The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-05-28
Southern Account of Operations at
yicksburg.

From the lates; Richmond papers,

VIcKsBrRG, February ), 1868.
The worst that has beiallen this place. and
perhaps the entire confederacy, since the arrival
of tie Yankee army on the peninsula across the
river. is the interference with our communication
with Red River. From that stream we had
heretofore access 10 vast amounts Of supplies,
and a great portion Of the Confederate army
was supplied from this source. 50 did also
the people have the opportunity OF supplying
themselves with that most Indispensable article,
salt. and with sugar and molasses Since COM
munication is Interrupted the latter article has
risen to $50 per barrel. By the time merchants
in Mobile pay exorbitant treights, and expenses
of going after and watching it included, it will
cost a nice little pile to sweeten up with molaSses.
When the enemy first approached this city an
immense amount of freight had accumulated
here for the want of means of transportation.
Both by the delay Of the enemy and through the
indomitable energy OF the shippers, most of it
has been got away, and now if N~icisburg were
to fall, but very little of private property could
be got.
Although the enemy has been apparently
spending his time in idleness for the past three or
four days, the report now runs that he Is laying
the most enormous plans, by which he intends
to reduce. this city in Il jiiy. The force at his
command being estimated at one hundred thou
sand men, besides the feet of gunboats, a division
is % be made. so that a flank movement from two
directions will concentrate the army in the rear
of the place, while the fleet carries On the attack
III A4OAN - N'olSS Oh any W a. -i'LhA INV
sand strong can do some great things and there
are other things which it can't do, and one of
them is the taking of Nicksburg.
From accounts, it seems that Gen. Sherman is
greatly %perpleXed us to which is the most vulner-
able point for the attack, and he mas arrested
several citizens from Mississippi ana Louisiana,
and put them through Il REORGANIZATION as to
where the weakest point in the defences around
Yjcksburg could be found. So far his general
ship has been seeking knowledge under difficulties
III vain, and he is as yet in entire ignorance upon
the subject which per pleXes his mind so much,
and it is only in the school of experience that he
will be able to learn this lesson.
The fleet is still increasing, and in the morning
1T the rising of the sun, Il spectacle meets the eye
which reminds one of some great shipping mart,
where the vessels from all countries IN the world
are lying lazily at anchor. Among the g%unboats
there is "A continual connection, and they keep
changing positions a number Of times during the
day.
There is a mail steamer among the fleet which
Is used as a messenger boat 10 carry communica-
tions from one to another, and she Is all the
time engaged upon this duty. There is no doubt
but this craft is also used as a spyboat to recon-
noitre as far down as is safe for her to venture.
Since the passage of the ram Il few days since,
Il great change has been made in the arrange
ment of our batteries, and another attempt of
this sort will, no doubt, meet with more disas-
trous results than did the first one. 1t was one
of those occurrences which are sometimes neces-
sary to wake up the sleeping energy and watch
fullness of our men, without which Il carelessness
might have crept into our lines that would have
carried greater consequences with it.
There is every indication to believe that our
generals expect an attack in a very few days,
and again the non-combatants are ordered out of
the city. If no other movement was noticed,
this of itself would be convincing evidence that
an attack by the enemy must be very near at
hand. The mOrtar-f1eet which is now above the
city, makes the place untenable for non-comba-
tants, and the sooner they are removed the better.
1t is not likely that the enemy will give us any
notice of the time fixed upon for the assault, and
the absence of n~on-combatants will prevent that
PANE and confusion which might otherwise ensue.