Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-16
From the Chicago Tribune of Jan. 10.
The Struggle for Vicksburg


JEFF. DAVIS addressed the Mississippi legis-
lature on the Goth ult., on the war, at some
length. Among other things he said THAT
when he arrived in the state, Grants army
was pouring down upon them, but when he
went up to Grenada, nothing could be seen of
them but their backs. He had discovered
that the real point Of attack was Vicksburg
and Port Hudson, and all who desired to save
the southern confederacy must hasten there
and lend helping hand
These places must be saved at all hazards,
because if they were lost the confederacy
would be cut in two" He dwelt at great
length, the report says, "on the Importance
of holding these points. If they stand, the
people of the northwest will grow FESTIVE and
become discouraged, and cease to support the
war, and demand an end of the contest. To
the northwest he looked for the first CLEAN of
peace" Therefore, Vicksburg must be held
at all hazards.
From these confessions we learn some 9TH
er things. 1t will be recollected that when
Grant crossedthe Hatchie below Holly Springs,
Gen. Sherman co-operated with him in the
advance, and then suddenly countermarched
to Memphis and embarked on a fleet OF steam
ers for Vicksburg, at the head of a force va
riouSly estimated from $1,000 to $4,000 men.
While he was acting with Grant, the rebel
garrison at Vicksburg was known not to ex-
coed $4,000 men. Sherman landed in the
rear of the city, and without delay proceeded
to assault the rebel entertainments.
He carried the first and second lines of
works, but was defeated and driven back with
severe loss in his attempt on the third line.
He then discovered that instead of having a
garrison Of $1,000 or 1000 men to contend
against, that he was fighting a rebel army
larger than his own. He supposed that the
only rebel reinforcements that could come to
the assistance of the Vicksburg garrison was
the Arkansas and Texas army of General
Holmes, and to prevent their junction he dis
patched Gen Hovey with 1900 men to des-
troy the track of the Vicksburg and Shreve.
port railway.
The rebel accounts state that a force of
Unionists were engaged in doing it. Holiness
force has undoubtedly reached Yicksburg be-
fore this, as our dispatches several days ago
reported rebel steamers crossing with rem
tOrcements from the Louisiana shore. But it
was not these troops that repealed Sherman,
but the army of Gen. Pemberton, which
Sherman left in front of Gen. Grant 1t APP
pears that when Sherman marched back to
Memphis from Holly Springs, Pemberton
started the bulk of his army for Vicksburg,
which place they reached several days ahead
of Sherman'S column. They took the New
Orleans railroad down to jackson, Miss, and
thence the Charleston railroad to Vicksburg.
Grant advanced toward Grenada, thinking
to occupy the attention Of Pemberton's army !;
but the latter threw QUIT cloud of sbirmish-
erS i'll his front, while Forrest with seven
thousand cavalry made wide detour around
him, and feil upon his rear, breaking up forty
miles of railway, capturing Holly Springs
with its sleepy garrison of twelve hundred de-
Tenders under the imbecile Murphy, burning
a million dollars worth of stores and cotton,
gobbling up half dozen other detachments
in the vicinity, and causing terrible panic in
Columbus, Cairo and Memphis soaring an
other imbecile officer, Gen. Davies, into spik-
ing all the cannon, destroying all the small
arms and military stores on Island No. 10,
and hastily evacuatng that important strong
hold
AT last Gen. Sullivan fell on the audacious
guerrilla at Cross Roads, and routed and dis
persed his bandits, but not till he had played
the very mischief with Grants communica-
tons and supplies. The latter was obliged to
fall back to Holly Springs, and has since been
employed in establishing railway communica-
tons with Memphis. Sherman also fell back
under the cover Of his gunboats, where he
awaits reinforcements. Meanwhile General
Banks could get no higher up the river than
Port Hudson, which is said to be as strongly
fortified and defended as Vicksburg, and that
is the reason why he was unable to cooperate
with Sherman.
1t must be confessed that the rebel generals
thus far in the game have played the better
cards, the stakes being the keys of the Missis-
sppi.
Since writing the above our dispatches an
nounce that Gen. Shermans force has en-
barked and returned up the river as far as
Napoleon, under command of Gen. McCler-
nand. Gen. Grant has marched his army to
Memphis, and vigorous preparations are be-
ing made to renew the attack on Vicksburg
with force strong enough to overpower all
the resistance the rebels may offer.
Vicksburg is shortly to become the scene
of tremendous struggle. The west is re-
solved to clear all Instructions from the river.
The navigation of the Mississippi must be
opened. The northwest will be ''restive"
until this be done, and will not ''cease to sup
port the most vigorous warfare" until the stars
and stripes proudly float over the heights of
Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and the ICON
federacy is cut in two" and jeff. Davis worst
fears are fully realized.