, 1863-06-20
THE TRIP 0FTIIE CITY OF ALTON
The Expedition at Vicksburg

! :.
Letter from Rural
JonNsoN's LANDING, YAzoo RlyHR,
Near Vicksburg, Monday, June 6-7p p: m.
The steamer City Of Alton has just reaches
the landing, and we are ready to go on ehor
note book in hand. On shore and wo see tn
mortar shells bursting over the beleagueres
city, distant some six or eight miles, the NOR
| tars make the earth tremble even at this dis
| tance, and the sound Of the bursting shel
comes with heavy boom. The weather
delightful, and everybody is astir. Yonde
stands group Of buttcrnuts, part Of then
| prisoners Of war, and part deserters from tn
trenches in front Of our works. Among tht
group Of motley persons arc som
half dozen newsboys from the cit
who wish to turn their talents when the cur
reucy is less dilated and food moro abundant
With our provost pass to the front, mount
ed on ei1 mule wagon, We drive up tn
Chicknsaw Bayou, and pass the immense plan
tation Of the Widow Loke. The cotton gi.
and most Of the other buildings hare beer
destroyed, leaylng the climneys and large fri
places standing as monuments to the deYasta
tion that these cotton lords have brought tt
their homes. Instead of hanging white me1
from the North, they arc cxiles from thci,
homes; their negroes arc cooking or digging
trenches for the Union soldiers, and theil
household goods scattered or destroy
ed. Deso1ation rules supreme. MOI
torn, not an animal, not a negro, not blade
of corn IL left tn them such IL +ha f,tc :,
n.,r1v ~ 49, t..s... ~.-s &s "
- -. eAAu14'ioue paS' "Aicn VIC 4a1ss
steamed Tor The past three days, and on ou'
way to the front. We crossed the Bayou and
reached the foot of the cb,ck,e,w R,nn.
,,.o~a - ~. ~ ~ oussn1" p4ua'
"Aclo 80 1aany o1 OUT brave soldiers laid down
for their country. We looked up to these
cotton wood crowned hills and to thu oncn
snace ovo- wh;c,, on~ ,,rara 49,, ha-s tto.s 49,
oan,st.S,s a'n 49, 49, W. o1a'o ooss oois .nel1
country nag, 100 late to fa1ter and fall back
thu aens. f,1,.ga ~ - a. ~ i~.,. ~, ." ~ =.
..o..e.s - ~ .,. 4 ~ .no unoe1'o"m' vi
".s1ess through the onst, cool our thirst from
Lie spring that bursts from the cayerns OF
tae @ sllieious conglomcrate that form the base
sscent, and among the broken knobs we find
me hnts and summer houses Of our soldiers.
our frst call Is on Gen. Sherman, every inch
soldier, not the less so to our mind, after
PASSING Tue heid ttlat he had been compelled
to abandon-a fortress by nature too power:
IL n;t 10 oe eaely tarned. for half hour VIC
discussed the nature OF the aid rendered from
nc prair1es, and the PARTIES who shon1d have
lhem. ING General appealed to our grcat
stare, to rGh IN what tho soldier needs, that
tne u noIuef STATE troops ehonld share equally
o. our oounty. inere can oe no question OF
thet the sonnangss o! TITS poslion anu re trust
a. ~ onE ,lt Gens M vii T1nsiacf lne sap]ect N
" " tlue nEn1. Inc luino1s troops IN Gen.
11c. nan comInana, iotnl are; l5ti il5ta,
11Wn, oo1a' 1@tn, 1!7tn; ana 3'th regiments
gal1efles a, 3, II ana -, OF the lst arttlleryi
haEe county and Iheilman's cavalry. Gen.
eneIman says ne mas Eood supply OF most
sannaty gooas. bnt Hlll DC glad to receive
more pn to be distributed among his command.
19:hs9Gs shs1' t aat 1ne r. 1aoss a hecaed. ,,,
e4au nol Inc troops from NiasouTt, Ken
.ucSy a9a sng1nia, now lighting IN the trench.
eS 60 VIII ing % soiale14 r. from onE SUITE, share Of
ous gooo eheer. We KnoN the response that
our people at nome WILL give, will be that they
sp9n: ~:
hl1l LUIS rangi ~ nus, On Nn3ch STANDS sicks-
ouTg, ana Whlcn extend 70 johnson Landing,
II,unplng I,g along me CnickasaW Bayou, havc
tae1r counierpast IN me grand chain Of hills
d1nnn1ne 1 1hrongh the south part Of our State
aer tne ihe 9qt Dsang
me fame, tnc deep raElnes and general CON
tour Tour q t1e hilis arc Tue same, leaving out the
iarge boulders Of sandstone and exchange,
more ~ M moderate growth Of timber as nearly
s q !1G pmeyai g.owth nas been cut down.
growth, With now and then Large tree. On
the crcets OF these hills, three to Six hundred
yards apart, are the respective batteries and
earthEorls, which protect the soldiers. in the
deep ravines between. To attempt to storm
folly. Nothing but regular ] approaches eli susra can
avail, and to tits It has come. II eome cases.
as at Fort Hill Of the rebels, bot1, parties
occupy the same crest. None Of these hills
can properly be called knobs, but irregular
ranges Of hills, intcrmingling with each ofher.
The valleys are fiftyto two hundred feet deep,
and very narrow, thin contour, springs Of soft
water OF most excellent quality, in most cases
in abundance for army supplies. So far as
position is concerned, both parties are well
bottoned, and it must be skill and hard Work
that gives the vantage ground.
As We approached the front the sharp re-
port Of the rifle told that the sharpsllooters
we're at work, the team was sent back, in a
Jew moments more we passed the crest Of
the ridge under the whistle Of rebel bullets
and we're behind the works that protected
Warehouses; battery We passed Into the
trenches alons; the approaches to the cncmy's
Wofks and within eighty feet Of the rebel bas-
naa mele sl11 asnno5lng our men, one Of which had
been kt5led two @ hours before We crossed the
exposed ridge. The sappers Wero protected
~ hagc eaul9h taat Has IolleA oe-
ont at t1e sides Thus slowiv INIT snrc1u
they were approaching the stro1gholds Of the
enemy, to dislodge lin. The battery was
four hundred feet distant, while tho lines Of
our sharp.shooters were but hundred yards
distant This line ne also entered with Capt.
Waterhoute, and closely scanned the works
IN front. At this point pretty sharp firing |
is Kept up, but with little loss on either side.
SO iDgeniously arc these parapets arranged |
that no head is seen aboye them, and the dan
ger is only from hall that may enter the |
small port holes near tho ton of the cmbaul-
mtnt or between the gabions. But this state
Of things cannot last long for at ali Dofnts the
are closing u0. and must bring on
an attack. To-njght Waterhouse's Batiery
will take an atyanced ~nosiiion within fhrec
hundred yards Of the enemy's main Iinc.
Capt. Warehouses; command have been
hard at work, and laye lost in the late battles
Killed. Royal A. Houghton; wounded, a. |
H. Ntttleto1, severely in right shoulder; VIM.
slightly IN neck; VIM, Liddel, do;
John G, Yeomau, seYcre in hand: Monroe A,
Swift. severely In arm. Chnuncey Mershon.
eliehtly in hand. Fighteen are now sfck IN
ou5rteTs frnm orerw6rk md evnosnre ms re-.
no1tetl i,y surgeon Prntt, n Wns IN front of
his battery that the rebels rolled shells down
on to the attacking party. Hand grenades
and hand to hand lighting will close the con-
LEST eeio1e slcksourg.
WOODS BATTERY
is to the right Of the latter. when re entered