The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-07-08

water and doing what little cooking they e
have to do According to their reports ,
Gen. Pemberton has his headquarters un- 9
der ground, seldom coming TO the surface. a
they also assert in The strongest terms, (
that JEFF. Davis is in the city. il this b. !
the case the Government Of the G.. s. A. 4
is narrowed down to very small compass.
They report that the Tennessee, Missou-
ri and Arkansas troops are anxious to
surrender, but the Texans, and Mississip-
plans, are equally sxious to die in the
last ditch. Il is the opinion of all that
the place cannot hold out but q few
days.
coNrRABAEps.
1t is astonishing to see how we'll the
the ema seipstion proclamation works, in
the rebellious states, stiIl under the ju
risdiction OF the eonfederacy.
At Warrenton, we found several thous-
and OF these ebony individuals, that had |
come from the interior OF Louisiana and
Mississippi, with a fun description Of
their relationship with the Federal cause.
frey seemed fully to have understood be-
/ fore they left their masters. that could
they but reach The Federal lines they
would be free. and they come with the
purpose Of Offering their sersises towards
sabdaiag the power that would hold
them in bondage. The men are formed
into regiments, under white officers, Of
which there are several already organized
uetr Wsrrenton, and assure you it i,
amusing to see them drawn up in line, the
bite OF their eyes. and pearIy teeth. 10
such strong contrast with their faces, and
the pride with which they demean them
selves as soldiers, is almost enough to
dsarrange ones gravity il is surprising
to see how readily they learn military
tactics. and their fighting qualities are
beyond question. They have been toIer
aoly denonstrrtlye at Port Hudson, and
Mlhken 8 bend. | am OF the opinon
!. tha! were the Independence of the
= Southern States established TO day, that
there would be leaders arise from among
these negro soldiers, who now know their
power. and their pos .tion before the world
tlat would make the Institution the
means OF its downfall
a THE cAESoNADISo or THE 22D.
t On the night Of the eIst an order wa.
d issued by Gen. Grant that all the artillery
= 10 position should open i,s FIRE upon iht
,r cry at 4 o'clock A. NJ on the follown.
W morning, and continue until 10 O clock
p and that ali troops should be under arms
u ready for an emergency. We looked for
rs ward to the morning with almost breath
,e less expectation, supposlng that it wa
s.; determined to assault the works and car
u ry the place by storm. Day dawned 1
ID many sleepless eye, and they wstche
s, for the co0ing hour with eager hope. A
IA last it came. The signal guns we're fired
IN and eight hundred pieces of artillery rair
n cd their shot and she'll upon the rob,
It, city. The foundation Of the earth shoe
Of with the terrible explosion. No pen ca
he describe the awful grandeur of those 81
's, hours of incessant cannonsding. At !
n o'clock the firing ceased. and no assau
n, bad been made. The eject of this terr
u, BILE FIRE upon the works of the enemy Ca
It; onl, be imagined the loss of life mu,
ny have been immense.
y" THE SITUATION
VI Is everything that the most snpgui'
" could wish. All believe General Gra
~ to be master of the emergency be h
ue reduced the business of the siege to
We science. A line of telegraph runs fro
." his headquarters to the headquarters
~ every commanding general ~ the line
ne ne has established systems Of signal
ca which control the action of every G,
~ bearing upon the enemy's works. !
has made nmple provision for any alta,
ia the rear ; and instead of fearing su
ny an event, it is believed that he is rath
o' inviting it, that his success may be 4
''a' more glorious. With the Black river
the the one flank and the Yazoo on the 9th,
eat Gectually guarded BY gunbosts. leavi
ON the only way open for an enemy 10 a
t's' proach by way OF Haines' Boff, which
bel has as strongly fortified against an .
hat proach Of the rebels us vicksburg is agai
ana himself and having filled the fortif
Il ,ions with large army, there Is little
ay fear. He seems q lite satisfied that G.
not Pemberton' army shall starve. and ds
and decrease iu numbers, aud it matters lii
ged to him how many are stubborn enough
?, u dic 10 the last trench.
4 \ n