Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-30
Affairs In the southwest-A Rebel
statement
The iullosing Is taken from the Mobile Regis.

ter. of June IL:
We have. at last. direct and positive inielli. !
gence from beyond the Ms-is-ippi. n ifich clears
up all doubts, myths aud rumors which have been
vexing for some weeks past.
We gather our information from an Intelligent
gentleman. just from the headquarters of Gen,
Kiroy Smith, Who has Official relations With that
army, aud who crossed the Mississippi river at
hatcher at FRIDAY. The hfst important fact
We learn H. that Gen. Smith j. posted a. p the
situation AZ yickshurg aud Port Hucson. and Is
directing the fOfces OF the department with
view 10 second Gen. Johnston on this side the
river IN the work Of raising the siege OF those
two cities.
Cen Smiths headquarters were az Shreveport.
from which point he has easy water communica
ton with the Mississippi. To point near Vicks
burg by the Red. Black and Teisas rivers HIS
troops are already at The posts selected for them
in carrying out Gen Smiths great plan. which is
TO cut of ten Grants supplies. To this end
Gen Walkers division. OF Gen. Dick Taylors
army. was already at Youig's Point with 900
men. and the artillery necessary 70 command the
river as 10 transports aud other wooden vessels.
Three thousand men under Brigsdier Genera
Green we're on the peninsula. opposite TO Port
Hudson. and in position, with the aid OF Gen.
Gardners batteries. 20 completely close the river
to the enemy sboats
Marmaduke, with Gen Prices army was near
Helena and Gen. Price, with AZ 600 men.
on the march for that point, his object being the
same. 10 command the nver. and cut oft Grants
supplies. The sreat fall in the Mississippi river.
twenty eight feet below high water mark. afford
ell great facilities for these operations The mar
rowness ofthe stream forced passing vessels to
come within easy range OF the shore batteries.
while the liver had sunk so low that the attack
ing parties could not be reached by the enemy's
gunbOats.
The garrisons of Port Hudson and Vicksburg
are both we'll provided and in fine spirIts-each
uneasy about the fate Of the other, but entirely
confident in their situation. They have
abundant supplies News has been received from
Vicksburg up to Saturday night. Grants army
is undoubtedly suffering for want OF water, and
suffering more from being obliged TO drink the
water of the Big Black, which IL very unwhole
some. AS our informant says, Gen. Johnston Is
in no hurry to move, for this among other rci-
sons: That he does not like To interfere with the
action of the waters. lie is in regular commun
cation with the west of the Mississippi, and all
are working a common end-the starvation of
the enemy, the raising of the siege, and the cap
turing OF as many as possible when lie begins to
move of
Louisiana has been abandoned by the enemy,
and there are no Yankee troops except about
Douaidsonvile Gen Mouton. with 900, is at
franklin, ST Mary Parish liz their retreat
the Yankees Carried off mules. and destroyed
mlny wagons But most of the negroes have
been recaptured, and are being sent back to their
The Red river is free from Yankee vessels
Communication between the east and west banks
OF the Mississippi at hatcher. and many other
places, was constant aud uninterrupted. The
enemy's gunboats powerless to prevent it
Ten thousand head of cattle were on their way
to this side, and have probably passed by this
time.
The Crescent Regiment and the 18th Lousi
ana. both of which were formerly stationed near
Mobile. are at Bayou Lamouri, sixteen miles be
low Alexandra.
Gen. Magruder has his eyes fixed on Vicks
burg, and is CO operating with his fellow soldiers
nearer the scene OF action.
The foregoing facts may be relied upon for
their general accuracy. and they put face
on the great campaign in the valley. Pemberton
and Gardner. shut up In their strOnghOds, with
plenty to eat and drink. and ample powder and
bail tor the entertainment of the enemy, defy and
laugh AT the hosts who are scowling and digging
outside of their works. While Grant It's down
quietly-that Is, as quietly as Big Black water
and the sun and mosquitoes will permit-to starve
out Pembertor, Kirby Smith, Price and Taylor
are arranging little details to starve him out, aud
compel him to abandon his unhealthy locality
Once again our climate comes TO our aid. The
rivers have fallen with unwOnted rapdty, and
the enemy's vessels. stranded on sand banks, are
beauty spots on the picturesque scenes of the
great river IL Grant is forced to retire, many
of the vessels of the ankee feet between
Vicksburg and Port Hudson must be lost
When scarcity, bad water, malaria and de
mobilization have done their work upon Grants
hosts. Johnston's opportunity will have arrived,
and we have strong hopes that a combined at
tack between him and Pemberton will result in
realizing one of the "pulverizing" military ope
rations of which read much in Northern
papers.
We think the situation" greatly relieved
and certainly breathe freer. We can now
afford to wait with becoming patience