The New York herald., 1863-02-05


enc Work NJ vAcksssUrg. 80.
We have news to the 3Oth ultimo from vicks-
burg, Al that day General Grant, chief in
command baa rived. The work Of widening
and deepening the fsmoas "Qu!-9F" was pro-
crossing; butxhe rebels, shuling their danger,
had planted battery on the opposite, or Mis-
sissppl, side OF the river, which commands the
outlet of the canal int> tho main stream That
battery, however, will be silenced when the
time comes for action. -.
A rebel despatch from Vicksburg Of the 3Oth
ult. says that some federal scouting parties had
appeared that morning on the river bank imme-
diately In front of the town, but on the Louisi-
ana side of the river, and had burned four
houses under the range Of the rebel batteries,
the river being less than mile in width, and
the rebel batteries being on the vicksburg
bluffs, where they possess the advantages of q
plunging fire. This would seem to indicate
design on the part Of General Grant to plant
line Of batteries in front of vicksburg, to keep
the rebels we'll employed in his front while our
gunboat squadron are running below the
town by way Of the "cut-oHI" But, whatever
may be the designs of General Grant, we have
the fullest confidence in his success, not only in
removing the Mississippi river, but in removing
the rebels from vicksburg, in knowing upon
their works.
Some five hundred miles up the river from
General Grants scene of operations, and at the
historic Island No. 10. strong force Of rebel
guerilas. with three pieces Of artillery, had en-
deavored to arrest the passage of the gunboat
New Era, but after q fight of several hours
were shelled off, From Fort Donelson, on the
Cumberland, February 3, we have the report
that fight was still in progress there at four
o'clock in the afternoon, although it had COM
menced at an early hour in the morning. From
this it is evident that the fort had been assaled
by formidable rebel detachment; but as re-
Inducements had gone forward to the support
has been expelled
AT the same time, from rebel reports, it APP
pears that their irrepressible guerilla, Wheeler
has been very active of late in cutting in among
and cutting up the river transports and railroad
trains Of General Rosecrans. All these things
disclose desperate determination on the part
Of the rebels to maintain footh0ld in Ten
nessee, and to hold the points which they pos
sess on the Mississippi river. In Tennessee and
at Vicksburg there is doubtless hot work very
near at hand. 1t is possible that within the
next ten days the most important events Of the
war will come off in that quarter, and the most
decisive against the rebellion.
From Port Hudson-the only remaining rebel
obstruction after Vicksburg on the whole line
of the Mississippi-we have no very late intell
gence. We are informed, however, that "cut-
off" is feasible at that point and that the
project is under consideration. This may OK
plain the requisition of General Banks for
large supply Of intrenching tools. But let
Vicksburg be taken, and the combined forces
of Grant and Admiral Porter from above, and
Of Banks and Admiral Farragut from below,
will make short work of Port Hudson. The
Mississippi and its tributaries are In excellent
condition for aggressive operations a our side
from Tennessee to the Gulf; and we are conf
dent that, before those waters subside, the ad-
vantages which they now offer will have been
fully employed in crushing the rebellion in the
Southwest
Our greatest victories last year were achieved
between the lst Of February and the LIST of
June; and this year. from the Same advantages
of navigable rivers, we anticipate, within the
same period, the same results, but on much
graader scale. The administration has the men
and the means; its most favorable season for
great successes has come; and surely, notwith-
standing all the blunders of the past, we may
expect henceforward some glorious compensa-
ting victories. If not, we make look for the
peacemakers and Union breakers by the 1st of
May.
COMPTROLLER BRENNAN AT WoRK.-We pub
lished on Tuesday morning a communication
from Comptroller Brennan to the Common Coun-
Gil stating that he must decline to carry into effect
the ordinance authorizing the issue of municipal
shinplasters, and that he must also decline to
execute the resolution Of the Common Council
for the purchase Of the Gansevoort property.
This is honest straightforward talk on the part
of the Comptroller, and will receive the cordial
appreciation of every respectable citizen.
Corporation shinplasters are unnecessary, if
not illegal, and would be great nuisance.
The title to the Gansevoort property is, as the
Comptroller says, quite doubtful. We are glad,