Daily national Republican., 1863-04-15
vIoKsBuRG AND ITS DEFENoEs.
Description by Correspondent Of the
London "TIms."


The London Times has a correspondent In
the rebel camp at vlcksburg, who probably gets
off his letters through the mail which goes reg
ularly through the rebels back door in Texas.
This writer dovotes three columns TO descrip-
tion of the rebel defonCcs at Vicksburg and a
general view of the situation In the Southwest.
In the course of his letter he gives this hint OF
A NEW soHBNB OF THE REBELS.
"At this moment II is known that the COM
mands of Generals Johnston, Stuart, Morgan,
Wheeler and Forrest have been jumped together,
and added to the cavalry force which lately
gained distinction under Gen. Van Dorm at
Holly Springs. A large body of cavalry, some.
where In the nGghborhood of twenty thousand
sabres, Is about 10 attempt descent upon NdSh-
Uille, under the command of Gen. Van Dorm,
and there are whispers that the Ohio river may
be crossed, and the well-known dlsatiection Of
the State Of Indiana stimulated and encouraged.
1t Ia not unreasonable to expect that out of this
gigantic cavalry raid and the apparently immi-
nGnt Federal attack upon Charleston events
may arise which will bO too strong even for the
obstnacy of the Washington Cabinet, and lead
to that solution of tho mighty imbroglio which
ronvulses this agonzed continent for which
millions Of weary hearts in both sections arc
anxlously praying"
Tho writer expresses his astonishment ut
finding "the Insignificant hill city Of Vicks-
burg turned into Gibraltor," and proceeds to
describe
THE REBEL DEFENCEs.
"Such a network of redoubtS, redans, lu-
nettes, and irregular works, all linked together
by covered ways, and forming a system of dc.
fGnsive works which would be impregnablc II
held by sufficient force Of men, has rarely
been seen. Tho confidence which animates the
defenders of the heroic little city Is based upon
the fact that twice before an Insignificant hand
ful of ConiederatGS has repulsed immense
bodies of Federal assailants. 1t would be a
satisfaction to an avOwed lover of peace If he
could witness the slight amount of damage
which Ie,td' 5yfir Of nearly three months
duration has produced upon VCk6burg.
Day after day, night after night, one 0otilln
of gunboats above the town, and another, which
had assembled from New Orleans and took its
station below, Tainod shot and shell into the
streets; and vet Il is difficult to see any traces
of the enormous globes of iron with which the
air was continually filled. There were many
occasions upon which round shot and shell, al
the rate of four to a second, were poured into
the town without intermission for three consc
cutive hours. NiCksburg has suffered less than
Fredericksburg, but they both teach the same
lesson that we learnt at SGbastopOl-that the
heaviest artillery fire which 1t is within the
power of man to direct upon an ordinary town
is vastly lesa dangerous and damaging than had
previously been imagined. The injury done tC
Vicksburg could all DO repaired at cost o
$20,0 How many times this amount has
been expended upon 1t by tho Federals in tif
teen inch, thirteen inch, and smaller shells, Ii
round shot and grape, and spherical, case ant
shrapnelf"