The Portland daily press., 1863-06-26

Friday Morning, June %, 1868.
yicIxsburg by Moonlight.

A correspondent of the Cleveland Herald
gives the'following vivid description of the
siege operations against Vicksburg:
Let us climb the parapet and see the siege
by moonlight. In front OF US, beyond the en-
emy's works, but hidden from us, lies the city
of Vicksburg. Look carefully, aud you can
distinguish the spires of the court house and
two or three churches. The rebels had sig
nal station on the former when we came, but
our shells made it too warm for them and they
withdrew. The mortars are playing tonight,
and they are well worth seeing. We watch
moment and in the direction OF Youngs Point,
beyond the city, suddenly up shoots a fash OF
light, and in a moment the ponderous shell,
with its fuse glowing and sparkling, rises slow
ly from behind the bluffs; up, up it goes, as
though mounting to the zenith; over it comes
toward us, down through its flight trajectory
into the city, and explodes with shock that
jars the ground for miles. There are women
and tender children where those shells fall, but
war is war.
Shermans eight-inch monsters are grum-
bling far away on the right Nearer, McPher-
sons too are playing we can even see the
cannoneers beside them at each flash. Ours
will open at midnight; then there will be mu-
sic to your hearts content. Meanwhile, let
US go to the front A hundred yards to the
right of where we now are we enter deep
trench. Following this, as it winds down
around the hill, we reach the opening of
cave or mine. The air within is damp and
close, like that of vault. Candles are burn
ing dimly at intervals, aud we hear hum of
voices far within and out Of sight. We pro-
coed, and presently meet two men carrying
barrow of earth, for our boys are at work
night and day. This is the .main approach on
this part of the line. Finally we reach the
moonlight again, and emerge into a wide, deep
trench, cut across the line of the covered way.
This is open and filed with troops, who pro-
tect the working party. A heavy parapet of
cotton bales and earth is built on the side
towards the enemy, and we must mount the
beam to look over.
We are now within sociable distance of the
chivalry. Those men lying on the ground,
twenty or thirty yards from us, are our boys,
our advance pickets; but that gray fellow,
with the bright musxet that glistens so, few
steps beyond, is .reb," long haired and hot
bloodedJpne Of Wallis famous Texas Legion,
bull dog to fight. you may be sure.
Now, jump down and enter the mouth of
the other mine, which leads forward towards
the salient of the enemy's work. Stumbling
along we reach the end where the men are
digging. The candle burns very dimly--the
air is almost sitting. Never mind. let US watch
them. See that slender, bright looking fellow
swinging that pick. Great beaded drops of
perspiration trickle down bis face; there is
not dry thread in his coarse gray shirt, but
no matter; the pick swings, and each stroke
slices down six inches of the tough subsoil of
Mississippi. That fellow was "Jim," once a
tender-handed, smooth-faced, nice young man,
whose livery-stable, billiard and segar bills,
were sore trial to his worthy governor.
But we return TO the fresh air. Look over
the parapet again, towards the turret, where
we saw the rebel picket. DO you see the lit
tie gray mounds which cover the hillside so
thickly?-ten, twenty. thirty you can count
on few square rods. All, my friend, that is
sacred ground you are looking upon. There
our gallant boys charged; there they were
slain in heaps; but they pressed aud
leaped into the ditch. They climbed the par
apet and rolled back into eternity. Others
followed them; their flag was planted, and
they sprang over TO meet their certain death.
An hour passed, and one returned. The rest
were dead.