The New York herald., 1863-12-28
What Has Become Of JeR. Davis
Plantation.
The Mississippi Free from Its SouFce {
70 The Gulf.
rHI sRRlT VALLEY NEARLY REDEEMED.
THE NEW SOCIAL SITUATION,
g.. &C.. -
Mr.. Thomss w. Kno,'s Despase hes.

Mr. Vhomes w. kno1's Despetc hes.
'NEw OnRASs, Dec. Q, ls63.
Iproposs 10 give in ths letter statement Of the cond
tIon Of Affairs In general the Mississippi valley oou
srastips the present astS with thai Of year ago.
wen % before the During the past shroc months
have visited oil The Northw and wsstern SLATED
traversiag the ssale region from Pn,sburs Lssver
uorth, and following the Mssspp from ST. Paul 70 Ns
Orleans Conversations with merchants and proesson
and militsty In hs country through which passe
| have, sShst informed upon the general situation
design 10 forth the result my observation nes
may be, concerning The present state OF Affairs th
grsat valley. The war and its bearings upon commerc
! and agriculture are to be specially considered.
oKrERAL
Just before the outbreak Of the business 10 the
,sreat valley had fairly from the reverse OF 1851
and prosperous footing The on the river
were doing excellent traffic. both the through aud
local routes. Steamboats, the west are a. important
a. railroads In the East and closely connected with
development OF tho country The pavigablo water
courses tributary to New Orleans are estimated at little
short Of twenty Thousand miles embracing all the rivers
and bayous 10 the great Valley Tho corn and wheat Of
tho Northwest and the cotton and sugar the Southwest
equally found their outlet by the Mississippi the Gulf
ard thence to all paris OF world Vessels Of all na
tonales loaded At the wharves Of New Orleans taxing
the various products brought there by from the
alike found ready msrke,
srcsssios MOVEMENT.
The secession movement parsyzed all TINS trade The
nrst stoppage Of navigation by the rebels at Mem.
phs, and almost simultaneously Napoleon aud Helena
Al Vicksbors the nrst forlihchtions erected bot
there were DO attempts to atop steamboats, passing In
either direction Al Napoleon The Hrst intm,ton given
10 any boat TO the reland Cincinnati bouni
craft party of tweaiy came the landing and
dsohArgei vOey of musketry into the ladies' cabin Just
a. The Westrnofclsnd leaving the bank. Al Helena
pecs Of Artery u.sd upon the De Soto and one or
two other boats. but si Memphis the steamers
sszsd BY oncas without special exercise Of violence.
The blockade of the upon the upward bound boats
was soon followed ~ the establishment ot similar
blockade At Cairo 70. downward bound steamers.
Notice was given Of the estabhshment Of thn
blockade several days before took effect
Many steamboat owners. whose sympsihies were with
the rebellion, took advantage Of tbess lev days u
grace o. their boats south. The last 10 get
through wm the yerd Rebpett siooe destroyed 10 the
fazoo. Nearly two hundred Steamboats, the
Lower Mississippi when the broke out, Of these
more than t~euty are Ia existence
Kyyxcr n rgs IHE otosr or I'M pfvNR.
The immense channel Of supply being stopped the oes
OF the West soon began feel the eject while the
boats In The limits Of rebellion between Columbus and
new Oreans, we're constantly employed those on The
upper waters vsre idie ~. iouaand Cincinnati we're
The nrsi 70 become pasyzed The trade OF these
cities had been mainly with the south and the tioppage
was sudden and runous Il bad been probes ed that
grass would grow on the levee or st unless 'be
linked her destnies ~th the ssush During the Orr,
year OF the war the pros hecy provsd true one. TIE
n Louis levee was q sceus q almost desert
Stiffness and little tufts o. grsa ccd b. seen and
there iimidly rising from among tie pavement stones
The merchants wandered about the pect tad sud se
spondeni sur ssbins Tor return 70 TIE good times of
Old Most q them we're symps,B with The fsbslliou
and sscrieed the sudden cloud osr benn AZ sfnana
ag only from tie "iyrantlcar sor trnstt Al washing.
ton. Fes of them could ee brogshiso utdersAnd txi
se,etslon had sushi to DO with ibe matter
xnIIisI xovrsrSrp pns .Dr
no FIRE, military movement n ,hp var N the IVES,
70 orser the iniuei' militia 10 Caro- pe,.soss ser.
hss1y thrown up Al hat point, .od esrerA fr,st.s
wss Invested with the command. pof seafiy eyht
months Fori Desaaee meet southern toiui, A1c
the sotei,Dda with wt.oh the rivr t.ss- ,Le,e -ss
~s'ebsa sho~ed uai ve sIsre,t.r ir.s 'rcn
prcbensons - asiacs After time ,th ear sore away
bot 4 ~ss not shtd tbe sppeArsr 81 Aam fAl Tcsier
scoboais that tSste We is.'ns e gar's,t sssty.
Cairo ~ he Iai on.i ffypt ADD srb.s % tte fst-I
stfonsiold Ter lous tns oooir pt@ cab oibes Tts
latter could 70, bs aiiicssd fsctv .rd ~ f.Ds
70 maze an assaaf uIen Caro- fbas ~ txl t.stkas
-' f.'e % facs. re uoaI- from s.sts, pot seesas-
siy n.."->'as tbs oth..