New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-16
DETAILS OF THE BATTLE.
WITHDRAWAL OF THE ARMY.
SUPERSEDURE OF GEN. SHERMAN.
Departure for New Point Of Attack.

following interesting pafs'cusrs % Tue fortunes VI
our army before yicksburg:
YAzoo RIVER, Dee 30, 1862.
The battle has actually commenced. The second
siege of Vicksburg is laid. The first attempt at the
reduction OF this Rebel stronghold was purely Of
naval character: the present siege IS almost eXclus-
lively from the land, by the army. The operations
against this Gibraltar now in progress can hardly DO
called q siege as vet. We are in no position to
interfere with the Rebel communications, or to
interrupt their means Of obtaining supplies and re-
endorsements. We are making desperate effort to
get into their rear, in order that we may besiegee
them; bat, as on former occasions they developed
unlooked-for strength in their 'front.' 90 now we hnd
their rear equally strongly guarded.
vicksburg is situated upon a high bluff, rising
nearly hundred feet above the water. This bluff
faces very nearly TO the west. The mississippi IN
front Of Vicksburg runs in -we.erly course.
These bluffs are on its eastern bank, and run Oil from
point five miles below the city directly inland from
the head of the bend 10 the Mississippi until they
| strike the Yazoo River, nine miles northeast OF
yicksbuTg in straight line and % miles from tue
Mississippi bv the course of the Yszoo River.
The face Of this bluff throughout lis length pre-
epitous and high furnishes natural defense against
any force attempting 10 PEI into TIE Of the city
from the north. Where the bluffs approach the
Yazoo River the Rebels have constructed formidabls
batteries which have been alluded 20 IN former com
municatiCns, which prevent the passage OF all man
uer of craft Just above these batteries, and de-
Tended by them, they have placed heavy raft OF
timber and iron in the stream making mos etectal
blockade.
Thus it is impossible to flank this range Of bluffs
They must be attacked, If attacked at all full In
front. Against this the enemy have guarded them
selves by fortyng the entire range, from Vicksburg
to Mldale, its upper extremity. These Notifications
consist of abatls In front OF the bluffs 70 width on
the average of mile At the foot OF the bluff they
have rifle pits the entire way Above the rife pits
aud IN the face Of the bluff they have constructed
| batt mr. fupo N m
all the way along On the summit Of he bluffs they
have esr,hworks thrown up, ready to cover field
artillery whenever il shall be desirable TO bring II
into action from any OF these points, Thus these
entire ranges OF bills are one complete bristling
iortifcation dangerous TO approach and difcalt to
capture.
But, notwithstanding the dangers and difficulties
In the way our brave Western soldiers not afraid
to grappls with them nor doubtful OF their abilities
to overcome them.
The ball opened yesterday. The previous day
Sunday had been occupied IN getting our forces
into position In taking position, Gen. A. j. Smith
took the right, Gen. Morgan l.. Smith the night
center Gen. Steele the left center. aud Gen. G.. w.
Morgan the extreme left Our hue was formed in
this order parallel with the bluts and in the edge
of the timber that skirts tbe abaIis, bringing il
about a mile from the Rebel lines To reach this
position from the POINT OF deDarkation on the w.
goo River, forces have bad TO cross seriss OF
bayous deep ravines, which, In the present stage
crossings have mad to be made by pontoon bridges,
The building Of which was stoutly resisted by the
Rebels occasieung a continual ssirmishing through
ont the day. though with no very serious results In
addition 10 this difficulty roads had 10 DO cut 10 most
instances; the old r0ads-where any e1isted-haviog
teen destroyed by the Rebels or blOeksded with
fallen timber, while in most OF the directions no
roads existed at all.
To overcome these difficulties, in the face of &
persistent oppostiou, WIS good oayswork. How
Il R1f ma . ~
Accomplishment 1t was Gen. Sherman's intention
and expectation to push bic columns forward on TO
the bluffs that night but AS he approached nearer
10 them he discovered that he bad greater task
before him 10 get on those blnts than be had ever
dreamed Of The several divisions were, therefore,
deployed off into lue Of battle IN the edge OF the
standing timber facing the a5stis, and the wearied
soldiers were permitted TO wrap thea selves IN their
blankets, and hugQing their muskets tight find
such rest as they could In the forest with no cover
iug but the starry sky.
On Monday morning the great effort was to DO
made to gam the lights, and all the forces Or
dered to move at daylight. The morning dawned
with dense fog upon the face Of the country, 20
thick as TO utterly prevent any movement. have
never seen such a fog. Lying IN the middle Of the
little narrow YaZoo, it was impossible 10 distinguish
the timber on either shore. Any movement made
urrier such circumstances wac, of course, attended
with great hazard; any trlng was az venture, and
as liAsly 10 hit friend as foe. l. was o'clock be-
fore the Jog lifted but when 1t cleared away, il un
vailed one Of the finest mornings have ever VIII
messed. TIE gunboats which were 10 shell the
Rebel batteries ana encanpmens on the left, IL
NJ d sle having obtained their ranges on the pre-
vous day. did not wait for the fog TO clear away,
but were at work at the appointed time, drawing
brisk response from the enemy.
AT various points along the lines, too, feld-oat.
teres Engaged the Rebel batteries at venture, aud
thus before anything could be distinguished. the
roar OF artillery had commenced along the entire
line. AS the morning advanced this hrns increased,
until from to 10 O'Clock there was nothing TO be
heard but one continuous roar OF artillery. Upward
of $50 pieces embracing all caiibers, from the Or
binary 6pounder held-piece 10 the heavy l0-inch
ColumbaQ on the fortlfcaiions and the l-nch
Dahl,reps on the gunboa;s, united TO swell the din,
making roar such as the Valley Of the Mississippi
never before heard
Tins stillery duel lasted half the forenoon, re-
sultng 10 such daels usually resat, no great loss
of life but in the expenditure OF vast amount Of
aumuni ion. The Rebels were the principal suffer.
ers in this affair Their batteries in the face OF the
vuif became rather too warm for occupancy, and
one sitter another OF them was abandoned, the gun
ners dragging their guns with them to the top Of the
hill Tins apparently left the coast clear for the ad-
vance OF our Infantry, and the order TO advance was
accordingly given. But AS the lines Of infantry be-
gan TO emerge from the WOODS they began TO receive
indications that the coast was not quite clear 40
Appearances would seem TO indicate. The broad
plain extending from the timber In which our lines
formed ~ the basc o. the hills found TO be
cut up with gGlleys well US covered with abats,
and these gulleys filled with the eharpsbooers
OF the enemy, whose workmanship was soon fo1nd
to be Of no mean order.
Beyond these at the foot Of the bluffs, was the
range Of the riiepiis, filed with Rebel infantry.
L no right center DIVISION commanded by ien. MOT
gan l.. Smith, made an effort TO cross the bayou 10
their front, but were met with Calling nre thas
staggered the head of the column. Gen. south,
seeing the emergency rushed to the head 70 lead tae
column across III person. Scarcely had ne taken MS