Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-07-08
mn SIEGE OF vICKSBURG.
interesting Account OF Affairs 1here'
of the State Journal
In REAR OF VIcKsBuRG,

at SLSTm8A AodOAbSt e~
clear view Of Vicksburg. 1t rises from
the river. and is built on high slope, its
upper buildings being nearly 800 feet
above the landing. Fronting the west,
the setting sun brought ont distinctly all
its prominent buildings-a fine Court
House. church and Odd Fellows hall,
while the dwellings, scattered among the
trees, gave truly rural and peaceful as
,,ect to the place. In its main features
and outline, it looks very much like Mad
ison without its surroundings.
On Sunday, the 14th, the boat, IL 3.
Perry, b. Q. P. D., again dropped down
the Yazoo and Mississippi to Sherman's
Landing. 1t was beautiful, clear day :;
a light mist yelled the city, and from our
distance, three miles, as rural scene, it
was most charming. While looking out
at it, about 10 A. NJ, about the time our
people were on their way to church,
mortar boat within half mile suddenly
opened FIRE, and then long line of eight
boats, lying under the bank, along the
''tcngue," further to the East, followed
suit. This firing was a novelty, and
watched it from the upper deck of the
boat for about an hour. A great jet of
iiame-a column of smoke shoots up
from % to 40 lbs. of powder has been
ignited-an iron globe weighing 225 lbs.
rushes up from one to two miles into the
air, and in its descent goes crashing
through the roofs or falls within the trai-
tor works-a puff of smoke marks the
spot where it explodes-and everything
near is torn to fragments. Then comes
the report of the mortar, which makes
the boat tremble throughout its huge
frame, and later of the shell, which
comes back as distant echo. The fire
was incessant from the boats, though each
fires slowly. Shells exploded about the
churches, over the houses, and the huge
entertainments of the forts. Great COL
umns of smoke commenced rising from
the city, but what actual damage was
done, we tailed, with the aid of glass,
to make out 1t seemed impossible that
this village, empowered in trees, on that
quiet Sabbath morning, could be the
Yicksburg our forces were beseiging, 1t
is reported that $4,000 sick and wounded
rebels fill the buildings, that the families,
of whom numbers have fallen-men, wo-
men and children-have burrowed in the |
hills, and that terror and dismay sits on
every countenance. The avenger is at
their doors.
In the afternoon, the boat returned |
back to the Yazoo, and proceeded up to |
Snydsr's and Haines' bluff, about five
miles above Chickasaw Landing. | visit
ed both places, and for the first time be-
gan to see why Vicksburg was not taken
Snyder's bluff is lowest down. 1t is a
succession of broken ridges, rising full 800
teet high, cut and worn into most irregu-
ar and strange shapes. The traitor
works consisted of a series OF rifle pits,
rising in tiers to a height of about 100
feet, to line of batteries. They had
blown up or 6ismouuted their cannon
As and 100 FOUNDERS, planted to sweep
he 1azoo-burnt the carriages and what
,ould be destroyed, and the enormous
guns lay scattered about within the works.
Higher up, they had batteries upon the
crests of the hills, which breaks ont in
nigh, yertical-faced and rounded knobs
The place could in no way have been car
ried by direct front assault.
Your leaders may as well be told here
that terms in common use do not convey
q correct idea of this country. We mean
by "ravine," depression with sides slop-
ing more or less sharply, but ali capable
of ready ascent; while gorge" is sup
posed to have very steep or vertical banks.
There are no rayines in our sense, or but
few, here. The deposit Of these hills is
of marine origin, as have found abupd-
ant sea-shells in it. 1t is the remains of /
an ancient country-but among the latest /
geologically-which is rapidly disappear.
Wherever channel is made for water,
however small, it has cut down vertically
10 great depths. l have seen numerous
. bitches" not four feet at top, which
could not be seen a rod off, owing to
vegetation, that were full fifteen feet deem.
ard a person once in could not get out
alone without following down to the out
let. The soil IS yellow, plastic, and ad.
hesive beyond stint in wet weather. and
makes first class dust in dry. The sides
OF ravines and elevations are always sharp.
often vertical; and it would be quite as
easy to lead an army to charge from the
Fourth Lake up into the University
grounds by the highest and steepest
bank, as for General Grant to storm
Vicksburg. This style of country nre-
walls all the way to Black River. Grand
Gull, sc. Vicksburg does not stand
upon a ridge, as our people suppose.
but upon the western face OF an ex-
tsnsive inland series of hills and ridges at
its margin with the Mississippi. Louisi- |.
ana, which is but 8 delta, has no hills. !
while Mississippi has much of its surface
high and broken.
Haines' Bluff two miles above Spvder's 1
is very similar To il So IN rAbsT ,rr 4