Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-08-12
foorrespsndsnce OF the Chicago Tribune.
VIcKsBURe, July %, 1862.

s>sige--t0 Spectators, &c.
Correspondence OF the Chicago Tribupe.1
VIcKsBURe, July %, 1862.
4 little incident to-day brought forcibly
to my mind the fact that Uncle Sam is IN
earnest In this war. Desiring q room in
the central part of the city, and seeing
one that suited NE, made application for
iJ TO the owner, avery gentlemsnly look
ing hysicien, and he told me he had noth-
ing TO say in the matter By the terms ot
tbs Conhscation Act, q fine block of build.
ings, worth perhaps twenty or thirty thou
sand dollars, was taken from him, and
thus the earnings of q lifetime were dashed
from his grasp when he thought he held
them most securely. And this is only
single example. All these fine rows OF
business structure, all these fine residences,
and there are hundreds OF the latter, built
in every style of taste and elegance, be-
longing, almost without exception, to
Uncle sam. | have been making an esti-
innate. and find that on one street alone
Washington street.-The property acquired
BIZ Uncle Sam will be about S2,00U,000.
When the books are balanced, l rather
think il viii be found that the cost of the
siege is we'll nigh cancelled by the trophies
gained by the siege.
Another item 10 be noted in this con-
nection, is that ali the iron and a good
portion OF the lead fred into the city Will
be saved. The secesh had gathered up all
the pieces or shell and all the sol d shot We
fired, intending 10 use them when their
own missiles gave out, or TO cast them
over. OF course all this pains taking H.
nured TO our benefit. There is also 8
very large amount of lead in the cotton
bales on the fortifcations-the MIME balls
fred by our sherpshoOters. Thus it viii
be seen that the hot or cold iron or lead
that Gen. Grant threw into this rebellious
city, was not all thrown away.
The most magnificent residences in the
city are occupied by our Generals for their
headquarters The one chosen by Gen.
Grant is at the foot of Washington street,
situated upon q high bluff, and while there,
such is the breeze almost constantly stir
ring, one forgets the region he is IN, and
imagines himself back in the North
The place occupied by Gen. Logan Qn his
absence by Gen. Smith, as Governor OF
the city, is one OF the most deliberately
decorated residences | ever saw. Tie
grounds are laid ont very similar to those
OF the late DR.. Egan, on the West side IN
Chicago. | am sure the loyal people OF
tie North will not blame the officers OF
this army for enjoying, Tor brief season,
Gtiun3 cum d5gn1tdte in the deserted
homes of the rebel lords.
The strictest regulations are still in force
in regard 10 drinking. Not thimbletQu
of anything that can lutOZIcate IS to be
had, except through the Medical Depart
ment. All sorts OF shifts and e7Pedients
are resorted to for the purpose OF obtain
ing the consent Of medical directors Of
corps TO purchase liquor, especially among
officers, who generally manage to get their
supplies OF - commlssary," sick or well.
But the poor secesh, shIuokeu IL body
and sUnken IN spirit, and not understand
ing the pulling OF the ropes, suffer terri
bly, in being deprived OF this, one OF the
elements Of the Confederacy. Oh, if 1
had the heart of 6 cOpperhead, thst Heart
would Ire often, very often, torn and lace
rated by the sufferings OF the proud bat
halt furnished secesh OF the higher grades.
Not long since 2 lady Of one OF the very
first families, asked me 10 lnterCeds TO get
her permission 10 buy quart OF brandy,
prefaclug her request by the assertion thae
she never made q bed nor cooked q meal
OF s.ctuals in ali her life, that her . sery-
ants had ali left her, and she needed
something TO strengthen her IN doing her
own work, which she was now obliged TO
do. put her in the way Of getting what
she wanted, and as she lett me with two
bottles in her hand, | reflected on the mu-
liability of earthly grandeur, and the
means OF sustaining Southern courage I'M
der adversely.
Subsiating here, for citizens from The
North, is very precautions business, as Is
also The procuring OF shelter. There IS
not a hotel open II the town, and thus
far but very poor excuses tor boarding
houses. Ii / did not think fifty parties at
least would follow the recommendation,
and thus overdo the business, | would
recommend q few enteTprisIng boarding
house keepers to come down here.
Spectators may as well make up their
minds to give YIcksburg a wide berth at
present. | saw the original Dick RoIin
son, of Kentucky, Ia limbo at tie Provost
Marshal's office to-uigLt--cause, cotton on
the brain. And those parties who lave
permits from the Treasury Department TO
trade, had better wait until Gen. Grant IS
ready to add his protection TO their per
mission. Il IS just one of the easiest
things in the world tor g cotton specula-
tor 10 get into difficulty at this time. As
to other articles, keep all your stocks at
home and you will save the cost OF re-
shipment, or worse, cGnhacauoq-
q few evenings since 1 called on one of
the old citizens here, and had many Incl
dents OF great interest related to me of the
progress OF the siege. My informant was
originally Union man, but being old, and
having an undue confidence 10 the stGtats
qtlo, he went with the current. He told
ne that during the first week or two Of
the siege the citizens kept up their spirits
admirably, expecting 10 Johnston to come
to their relief But when day after day
passed and the prospect grew less imme-
date, the hopes of one after another
would live way. he says that women
who refused to leave the city st first IN
der any circumstances, would have given
all they had in the world to have been
outside the lines during the latter part of
the siege. He says it was pititul to see
the poor creatures come out of their caves
in the morning, often not having slept at
all, go to their residences aud get their
breakfast, and hasten back TO their re-
treat, each way running the gauntlet OF