Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-05-04
VIcKsBURG, Nay 3, 1876.

YICKsBURG, Nay 8, 1868.
On Saturday morning there were plenty Q
rumoTs sfoas about the fight at Port Gibson
and the great odds against which our troop
were pitted, was confined. Il was believe,
that the greater portion of Grants ormy wa
engaged, and Grant himself on the field, n,
further particulars have yet reached me. Gen
Tracy was reported still alive yesterday. B,
this time our roinforeements are no doubt with
in striking distance Of TIE enemy, and we MAJ
hope soon to hear of his expulsion from hi
present position. It viii be impossible for hin
to advance unless reinforced By the whole army
which Is now on the river above and if he i
dislodgsd be viii be forced to take walar ant
return to his transports.
We have but little fear of meeting him any.
where beyond The cover of his gunboats, and
now as he has penetrated the interior to the dis
lance Of tan miles, it is to be hoped that The
whole force may be captured, and a regular
YssktowR ssrranaer eztrsntad frqa thu willy
Federal ehief. The position he now occupies is
precsiious, and It will require profound military
genius to exriesfe himself in any other way
than by 3 pEeeipitate retreat. Our means Of 70
~inforciug the army and obtaining the necessary
supplies, are certainly better than his, as he has
to depend on The uncertain tenure Of his trans
ports to furnish hia means of support, and if he
should be cut eff in Che resr, his retreat viii be
hopeless.
On Saturday forenoon two transports arrived
at the Onemy's landing place above, end the
troops at that point were seen 10 90 aboard, and
the baggage and camp equiPage was also trans
ferred to thsir decks. After the cargo was com
pleied the boats steamed Off up the river, sup.
posed to be carrying the troops up Old river to
Chiekasaw bayou. What the movement indi.
Gates can only DO coniectured, but the impression
prevails that an effort is to be made to land in
the neighborhood of Sayder's bluff, and now. as
the landing below Grand Gulf has been accom-
there will no doubt be a desperate
effort made BY them to do TIE same thing above.
appears to be no enemy ia folt Of Vicks-
burg at present, except perhaps a small garrison
to guard the camps.
It now appears that on Thursday night thew
landed a force OF fifteen or twenty thousand
lAen on Captain VIM. Henry Johnson's place,
and q body of between four and five thousand
thrown forward to the levee on Mrs
place. This is the. Same ground which
they occupied during the struggle in December
They put out their picksts and skirmish-
Immediately, and two of them, belonging to
he 46.h IllirOis, have been captured and
in. They report that tho force is about
twenty-five thousand strong and under tue com
nand of Gen. Sherman, who intends to repeat
he Chickasaw Bayou. programme. Many of
he troops are also these who survived on that
occasion, and of course they are not nxious to
ry it over, aud many ere awaiting an opuortu.
to desert.
General Grant is in command of the division
: Port Gibson, and his corps is about forty
thousand strong. a suspicion is entertained
mong military zen thes the landing Of troops
n The Yszoo is a feint, intended to draw our
from the city to protect that point, and
ien, when the city is unprotected, the Federals
take The darkness of Ito 1i9at in which to
'-embark their troops and bring them round to
le front Of Yicksburg to storm the city before
D army can get there to cheek them. All this
mere conjecture, and the exact plans, of
,Urse, can only be known to tho enemy him
but it requires the closest watching, and