Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-18
Condition OF VicksburS.

A correspondent of the New York Times,
in letter from Vicksburg, says the sidewalks
are Uttered, at short intervals, with piles of
rubbish, which some monster shell has blown
from the walls of buildings; at points along
the route are unsightly gaps in the continuity
of the houses, whose charred beams and tut
tering remnants of walls show the ravages of
fire; almost every building has its windows
blown out, while on the roof or the side Of the
edifce appears vast irregular hole, which
shows where entered the instrument which did
the mischief.
From the statements of correspondents who
came in at the time of the surrender, was
led to believe that the b0mbardment of the
place had inflicted but little damage. This is
far from being the case. Many of the finest
blocks in town. and many dwelling houses,
have been fired by shells and consumed. To
find house that has not been hit at least
once, is difficut-.the majority have at least
one shot-hole through them, many three, five
or dozen others, near the outskirts, have
been riddled till they resemble piles of broken
lumber. In the house where | am stopping,
and which is owned and occupied by south
ern widow, (nearly everybody of the ''female
persuasion" is ''widow" here much of the
light and ventilation are received through a
vast opening in one of the walls, and which
was unceremoniOuSly constructed one day by
a thirteen-inch shell, while the family was
occupying the room. Only day later and
another eff these two hundred pound mesSen-
gers dropped into the kitchep and exploded
to-day, the only resemblance to a Kitchen that
can be found in the vicinity, are irregular
piles of brick, broken boards, occasional rem
nants of stove legs, and few other mutated
specimens of things usually connected with
establishments Of this sort.
The piucky widow never left the house, but
quietly swept out the broken glass and NOR
tar, and then pursued her usual business.
The families remaining in the place are
composed mainly of women and children, and
at present occupy Il most undesirable posi-
ton. They are out of both food and cloth
ing, and as trade is not opened here they can
not supply the latter want, while, in case of
the other, they are driven to depend entirely
upon the charity of the federal authorities.
With but very few exceptions, the citz0ns
now remaining receive ratiDns regularly from
the commIssary supplies, which, although a
calling state of affairs, is the only one 10y
which they can avoid starvation. At almost
any hour III the day one can see stately wo-
men in deep mourning, with disdan written
on every feature of their fair faces, and
hatred of the Yankee flashing from
their dark eyes, making applications to
federal officials for supplies of beans, bacon
and flour, without which vulgar essentials,
even the haughtiest daughter of chivalry would
just now find life scarcely endurable. These
ladies however do not, like amable sisters,
whom Butler turned into decency, openly in
suit the blue coated Hessians but conne
their manifestations to chances of ineffable dis
gust, when obliged to meet them, or else they
81,
backs to the windows, and refuse to cast even
a look upon the invader.
Living here, even to the loyal, is an expen-
sive affair. Watermelons are selling at one
dollar and quarter each; and for potatoes
the conscientious and patriotic suter only
charges the moderate sum of twenty five cents
per pound, or fifteen dollars per busitel. The
steamers at the leyee ask the hungry one dol
lar per meal, and Tor that sum furnish little
fried bacon, milkless coffee, corn bread and
impudent walters.