Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-09

and has determined look. He is given
to acting as well as thinking. His success
sor is believed to be competent man.
Gen. Burbridge, at whose headquarters
have been, is young looking man, Of
about 30 years. He is one of those i'm
mensely popular with lis brigade. The
boys say he does not lie behind the ridges
when there is an order to storm fortifi-
cation. | was greatly pleased with his
appearance and conversation.
A large army is collecting near Hsines
Bluff. 1t will be one of Observation if Joe
Johnston dare venture in tina: direction.
It is believed here that our forces are not
goiug to wait for that eminent man, but
will soon call on him where be lies.
have spoken of shells popping over my
sit " tolerably often. Did you ever hear
one of those fearful messengers Get
what few screech owls you have Ia Wis
consin into one spot-let them all give
grand boot at the same moment, and let
few thousand qusils start up suddenly to
make their whirring sound, anc you will
approximate the subject. Railroad whis-
ties have tolerobly shrill sound, especial
ly where a dozen operate together-but
they don't rise to the dignity OF shell.
1t is un.qae-it is magnificent. 1t vitalizes
one with q new sensation. The soldiers
have dubbed them "wet hens,'' and seem
to enjoy their society. Such an idea as
| fear don't exist among them. Indeed
bravery sometimes takes the form of rash
ness. Bullets have peculiar sharp hiss
as they pass you-a cross between the
venomous effort of a copperhead and the
honest warning of rattlesnake. On the
other side of the hill, about two rods off,
they can be heard, and felt for that, at
any moment one is weak enough to show
his head. My bank is about 40 feet high,
and I keep in tolerably close, when the
sound gets too lively on the other side.
Thousands of men, though, walk about
the ravines here with as much unconcern
at all hours as you in your Streets 1t is
surprising to 60 round and see the multi
tudes packed away in these numerous and
crooked eorges-thousands upon thousands
while other thousands of horses, mules
and trains fill up the tented and hoted land
scape-for. the banks are as full of sol-
diers burrows as some of your hills with
swallow holes. The bottoms of the RAJ
vines, when level, are covered with tents.
These levels are from two to eight rods
broad about here. ..4
The vegetation about Vicksburg is not
very surprising. The trees are no larger
than with you. Cypress, beech and cot
ton.wood are the pre- vailing types. Cane>
breaks abound most everywhere. 1t may
be described in short, as tall, tough weed.
Every soldier has his bedstead made of it..
Almost all the large trees are covered
with vines to the top. Spanish moss and
the magnolia are the few wonders of veg
citation. Flowers are not numerous or
handsome hereabouts. There is no grass
Or next to none. 1t is coarse, poor
stuff. 1t exists only in small patches, and
makes no sod. One Of our batteries is
built in pear orchard. The trees don't
seem to have ever f1ourished we'll. In the
same garden found watermelon patch
of large size and quite fourlshing. The
fruit is about as advanced as with US in
August. I am afraid some one will come
round and steal it.
The only strictly northern plant have
seen down this way, is the ubiquitous
" May weed " in full blossom. I begin to
think something of that plant. But the
native trees and vegetation generally does
pot strongly impress the new conner. l
was prepared to be sstonished and wasn't.
The only bird l have seen, except few
white birds of the size and song of the
swallow, is the hooking bird. One of
them has his domicil in tree close by
He sings all kinds of notes-imitates the
bob-o link, the robin, the wren, the ca
nary, and everything down to the blue
iay, and If it was not for fear of hoarse-
ness, think he would try on the pea
cock. A lack of understanding led me to
think birds of song were numerous here.
If they are, l have not seen them. The
turkey -buzzard is the representative bird,
but their voices do not combine all the
harmonies. Indeed, after mule gorge, it
is doubtful if they could raise a single
note. The "voices of the night" On the
Yazoo are full of harmony. The batrach-
ian concerts are several spots ahead Of
ours. They combine the whole scale, and
more, except the bass. 1 listened in var
to catch the majestic cadence of the bull
frog. 1t was like secesh, too much squeak
nothing full chested and manly in thu
sound. Insect lite may be said to be &C
tive here, still beautiful forms have no
yet been developed, except solitary but
terfy, and he not extra in the plurnag'
line. l have seen nothing remarkable e1
cept in quantity and voracity. 1t may b.
considered an open question whether tn
mosquito of this section is gifted with
stronger appetite than his more loya
brother of the Upper Missouri. Opinion
. are divided. When the point is settled
t will communicate the result.
r The rivers are full Of what, in the plea
, SAINT fancy Q. the country, are styled fish
All are OF the cat type-immense, ope
mouths, attached to vertabr@ whic
$ suspends belly of ponderous size. The
It are striped, yellow, blue, dark, and mu
e color. They are not all of the same siz