Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-04

then Deiore tney had recovered from the bewderiDg
half hundred mes further in nearly the very heart OF
the Conisderacy were engaged 10 doing them roparsbe
damage at Jackson The rebels in vcEsburg were appa
renty dumbonnded at the c~.rty and audacity Of
movements SuppOsiog US moving on jackson they sen.
out formidable force tn attack rear but met our
advance close upon their stronghold, aud defeated
and routed to extent unparalleled the history Of the
war"
This spoudsnt in his dated on Sunday
the Oath umo tates that the entire loss Of forces
up to the sormng Of the rebel works back Of Vcksburg
not far from three thousand The rebel loss, by
killed, wounded missing, and prisoners including those
who struggled from the army from decentralization, was
about twelve thousand men, Of whom six thousand
we're captured by the Uuon troops. From this letter
extract the subj lined passages:
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS
Within the last three weeks men have nearly
quite hundred and fifty miles; fought tho enemy five
times aud defeated him every time, ground Of his
choosing utterly destroyed Of the main arteries Of the
rebellion; captured seventy guns and six Thousand
prisoners and have done all this foreign climate un
dor tropical ablaze with tue white heat of summer
with only such supplies could DO aned from the country
and the limited amount carried upon the pes0ns Of the
soldiers When it is added that the country which
marched rough the roads tortuous, the sreams
parched with the fever Of the population sparse
and poorly supplied with the necessares Of M and every
foot Of the way enveoped in dust that choked
and animals like smoOn it will be admitted that whether
has done sufficient within the last month to entitle it ut
to the esteem gratitude and admiration Of the people
at home-even of the whole world.
THE BATTLES FOUGHT.
That our have been necesstated to uss something
besides their locomotive qualities during the march to this
pnnt shown in the fact that within days they
engaged in The following bstes Grand Gulf; Andersons
Hill, twas Port Gibson j Fourteen Mile Creek; Ray
mond aud Champion Hills Decides these, there were
skirmshes and affairs than battles without number
of which, like that Of the stormg Of the 1ste dn
Pon by Fowler at Big Black river, and the fight Of the
gallant CrOcker Jackson bloody and costly in
the extreme Such in brief the record Of the last fort
nights dongs of the Army OF the Tennessee and whether
Vcksburg captured not nobody will doubt that the
men composing possess in the highest degree the ser
ling qualities OF endurance galantry, and patriotism
OPERATIONS OF TUESDAY, MAY 20.
Our troops having all taken up their respective posi-
tious the night before it determined by Gen Grant
attempt to force the enemys line before they fully re-
covered from the Generalization consequent upon their
many and rapid successive defeats Big Black river
The plan fixed upon that Of general assault along
the entire length Of the rebel works. at ten o'clock in the
morning. The order. however, Was countermanded, in
consequence is averred of want of readiness on the
part OF Major Gen McClernand. and two O'Clock fixed
upon the hour to carry out the Intention The
Of this delay the part Of Gen. McClernand
not generally known do not know that he is
sponsbs for the delay of his troops but do know that
is very generally said among his officers and that
he purposey refused to move up bis command, not only
at ten o'clock n the morning but at two o'clock in the
~
common report
THE SPIRIT MEN
Never did men take position before an enemy with
better spirit than that possessed by troops they
marched into the ravnes before the rebel deences They
had just performed march Of one hundred and fifty miles
and fought five different and hoty contested battles 10
little two weeks. The weather insufe rably hot
and with the exception of two days, when they hourly
SWAN bayous and waded through mui aud water knee
Deep they had travelled through dust that enveoped them
like cloud and which, at the slightest touch Of hoof
wind into the air like feathers For three days be-
fore reaching the of vickburg they had nothing
what they could get the country through which
passed In tact know Of Of regiments that Tues
day morning had not tasted mouhfu of food since the
evening Of Sunday and yet wearied pached goaded and
hungry as they were when the order came in the morning
to storm the works they fell into line with alacrty and
responded with cheers TO the they were
expected to carry the lines by assault
POSITION or THE DIVISIONS
About two miles before reaching Vicksburg the road
from Big Black forks in several directions The right
hand most northern goes to Haines Bluff the one
next to the south g0es to Walnut H old battle
ground Of Chicksaw the order winds around
aud in the south eide Of vcksbug while the last
most southern, 10 continuation Of the main road and
directly into the eastern side Of tkh6ei Steele
mt out the Rad terminating at Walnut Hills then
Blair came brow him. next Tuttle then Mcpherson Mc-
Arthur right Logan centre Quimby LEFTY his left
and occupying the main road with bis resting IT,
md lastly to McPbrrson's lift, McClernand extending
around the works To WarrentOn.
Blars dvsinn in proceeding down the road assigned TO
to it, crossed plaDtaJoD entered belt OF timber and
stretched along ridge running 10 front of the reb line
Of entertainments Five hundred yards in front Of this hill
extends Of ridges, upon which are The enelnys
defences. Generally, the country is very Uneven and
gradually ascending until within mile or 80 or the town
Along the nation Of this the have
thrown up their entertainments Upon all the heights
available and the rebel line troops lsnted bat
eres wbc1, early Tuesday morning. set vigorously
work The difficult nature OF the works one Of attack
BIO inferred from the fact that half Of the artillery
belonging to Sherman parked in the rear Of our
postum, there being point available at which it could
be made Of use.
THE sToRMING OF THE WORKS
About hslfpss o'clock Bair's division was all in line
screened by the west Of the first range Hills behind the
rebel works. The division consisted Of the following
troops:
First Brigade-Coi Giles A. Smith Commanding
Sixth Missouri, Col Blood
Eighth Missouri, Major Kirby.
Thirteenth Infantry Capt Washington.
One Hundred ard Thirteenth Illinois, Col Hogan
One Hundred aud Sixteenth Illinois, Col Tupper
Companies and Chicago Light Artillery.
Second Bngade--co'. T. Kirby smih Commanding
Fiftyseventb Ohio, Col. Rice.
Filty-fourth Ohio Col. Fisher.
One Hundred aud Twenty seventh Illinois, Col Eldridpe
Eighty third Indiana Col StooDer.
Fifty-6ith Hin is, Col Malmsbury
Third brigade Gen. E,oing Commanding
Fourth Virginia, Col. Dayton,
Thirtieth Ohio, Col. Lieber.
Thirty-seventh Ohio, Lieut. Col Won Blessng