Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-21
LETrHH ERom vECnsaUno.
Special Corsspondenee Of she Memphis Appeal

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Special Correspondence Of the Memphis Appeal
YIcKsBURe, April 20. 1863
Yesterday morning at the usual hour the enemy's
gans nom their battery on the peniaaua again opened
their noisy lhroas upon the town. For short time
tbs A-ng was rapid and heavy and the strange feene
was ,situessed. that while the
! aThe sound OF thu church goiag bells
was Eummonlpg the people to the house Of worship, the
enemy was engaged in bombsrding the town But
their missiles fen harmless and the obseTvances Of Tbs
holy sabbath went on with their usual sesmniy. The
enemy themselves 1ust have felt The stngs Of remors'
at thus desserang the day, and committing sserege
upon tho sacred rites obsorv BY all Chrisendom. and
they ceased aring.
Never having been given TO seriousness, and always
sndoaveriag to give 'ju.tics TO whom it belongs"
beg leave TO offer few reflections in regard to matte
Of pressing importance snd hope that may have the
effect Of bringing about a reformation among those
liable 10 censure yremarls sre ia reference 10 shou
dsrstraps who are here to serve their country and De
fend this place against the encfoaehmsnts Of the enemy
In the capacity Of officers in the army whose duty tc
their country to themselves and to the over whom
they exercise command requires shat they should be al
their posts and ready for the enemy at all tines This
unfortunately has repeatedly been not to be the
eases and on several oecasous producing dis
asrOus consequences and several es has brought ogr
efficient batteries into disrspute. o.
soms time since, when Censor" appeared in tic
public prints, eensuring the ovatioa extended to Gen.
Price, there were but few persons to be found who
were willing to espouse his causa or join the outcry
against the proprety of officers having their little harm
less reunions where would mingle chlvalry and gal
lanry with ladies' Of mss uaexeeptonabls character
Tie little dance and Publication had on tBat oecasloo
seemed to be justified by unive sal consent and he'd the
unfortunate practice Of aregar series Of thess diver
Sons not been then and there iusuguated nothing
would ever have been thought of it It has now be-
come a military necessity 10 h2ve ball. dance,
drunk party or by whatever name It may be desig-
mated once every two or three days thsss attended
in obedience to speeisl Invitations, by officers Of the
hi hest rank aud to an extent limited only to the
Der Of Invitations.
singuar fact connected with this part of military
operations, Is that whenever special selected party
Is on the iapi 1t always happens that esuts takes
psce and the enemy makes his appesrce in shape
or sther at our doors This has occurred on three d
fsrsnt OCCASIONS and has been the cause Of some
mark as could fail to attract the attention Of the
private soldier as well as the non.eombstsnt citizen.
II the practice is not dishonoraba the effect least is
dlscouragng upon the troops who are walloNing be.
hind TIE trenches while the officers enjoying the
" g7,y and festive scenes " Of social party,
How it happens that whenever cur most efficient Off.
GERS are attending social festival, the enemy should
always upon thst particular hour to their boats
by batteries Is rather ineomPrehensble and TIE
absence OF officers from their posts at these times is also
a matter easily explained conforming with strict
military discipline. But it is well known that suck
things have happened more than once during The pres
eat siege. Could any one for moment imagine that
there was eolusion between some ono behind the
tanE and the enemyand yet how else could they keep
so well posted and that they kept constantly in.
formed of what going on in our midst Is very plain
from the faet that they always come upon US when
least prepared
On the night Of the 18th iust about The hour when
tho Aeet approached the city, there was rousiDg big
party attended by large number of officers and tho
soldiers in the trenches had bus little hart to engage
the enemy while the proper officers were absent
from their posts It also happened that on ;he day pre-
vous number Of our best aud most effective guns had
baen dismant;ed aud on Tia. particular night we were
loss prepared for the enemy than ever before By what
means did they fad it outi That they knew Of #, as
well OF the party, would venture to dispute.
These facts should to make stringent inquiries
into this matter and brag sbOut reformation. for
General Bragg to discipline this army
OF thing all persons coaverssnt with the affairs
about Ycksburg certain and that s If the place s
ever taken or meets with any serious reverse It viii be
brought abeut by treaeAsry. Of this fear than
do the whole phaanx Of Yankeedom ell in combined
against Yicksburg It Is passing strange
that The enemy should have bis spies among Us without
being able detect them, and that any OF officers
should be absent from duty whei every moment Is
fraught N-.h danger. II General Pemberton would
assume little more Of fathery care over thu army
sad require every to be at his post The safety Of
Veksburg wonld be much better subject FOR ne sport
log gentry to betY On.
Ii is now believed that large force s operating IN
the vicinity Of New Carthage. under Osterhause and
the transport Henry Clay which was sunk by our guns
had twenty Thousand rations for six days aboard
These being lost they viii have to delay few days in
orier to replace them before another effort can be
made and with the exception of shelling toward the
town from their batteries there Is nothing very excl
ting to record. Yesterday OF the boats came down
to ;he battery supposed 10 have brought down snmu
pition boat also in The upper end Of the csnal
not far from the river. Considerable uo0n among the
gunboats above observed during the day. but only
one Of them appeared in sight. NESTOR.