The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-07-23

had not plenty Of ammunition at Vicks-
burg, mad sufficient to rspel charge,
and were saving it for that purpose.
There were great many sick, both Of
soldiers and citizens, in Vicksburg.
They were short Of medical stores, and
most oftheir wounded (even the slightly
wonnded) were suffering and dying
from inattention. He wanted TO know
what Sherman was wounded at Port
Hudson. Said that our heavy canno-
nading, last Saturday, killed but one
man, that he knew of, and he was fool
ing with an unexplcded shell, when it
burst, and blew him into atoms. Re-
present the army as seriously demora.
,lzed, rs hostile to Pemberton, and says
it is no generalship to hold their presen:
works. Expected to live in the South,
or he'd desert. Did not want to have
It thrown up to him yet, if we were
pleased to keep him, he'd stay; he
could make them believe that he was
forced to remain; but that would be a
disgrace to us, as we had promised that
he should return. The merchants in
Vickaburg had opened their stores, and
turned over all the flour, tobacco, &C.,
to the authorities, who had issued to
the soldiers. The merchants thought
it would soon be confiscated, anyhow,
and their corn meal was about ex-
hausted. They hayn't bit Of "bust
head" very strong indication Of an
immediate capitulation. A lady who
had been out to see her husband at the
outer works, while returning, and when
one mile from oUr pickets had her arm
shattered by shot from our sharp
shooters. He PIT on very long face
when Lieut.. Sage told him that Joe
Johnston had been badly whipped. lie
is their main and only hope. The citiz
ems have carved ont greatcavcrns under
the supervision Of engineers, have made
them shell proof, furnished and venti-
lated them, and many are 80 far under
ground, that, should the city surrender
it would be week ere they learned it.
Their surgeons live likewise, and from
the mouths of their burrows, which
have been constructed for river attack
operate upon the wounded under shady
trees. Very often in tire act Of amru-
tating a leg, or extracting ball, the
operators. who seem to be endowed
with all the instincts Of the "prairie dog
hearing the buzzing Of shell, quit their
work, abandon their subject to the
storm, and scud for their holes. The
men do their cooking in bitches.
This evening three of their bands
came out near the works and played
several s,ricking airs. Our boys wanted
then to play "Yankee Doodle" but
they wouldn't play out. They played
Dixie and retired.
r. A. s. AGAIN.
To-day the inevitable ~. A. s."
made ont and sent over to Lieut.. He'd
ding.on the following:
SPECIAL REoUlsITfON.
For l box sardines, 8 pounds Of
cheese, paper of smoking tobacco,
and l bottle Of whiskey."
The Lieutenant Immediately rfocur.
ed and sent over all the articles required
but the last, which he should have been
happy, exceedingly happy, to have sent
also, had it not been that he was 50 far
from his whisky base that it was impos-
sible at all times to procure a supply of
the article named" In return, he re.
ceived an elegant gold pencil worth IS
To one Of our mining parties, who are
within hailing distance Of The enemy,
the rebel pickets sent the following
dispatch.
"Wor quiet, boys-keep your heads
low; Notwithstanding we'll shoot high,
yet keep Your heads low, and do not
talk-fnr if our big officers hear you,
they viii make us shoot yon."
REBEL REPARTEE.
As my letter is mostly made mp ct
incidents, we will give You few more,
going TO show the richness Of rebel re-
partee and fecundity Of Federal fun:
Rebel Picket: What are you men
doing over there?
Union Picket: Guarding about TWEEN
" thousand or thirty thousand rebels
in and about Vicksburg; guarding your
army as prisoners, and making yos
board yo,trselues.
Reb.: Why, yon-fools, Pemberton
has strong line Of guards, for the