New-York daily tribune., 1863-07-02
FROM vfCKsBUKG.
ak EEours, Cannonade-Au Assault Ex-
prgted- -Disappointment Of our Troops
"A Deserter's story-shelI Practice
Contract tAmmunition-Fight at Rich
lnond, Ln.-Gen. McCIernand.
From Our Special Cons,paude dent.

From Our Specia Cousspeudent
CHIcKAMw BAYOU, Miss, June 81, 1868.
know of no better way in which TO convey 70
the minds OF readers a definite conception Of
the condition Of things here, aud Of the prog
ress of the seige of Vicksburg, than TO recount
my observations and experiences yesterday. Tlis
10 q species OF egotism 10 which / would not feel
myself justified in resortiDg were 1t not that
! find the vague geperalities by which cor
respondents have heretofore described the situa-
tion" confuse tho reader than they edfy.
Men coming here from the North every day ask
questions suggested by their reading Of the news
papers, which appear TO those who have been here
long enough to get The run Of things a. very ri.
dieuious and the inference is that those who have
undertaken to advise the public concerning the
Operations Of this army are al fault
At o'clock yesterday morning We were reused
from sumbers here at this landing the azoo,
by the heaviest, most terrific cannonade which has
yet stunned the ears Of those now grown familiar
with The thunder of artillery. My neighbor of The
Cincinnati Gazette and myself sprang from our
couches simultaneously; held hurried council OF
war; resolved upon feld-day; and then addressed
ourselves TO the tack Of procuring horses mules 10
ride 10 the front. A ludclous use Of beverage
popularity known as pure Bourbon whisky and
which has proved nfallible in every such csse pro-
cured for us a ride two miles more up the Yszoo
River on little steam-tug belonging to the trans
port feet, to d corral OF captured and abandoned
mules. All obliging QOarternaster here permitted
Us 20 select for use during the day two mules. My
Gazette friend au sorry to say, betrayed lament
able want VI useful information concerning the na-
ture and pecuiarltes Of the lOng-eared beasts. lie
selected IN amable-lookiDg donkey, speedily riQged
II out with blind bride and saddle OF antique
mold and material, mounted fiOurished his rope
brldle-reln and aswanp-beech stick, and off we start
ed tor the 'front.' hoping TO witness triumphant entry
into Nlcksburg or some other grand affair. About
halt NILE irom the corral however, the amabihty of
my friends mule seemed To give way before its love Of
homo. II grew peryerse in al extreme degree, and
we were both compelled to "wOIk our passage"
travelling al the rate Of about Que mile per hour,
iii we arrived III no very aIniable mood ourselves
st the nearest point in the trenches.
Before our arrival the firing suddenly ceased all
along the lines. and we listened with breatbless i'm
patience TO hear 1t renewed bv nusketry voeys or
sone,hing else that would indicate an assault OF
stormlng Of the eDemy's works. No such sound
greesd our ears. After furious canDoDade, lasting
six ho1rs, the smoke Of which was clearing away
Ms We came up, il did not appear that any serious
breach had Oeen effected iu the enenys works. The
men were drawn up in line Of battle ready and
waiting for the order to charge; bnt 1t did not come
j understand the order from headquarters was TO
cennonade for SIX hourh from all the batteries, and
then 70 storm The enemys works, If, in the opinion
Of the corps commanders, serious breach were ef.
fec.ed al epy point.
10 gay tLsl the men seemed disappointed at this
result is but feeble expression Of the fact There
s Throughout the army, among subalterns and pri-
Yates at least. burning derire 10 terminate tbs
protracted Struggle for the town Of Vicksbusg by
one grand, wild effort which shall sweep everything
before II. The noise and fury Of such a cannonsde
as that bad yesterday intensi6es this desire. I
believe Gen. Grant s satisfied that such attempt
TO take the place would succeed, and he is only
restrained from giving the order by the knowledQe
that il would he attended by desperate slaughter,
and is not, under present circumstances, a military
or political necessity.
After riding about from point 10 point on Gen.
Shermans iiSe aud stoppiDg at various places to
if anything new had turned op, in the camp VI the
18th Infantry (RogulanJ, whittier we had been at
tracted by the unusual attention 70 clean and
sodier-hke appearance displayed amoDg men and
Oihcers we were shown q couple OF splendid nsgs,
belonging TO the regiment, that were pierced by
nearly hundred balls in the charge made by Blairs
Diyision, on the 18Th ult. Even the fag-stafs
we're well SCARED Several men had been wounded