The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-06-12
THE SIEGE Of vlcksBuRe.
Particulars of Late Battles.
Ineligible Account Of the Situation
DETAILS OF OPERATIONS BE
FORE THE CITY.
The Repulse Of Grants Army on
the 22d of May.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial
rt1u EORJTFICATIONS OF VICKSBUR(i.

narrative of the important events of the |
last few days, l ought to describe the for
tifcations of Vicksburg, and the topogra-
phy of the country in which Gen. Grants
army has to operate against them. The
impregnability of the front of this strong
hold is an old story, to which our military
authorities seem to have given credence.
Our gunboats have been repulsed time and
again, and the impossibility of landing
troops under the fire of the tremendous
batteries along the river has been admitted.
While we all knew that Vicksburg pre-
sented such formidable front, l think few
had any idea of the strength and character
of the defensive works in the rear of the
town. Judging from the Notifications now
before US, it is safe to say that the rebels
anticipated Gen. Grants movements so far
as attacking from the rear is concerned.
The works look old and grass-grown, which
shows that they were not commenced since
our successful running of the fiery gauntlet
o. the Mississippi.
The fol tifications in the rear of Vicks-
burg form semi-circle around the city,
both right and left, extending to the Mis-
sissippi, and resting on it. They form a
continuous chain of forts, at an average
interval of 800 yards, for distance of at
least seven miles. The breastworks also
extend this entire distance, and are of
very formidable character. In front of
these is ditch fifteen feet wide, and vary
ing in depth from ten to twenty feet in
different places. At points where it was
thought likely that attempts would be made
to storm the works, the ditch has a false
bottom are drivin into the ground,
with sharp points sticking upward /; over
these is placed layer OF brush and under
growth, so as to give it the appearance of
a solid foundation. The storming party
Jump into the ditch, installing its apparent
for it's real depth, and one-half the men are
lacerated and mangled upon the treacher-
Gus oaken bayonets concealed beneath.
The forts are strongly built. In their con-
struction large number of cotton-bales
have been used, and citizens tell US that
some Of them are faced with railroad iron.
Add to all these facts simple state
ment of the topography of the country
around Vicksburg, and the arduous nature
of the task before General Grant may be
understood and appreciated. For ten
miles in the rear of the city the eye does
not rest upon single acre of level ground.
We have seen nothing but hills and ravines
since we crossed the Big Black River, and
the nearer we approach Vicksburg the
more impossible they become. The roads
over which we have to pass are cut through
hills little less than one hundred feet high
in some places. They are so narrow as to
admit of but one file of wagons passing at
time. The rebel artillery, at first, bore
directly upon the main road, on which our
army advanced towards their works, and
harrassed us considerably, until partially
silenced by our infantry. We succeeded,
notwithstanding the many disadvantages
which surrounded US, in getting exactly
the positions our Generals wanted for the
commencement of hostilities. But while
doing so I could not help thinking of what
planter said to me last winter speaking
of the probabilities of a movement in the
rear OF Vicksburg, and the impossibility
of successful results from it. "YOu might
as well try to climb trees with your artil
lery as to get them along the roads in the
neighborhood of Walnut Hills, said he.
l fully realized the truth of this remark as
l saw the difficulty with which guns were
moved from place to place on the 10Th.
l doubt if any city in the South is as we'll
calculated, by nature and art, for defence
against an invading army as the defiant
METROPOLIS on the banks of the Mississippi
once in position on the hills which sur
rDund the Southwestern Gibraltar, it
seems as if an army of five thousand men
ought to check the advance of fifty thou
sand, if indeed it be not true, as one of
our Generals said to-day, that five thou
sand men ought to do as much fighting
as fifty thousand from the difficulty of
maneuvering large bodies of troops on
such hills as we have here.
The country in which our army has to
operate is all cleared and in an excellent
state of cultivation. Large crops of cot
ton and corn are growing this year. There
are some fine residences in the vicinity,
but as they are all being used as hospitals
now, the indications are that their beauty
will be somewhat marred before long.
THE BATTLE ON THE 22D.
The events of the 10Th, Goth and 21st
had wearied us all and disappointed most
of u.s. No army was ever more confident
of achieving a glorious success than was
ours OF entering VlcksOurg on Tie I9tn.
So fully assured were we Of victory, that
we postponed it from day to day.
1t became known on the morning of the
21st, that at ten o'clock The next morning
the whole line of the enemy's works would
be assaulted, and did not hear single
doubt being expressed as to the result.
"To storm the works is to take Vicks-
burg" was the universal opinion among
officers and men. -o t... -
THE RNEMY's STRONGEST POINT. -.
General Grant was of opinion that the
key to Vicksburg was in front of General
McPherson's corps, the center of the rebel
lines. There are number of forts there.
the two principal ones commanding the
main road to jackson, and directly in the
rear of Vicksburg Courthouse. 10 ST.
lence the guns here, several of our best
batteries were ordered into position
among them three parrott guns, manned
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