
prisoner. Col Ol--,o Of tho Third Iowa
Infantry, turned him over to Gen. Laumad,
who after little questioning, handed him
over to Gen Grant, and to him ho revealed
his mission, and gave the precious despatch.
The substance of the letter was: An urgent
demand for help. Number ofrenforccmcnts
required, 30,000-advising retreat il he could
not bring that number upon Grants rear
within ten days-numbcr of troops in Vicks-
burg, lS,000-on hand, thirty days ratOns
for tho garrison, one meal day-amunition
scarce, particularly gun caps. Douglass was
further instructed to ascertain the exact num-
Der of Johnson's army, and report rs specdi.
ly rs possible. IIo desired to return home,
and Grant sent him up tho river on the
steamer Sultana. lie says thero arc $4,000
fighting men in Vicksburg, commanded by
Gems. Pcmberton, Stevenson, Reynolds. Bow
en-, Forney, Morris. Leo, and NJ. l. Smith
Pembcrton is chief in command, and exceed.
ingly unpopular. 1t is surmised that he
thinks of surrender. Referring to this Bow.
on said in his (Douglass) hearing "that II
Pemberton made tho first movement toward
giving up the city hcwould hang ghim Us high
us Ilaman."
The evident policy OF Pcmbcrton will bc,
when he is satisfied that all hopes Of succor
from Johnston are gone, to break out through
our lines on the left, and endeavor to cut his
way through to Big Black Tho damage to
Vicksburg occasioncd by the fire ofour guns
and lnortars is immense. Hc estimates that
at least oneiifth of the city is dcsfroyed.-
Up to "Wednesday Mt l2 o'clock, the names
of 100 women and children were reported Mt
tho Provost Alarshal's Office, who werc killed
by the explosion OF our missiles in different
parts of tho city. Among these is said to bo
tho wife of Pcmborton himself. Tho depot
and court house arc but slightly injured; the
nil is nearly destroyed. The largest lnaga.
zine, containing threo-quarters of the shot
and shell in Vicksburg, is blown up; horses,
cattle and mules arc killed, anda large num-
ber OF houses burned. On the day Of tho
assault 1000 were killed and wounded, in.
cluding lS colonies and lieutenant coloncls.
The day after Saturday Col. L. N. Wall.
Col. Lee Willis, Col. Regley, Maj. Cameron,
Adj't Williams, Adj't Parker, Capt. llose,
and Capt. Sahl-all officers OF tho Texas
Legion-wcre seated chatting pleasantly in
the shade at the angle of tho fort opposite
Logans heavy battery, when shell from It
exploded in their midst and killed them ALL
Wall and Willis werclitcrally blown in frag-
ments. There arc seven forts from the rail.
road to Warrenton, of which Douglass could
remember tho names of but three: Fort
Pcmbcrton, mounting 0 guns; Fort McCul-
loch, s guns; and Fort Pulaski, 4 guns
Fort Beaurcgard is on tho right four right
of the railroad, and contains but single gun
not disabled. Tho cannonado of the 23d
disabled l3 guns, and killed and wounded
many rebel soldiers. On tho 22d inst, eight
Georgia and Tennessee refused to fight, and
fell back into the rifle pits. Louisiana. Tex-
as and Missouri soldiers arc considered relia-