Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-21
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Special Correspondence Of the Memphis Appeal
VIcKsBuRo March %, 1868.
After the defeat OF General Sherman's army q
Chiekasaw bayou the enemy Withdrawn from her'
to rscuperste his strength, and eoncOc. bis plans fO
another attempt to reduce this rebel stronghold and
after an absence Of two OF three weeks he again re
turned with double his former forces aud boldly ad
Tanced to within full view Of the city where he came
to stand ana now has been in that position for two
months and yet no attack been attempted though
never for moment relaxes his threatening and bel
lHgerent attitude
The great iuportanee to the Federal government Of
opening the Miss ssipp at Vicksburg, has called forth
the strongest endeavors which It has yet made Il has
sent his best generals and braves soldiers to this point
and they viii not be turned back from their object BY
any loss Ehort Of destruction For lopg the South
holds Yeksburg and the Mississippi valley the existence
Of the North only but menaeed by dis.
solution which viii be nearly certain, within the next
year With the Mississippi wholly under their control
and New Orleans in their ebsOlute possession, 50 thst
the Western States would be well assured Of outlet
to the sea, they might be ooncillated-
If the Western States were assared Of an open and
uninterrupted navigation Of the great river before
the war might be possible for the Northern States to
continue In life until death which preys uPon it
would inevitably seal its fate from its instinct and
IyLlou o4t ~ Autlh hcAlrtJ the ArConag
of sranng every nerve for the quick recovery of the
river. There might yst be possibility that foreign
powers might demand an armises, and unless it has
won the free navigation when that event happens,
there little hope Of the Northwest when The trumpet
sounds again-
The brave baud chat is hers to defend Vicksbursls
inspired BY equally strong motives Half our smpre
lies beyond the river If we lose our hold this grest
artery of the continent the highest portion Of the eoan
try future life is rendered uncertain. The army which
holds Vieksburg consists Of men whose fortunes are
ssked the result Of tbs struggle now approaching
II any men ever had cause to fight they nave It. Let
trust that Provdenee will again crown with victory
the glorious bills which they defend. And unless some
untOwsrd and unforeseen misfortune should come upon
us elsewhere, may ell rest in confident security that
Yioksburg will hold hag own.
The enemy is quiet before this place, but not
Idle Several attempts have bean made to work the
dredgebost down toward the mouth Of the canal under
The cover Of darkness, but the watehfulness of our
lower batteries has thus far foed all their efforts Our
guns active in preventing any work being done at
the mouth Of the canal and becoming nice que5
ton Of hew the Yankeeass to get the ditch in naviga-
bic order at Che lower end where all the work win have
to be done directly under guns and not being able
to eiucIdae the problem respectfully refer the matter
to the consideration Of the ankees as being quez-
tion in which they themselves are mostly concerned
In Of my letters few days ago. referred to the
fact that several boats had gone up the Yszoo river
short distance It now turns cut that they went up
there for the pVrpOse of getting into seees bayou
which leads into another bayou, whose name have
not learned and from thence into Deer creek, and at
the present stage of water the enemys boats can go
anywhere through the bayous and creeks, and have
reached the very garden spot of the State on Deer
creek, where they will do immense amount Of mis-
chief in destroying and laying waste the best farms In
Mississippi
have however, reliable knowledge that-the enemy
viii be able to luxurats long in that part of the
country. Arrangements are made and already in an
advanced state Of perfection, which will soon teach the
Yankees thst the Cenfederstes have word to say
about their doings We may expect to hear Of stirring
from that quarter before many days At present
the Indications seem to point to the probability that We
may have to meet the bulk Of the Federal army at some
point in the YazoO country and there is but little doubt
Of our ability to do SO,
Some curiosity exists here as to the whereabouts Of
the Confederate feet below There are now two splen.
did Yankee vessels in the river and making their way
up to vleksburg and the question IT, where the Qass
there VIII be nuss on the river below and that very
shortly, snd great distance from this point It IS
believed hero that attempt viii be made TO unite the
two Farsgut vessels with the Beet above, and that
some more running the gauntlet, either up down,
win be attempted almost any night EESTOR