, 1863-06-07

In THE REAR or V1cKsEun0, May 81, 1863.
The ru1nor to which I referred in my letter
ofyeste1day, is, to-day, said to be unfounded.
A sutler from the 6sth Ohio reports that Gen
LeEgct's brigade, Of Logan's division, had Ell
countcred tie enemy at one of the crossings
Of Big Black River, and had been oyerpow-
cred and compelled to fall back with consider
nb1e loss. This rumor, like the one Of the
previous day, I have not had time to verify at
headquarters, and give 1t Us Ihavc received It.
I have been considerably interested In the
story Of Greene 8. Douglass, son Of ]. G.
Douglass, Of Mason county, ILL.,, who came
into our lines Thursday morning last, bearing
= message from Lieut.. Gen. Pcmberton to
Gen. Johnston, at Jackson, Miss. Young
Douglass left his home in Illinois, seven
years ago, and went to San Antonio, Texas,
where he enlisted in the United States seryirc
as Ranger" under Capt. Hayes, who was
attached to Col Canby's command. He WAS
In this service ut the breaking out Of the re.
be1lion, assigned to special duty on the from
tier at Fort Lamar, small Tort on the head
waters Of the Brazos River. Canby's entire
command, consisting Of three hundred and
sixty regulars and one hundred and sixty
Strangers" Douglass among the number, was
captured by Earl Van Dorm. Capt. uayes
subsequently effected his escape. This cap
ture was made while the command was on Its
way 10 Brownsville, to seek transportation to
the United States. The regulars were paroled
md sent home, but the rangers" being con
sidered irregular troops, and supposed to con.
eist mainly Of Texans. were offered the alter.
natiye Of joining the rebel service Or
hanging, At the expiration Of the twenty.
four hours given them for consideration, one
hundred and fifty Joined cavalry regiment,
known us GREEN'S I'd Texas cavalry, and were
assigned to slbley's brigade, then operating
in the territory Of Arizona.
They left San Antonio and marched to All.
zona. a battle was fought at Valyerde, on
the east bank Of the river Rio Grande, in
which they were defeated. Afterwards they
retreated to Gloriada, forty miles from Rio
Grande, On the plains Mt the foot Of the Blue
Ridge Mountains, where they hazaraed another
engagement, and were again defeated and
forced to fall back with the loss Of baggage
trains and artillery and seven hundred men.
Here young Douglass was wounded. The
rebel army retreated 10 Albuquerque, skir-
mished little, and then fell back upon San
Antonio utterly disorganlzed.
After forty days the 1anger's term of ser
vice expired, aud they Joined Wallis Texas
Legion, commanded by Col. 7. L. Wall. AL
most Immediately after, they were sent to
Mississippi, reaching Vicksburg on the 3rd of
September, 1eG3. From that time until the
present, they have been butily engaged in
scont;ne sr,r,ce IN M;ss;ss,,n; Whan ~,
oeA'
army from Grand Junction to Grenada, Wallis
Ieeion. with .Iackson's cavalry. hronpht nm
~. 49,. - +,a ,-a.-..,,nn -a,a1s -s s..:si
LIZ ts1t " 1us !e.iea eaIps 1eoc'e' "l'o paltci'
pated In every skifmish. ....
Douglass was in the battle Of Cotfeeville,
c.,,,aao,, - asthe 49,, ~ 1,,;-s,a .o"1,-H 49,. ~
cnnongn, OF INC 4fh Illinois cavalry was mar
derfd. he had surrendered, aud while in Gus
tody. vas shot bv the D1nelson prisoners.
49, -oha, ,nss :; +h.+ .fE.1n ~ ra.." ,,.s.
-. s leDe4 ISL tos ~ s Va. " na...m ms s.y. "as
Wallis Legion. lost one hundred and three
NOV ''~'>> ''e@ ~
aAT1: e., -.,-....,
Mn1 hls command ne vent to trenada,
Eae1e ne l9laeo van Dorn N US celebrated
fi. fald upon & Holy p Spnngss partlclpaapg IN the
afsDu5gh, where ' be was seriously wounded. ,
needed the services Of confidential scont
and dispatch bearer, and Douglas was select
ed. He came to Vieksburg IN February, and
Gen. Pemberton was shut up In Vicksburg
aud desired TO comm1,uicate With Gen. John.
sion. He looked around for confidential
agent, and could find none whose fidelity was
less likely to be called into question than
the precious document was committed to his
hands. This was last Wednesday night.
Dressed in The garb Of a citizen. be lett Ticks.
burg at nigltfa1, and reached the rebel pick
cts atop. N. Here he remained TIL daylight,
when be was passed out the lines, and sent on
his perilous mission. Douglass had long en-
tertained tire hope that he might one laV free
himself from the rebel service, and join his
ffiends in IIlinois. Here was his golden op-.
norfnnity. and ana he did not hesifate TO en-.
brace It. with great caution, SO as to deceive
his comrades within the fort. he plunged into
a dense tLicket, and sought q deep rayine;
ana when well nnf Of ranee Of the Rebel pick,
cts, he called to our skiFmishers and gave
himself up q prisoner. Col. -, of the Sd
Iowa Infantry, turned him over to Gen. Lan-
man, who, after little questioning, handed
him over to Gen. Grant, and to him he re-
yeAIed Ills mission. and gave fhe precious Qls-
patch. The substance Of the letter was:! An
urgent demand for help Number Of rein
fofcements required, 80,O00-adyIeing retreat
If be could not bring that number upon
Grunt's rear within ten days-number Of
troops In V1cksburg, 18,00o--on hand, thirty
days rations for the garrison, one meal a
day-ammunitlon scarce, particularly gun
caps. Donglass was 1uftner instructed 10 as
certain Lie exact number OF Johnston'R
amy, and report Us speedily as possible,
He desired to return home, and Grant sent
him up the rlvcI On me steamer sultana; He
says there are 15,UD lighting men in V1cks-
burg, commanded ny Generals PemoeEton,
stevenson, heyno!ds, boWen, Forney, Nor
r1s, Lee and ID. L. Smith. Pemberton is chief
IN command, and exceedingly unpopular It
IL surmised that lie thinks Of surrender Re-
ierr1ng 70 ths, bowen said IN his (Doaglassl
leaf1ne, that femoerton made the hEst
movement towards giving up the city, he
would hang him q high as Haman." The
evident policy OF temoerton WILL be, when he
Is satisted that III hopes q euccor from John
son nte gone, 70 brcak out through our Lines
On 1he le1t, /. ana endeaFoF to cut Ills Way
through 70 big Hask;
2he damage to V1ckspnrg occas1oned by t9c
n1e OF our guns and mof1afs Is immense; ne
tsumates tnaI az !easI ohe-n5ln o. ine cty Is
ueslfoyeo. Gp 70 Hsunesoay a. - CLOCK,
1le names nj OF ~ lo2 women & ana Gn1d1ea @ were