Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-06-15
Hon. JAMES NJ. MASON,
Commissioner, &c, &c London.
ADDITIONAL FROM THE NORTH.
Secretary of State


The special correspondent of the New York Tribune
writes from the of Vcksburg, Hay 80 follows
Affairs in this vicinity have come to a pause since the
iuactivi v but of vigilant and determined waiting
Our weapon is not the bayonet but the grdle OF
breastwolks and rife pits War is here now as deadly
and Iemorseess ever, but il is the Wan Demon of
Famine more than the Mooch of carnage. There is
now a complete Gordon Of intrenched works arou d
Vicksburg, extending to the river, at distance of
mile aud hreequarters above the Courthouse to the
extreme left of the army under Gen. Lauman
We have line of communication, short direct aud
comparatively unexposed TO at ack, through Warenton
and Chickasaw Bayou. The policy of our command q
Office is to destroy all the bridges block up with feed
trees all the roads, aud in every way rejard the ap-
proaches to Vicksburg through the of cOncentric
circle OF twenty miles in the rear that Jo Johnstons
army OF reserve if it should ever prove to be more
than army Of "GOrgons, Hydras aud Chimeras dire
will fnd it a task Of some difficulty to uneaFth us-
There is no serious appIehen;on OF afIe in the SesR
fot some time 70 come. 'Lorhgs division, az that is
left of it, is unquestonably much demoralasd, and I
doubt whether it could be brought again to face the
victorious army of five battle fields Gen. Blair started
days since for Yazoo City, where the enemy is re-
ported concentrating with his old brigade under com.
mand OF Col Manter and portion of his present d.
vision He is reported to have the enemy in heavy
force to have routed him and taken two field pieces
and 400 prisoners.
General Os,erhaus, you know, is stationed with one
brigade at Big Black Bridge. On the whole belle [
sm safe in saying that the surrender of Vcksburg is
only question of time Tel me how long the besegad
troops subsst on quarter raons and avoid the ne
cessty of eating shoe leather, and will tell you when
hey will captulate. From statements of deserters il
appears pretty well established that the arder is nct
likely to hold out for more than month longer Gen.
Hovey has learned from citizen Of Vicksburg the pre-
else position of the mill used 70 grind the corn for the
4 ii, to 10 s;tt ;e tai ~.
teres day or two since, as a flag of truce was bsug
sent across the lines, if by mutual understanding
although without any preooDcerted arrangement there
was general cessation Of hostites all along the line
The Buternuts swarmed up on their breastW orks The
Blue Coats prompted by the proverbal curiosity of tho
Yankee charged the ravines in most unmltary
and urslDguinsry assault; and Uncle Sam and King
Cotton hob nobbed together though the awful TRACE
dy in which engaged simply "sound ana
fury signying nothing General Greene who PLAYED
principal part in that fearful check" given to Out
arms at Port Gibson this occasion visible to The
naked eve in great redundarce of gray Whiskers and
mousache He was Of the opinion that We would have ID
leave in about five days. Wehaye by this time exhausted
even the days of grace. The hideous stains Of battle
| had not vet been removed. The "tombess dead a.
they fell among surging and fusilades still lay
blackened and rotng under the bare Southern sky
Some bad lain there two days in living death. Or
poor fellow, whose have not learned, had beer
SHOT through the arm, and might have reioined cur
army but preferred remain and bring water 10 bis
comraie WHO bad been shot through the leg and could
not move Both viii lose limb, if life should be pre-
served do not know that blame attaches to any one
for this delay. 1t is certainly much to be deplored.
OPERATIONS oT GRANT AND BANKS.
Commenting upon the situation on The Nssissipp
river, the New York Times says
We have news from General Banks army at Port
Hudson vaNew Orleans, up to he LIST inst and fros.
Gen CRAFTS army ut Vicksburg up to the Sd. At eac
of he two scenes Of action at these respective dates
things we're In very similar state General Grant
army was still investing Vickshurg, with his right anc
left wings resting on the Mississippi river Gen. Banks
army investing Port Hudson 22S miles below Vicks
burg with the right and left wings Of his army resting
on the river Grant had no assault in force upon
the Vicksburg defences since the attack of the 22d
which unsuccessful and Banks had made no assault
upon the Port Hudson works since the attempt Of the 9th
which also unsuccessful All that has been done al
Vcksburg for the last eighteen days has been to keep
the rebel garrison awake by active Ere from the
siege guns in the and the gunbOats in
'front.' and precisely the same course has been
pursued at Port Hudson for fortnight past. The
latest advces from Vcksburg indicate that it is Grants
plan to pursue the siege steadily and mainly by eng-
neering operations with expectation that the garrison
must soon succumb from hunger; and New Orleans
letters Of this morning set forth that Banks intends
pursu a similar plan, with like hopes. In one iI6
portant point, however, there is derence-while we
near muCn ABOUT tue Breat Ieoe army Vnat JOHHstOn
gathering in the rear of Gen. Grant we hear nothing
whatever Of any rebel force in General Banks rear
This is fortunate for General Banks for bis army is
very much smaller than that Of General Grant and ia
not so avorably posted to resist attack in the rear
1t is fortunate for both OF these excellent commanders
that they have first class naval officers TO co operate
with them. Admiral Farragut has been as uniformly
successful aud brilliant in his naval operations Banks
has been in his land operations in Louisiana and Adm
raj Porter operations have only been less glorious than
those of General Grant because they have been very
much smaller in their sweep and aim. General Banks
and General Grant communicate with each other by
means of courers along the Louisiana bank of the river
The LATE EXPEDITION Up THE MArTAPoNY.
Rear Admiral Lee has forwarded to the Navy Depart
ment the report of Lieut. Commander ellis giving the
details Of the joint expedition of the army and naval
forces up the Fattapony River Its main object was TO
destroy foundry a. point ten miles above Walker.