American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-03-06
sFROM yICKsBURG.
ecial Dispatch to the Chicago Times.


Special Dispatch TO the Chicago Times.
Is SIenr yIcxsHuRG. Feb- Z. 1.
VIA CAIRO, Feb. IL. lS63.
Three deserters came into our lines
this morning. having crossed The river in
skifs last evening. They say the de-
ssruction of their steamers by the ram
Queen of the West. is exciting appre-
tensions Of starvation in the rebel army
There are about 10000 men in Vicks-
burg. the most of the army being at
Grenada and other points. within sup
porting distance TO guard against an
anticipated flark movement. Generals
Price and Smith are said to be 10 com
mand.
place no reliance upon their story,
but give it for what il is worth. There
was slight cannonading below the
mouth Of the canal yesterday-the ram
Queen of the West trying the range Of
her heavy PARROTS upon the batteries
just above WarTenton.
The river is stationary to-day and
hopes are entertained that it may have
reached its limit.
The levees at Yazoo pass. sixty miles
above. on the Mississippi shore have
been cut by order Of Gen. Grant. the
object being to drown out the guerillas
who infest that section and FIRE on pass
ing steamers. The levees at Granville
and Lake Providence, on the west side
Of the river. will be also cut.
Tie army is suffering from disease.
The smallpox is also prevalent.
The 30th Iowa, which left Helena six
weeks ago with seven hundred and sixty
men, now numbers one hundred and
eighty effective men. The rest are
killed and wounded. or have died from
sick with the smallpox.
The Memphis Bulletin learns by way
of Tuscumbia. that the rebels have
moved large portion of their army from
Virginia to Vicksburg. They had also
taken from Mobile all the garrison. ex-
cept few thousand men for police duty.
Nothing doing at Vicksburg. except
working on the canals.
BisselPs corps of engineers go down
there this evening.
FEDERAL OUTRAGEs.
We have already recorded SO many in
stances of Federal cruelty and outrage.
in the different portions Of The country
they have invaded, that we feel 10th to
notice them further. Enough has al
ready been said to cause every one to
blush for humanity. but another fact oil
an outrage upon an old friend has come
to our knowledge, which we cannot for
bear mentioning.
Some time since jsyhawking party
from the Federal camps visited the resi-
dence of Andrew Taylor. Esq. An aged
gentleman residing near Colierville, Shell
by county. Tenn. Their object being
plumber, and. supposing from appearan-
ces, the defenseless old man had money.
they demanded it, accompanying the de-
mand with threats as to the consequences
should he refuse. Unable to resist. all
he had was handed over. but this not sat-
| isfying the wretches, who affected to be-
| lieve he had more concealed. they re
sorted to torture TO make him discover it,
! Persisting in his statement, which was
true, that he had given up all he could
fcommand. he was hung on his own prem.
/ ises In a few moments he was taken
down. and on still assuring them he was
| without means. he was again hung up.
when the sconndrels departed leaving
him to his fate. As soon as it was safe
for them to do so his negroes rushed in
and aut him down the second time
When thus released life was nearly ex-
tinct. and although medical aid was i'm
mediately procured. Eve days elapsed be,
| fore he was able to speak. He has since
recovered from the injuries received.
SuMERsKr OF JoHN Van BuREN We
published Yesterday an extract from .
late speech of John Van Buren,. from
! which il may be seen that he is as much
] for the prosecution Of the war as Lin
coin or Sumner. We were confident
that not only he but all the apparent
| friends of the South in the Northern
States would be Of that way of thinking
as soon as they found that the South
would not agree to any further political
association with Them They only differ
/ from the Aboliiionists in the manner o.
reconstructing that concern. They are
for accomplishing il by means of q treaty,
/ while the Abolilionists arc bent on sub.
Eiugating US. But the Union-the blessed
] Union-s.the best Government the world
ever saws the cry of them all. Tt
effect its restoration they are alike read j
to drown the earth ia blood. provided i
can be effected ia no other way.
Let Us cease TO talk or even TO thinl
about mediation. on recognition. or inter
venlion. or disruption. among the re-
manning States of the Union. Nothing
has greater tendency to relax the effort.
Of our authorities Ia filing up the ranks
avoid the inevitable hardsLips Of thei
situation. II is natural that the mel
should relax their discipline when theJ
are told that whole States ard breaking
off from the Yankees aud coming to Ugh
their battles Cor them. just at This Tim,
il Is especially important fof them L
know they have their own valor alone 4
depend Oh. and 10 teach hem ythiit
else is to do the cause serious injury.