Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-07-01
THE SIEGE OF vICKsBURG.
IcOrts aondence OF the New York wOrld.l
THE VIcK:BURG GARRISON.


field that is not reached The only safe places are
found in the caverns in such inequalities of the
ground as the rains have washed. They have cattle
which they have turned out TO Craze but OUT sharp
ooters have picked them off often as they have
venture out to the border where the pasture il heat
The casualties from shot and shell adds to the num-
ber That larger number Of them are killed than the
garrison require food is proven by the fact that 20 or
so a day counted floating past Warrentou having
been dragged to the river that their purifying car
cases nigh not infect the air Women and children
are in the city also Several of the families west of the
line of march to jackson fled to the city of Vicksburg,
as affor ing the best asylum. To SUCH it must have
proved sore disappointment.
We heard that Gen. Pembertou had requested that the
non-combatants might be allowed to pass through
lines, and that General Grant had refused. Such we
learn Is not the case This action on the part of Penn
beron betrays either great confidence great fear 1t
almost criminal in him to keep several hundred
and childen in his lines when he could by the
quest have them passed out to jackson, put across
the river. There is either something the rebels would
conceal there is better prov5 on in Vicksbug than
We have yet believed.
We have numbers Of deserters and a great many w
reliable stories from them. Perhaps the action of one
who caught while attempting to pass through
lines week ago, and from his vruenoe and educat;on
Supposed TO be the bearer of verbal message John
stOn indicates the necessities of the garrison "2ather
than tel one word of VIII t he koew, he would he
said, Idle thousand deaths" This is construed to
mean that the situation is critical
Our sharpshooters nersperse their cracking FIRE with
frequent passages OF polite conversation One of the
rebels three days since asked if he could have drink
of coffee if he came over and was allowed His COM
rades calling TO him to return he replied that the cof
fee was tempting he intended to remain This was
the first coffee he had tasted in a tWelvemonth.
Other deserers report that great suffering is expert
enced. The troops reported to be far dsaected
as to be on the point of mutny 1t is further sad that
the men are camorou to cut their way out of the place.
join Johnson's army, and then promise to retake the
place (2) if allowed. The officers however, are much
shrewd, and refuse to cooperate as they and
feel that TO abandon Ncksburg is abandon their best
hopes of the independence of their Conederacy Three
weeks have they been invested three more believe,
would reduce them by starvation and disease. But in
that interval of course other important things might
happen. They have many brave and determined Louis
ianians and expect tina: very gallant resistance
will be offered before they will to surrender.
JouNsroN's ARMY
Their greatest hope is in Johnston being able to relieve
them His pres ent headquarters are at Canton about
forty miles Northeast OF here He has not so far as
we can gean, at present more than fifteen thousand
men, part of which at Jackson under Gen. Loring
1t he had twenty five thousand we believe he would
cross the Big Black aud attack lines Thus for he
has not done so. Some days snce six choice brgades
were detailed under General Blair to make recon
nosance far the Big Black, Spd up the East bank
Of the Yazoo The enemy discovered to have
small force posted at the lords that stream. No
siderable body met, but one body which went up
the Yazoo as far as SAtarta was attacked by battery
of field pieces and finally driven off by the gunboats.
1t is thought that Whe the attack does come, it will
be by the way of Haines Bluff coming down the right
bank Of the Big Black. Preparations have been made
to meet and repel any such movement. Hanes' Bluff
being fortified on the land side, and the guns which
the rebels spiked being drilled, to make this
detached portion of line strong Vicksburg it.
SELF This, we suppose, must become the base OF OBJ
servation Of Johnson's army. The rebels have we be-
eve occupied YaEoo City since forces left. Their
advance is at Satarta. Communication is kept up be-
tween Johnston and Pemberton, without doubt.
General Forrest is reported TO be on the way with
1000 cavalry to Johnston's aid Cavalry cannot be well
used sg inst army intreDched as this is
THE COMMANDMENT.
As we write, the ground is hourly shaken with the
Deep suen boom OF mortars and siege guns. The
place is being deluged with iron hail Day after dav
loads Of ammunition file past to repen sh the exhausted
caissons. Morning, noon and evening find some gun
bechng forth almost every five minutes, and as soon
as the sun SETS the grand chorus of sea- siege and field
commences its dying cadences striking the drowsy
at one two three in the morning. Within the past
week there has been more firing than previously and
to day the discharges frequent than at any
time since the 22d. The shells be seen bursting
above the city from the river mortars The field pieces
We have by the construction OF works on the oppo
site ridges mounting some heavy ege pieces gained
decided advantage the rebel artleTists Yester-
day. however they proted by the lesson ard brought
up to the centre some very heavy guns with which
they kept up an unusually vigorous cannonade. They
do not the average fire more than one shot to our
twenty Their stock of ammunition, though ample for
an ordinary att ck they cannot replenish. Occasion
ally we have a wounded by shell, and one two
of our smaller pieces dismounted. " it'll similar pro-
Ac hal lIDnT
must soon be worn down and their guns sienced. The
disparity Of force grows greater Several of their
have been struck and sienced On the river no wever
they have had better Nothing but the mortar
firing is dangerous to the rebels if that should prove
to be so.
the gunboats TO keep cruising continually the whole
length hence to Helena. The Texans reported to
have herd of cattle which they DESTROYS of getting
into Vicksburg Unless Admiral Porter is asleep they
can hardly accomplish any such project. 1t is humil-
ating know however, that they from the city
to De Soto Point almost daily.
THE sIEGE BY MooSLIGHr-MINIEG THE REBEL WORKS.
vicksburg correspondent of the Cleveland Herald
gives the following interesting description Of the opera
tons of Gen Grant against Vicksburg:
"Let US climb the parapet and the siege by moon.
Fight. In front ofus, bey0Ak-the eneRyS works, br
hidden from u.s. les the city of Vicksbur Look care.
fully and you can distinguish the spires Of the court
house and two three churches The rebels had sig
nal station the former when we came but our shells
made it too warm for them, and they withdrew. The
mortars are playing tonight and they are well worth
seeing. We watch moment and in the direction of
Youngs Point, beyond the city, suddenly up shoots a
fash of light, and in a moment ponderous SHE'LL with
its fuse glowing and sparkling rises slowly from behind
the bluff up up it goes though mounting to the
NTH over it comes towards us down through its fight
trajectory into the city, and expcdes with shock that
jars the ground for miles. There women and ten
der children where those shells fall; but is
"Sherman's eght-inch monsters grumbng far
away the right. Nearer, McPhersons, too are play
ing-We can even see the connoneers beside them at
each flank. Ours viii open at midnight; then there
will be music to your hearts content Meanwhile, let
60 to the front. hundred yards to the right of
where we now are we enter deep trench Following