The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-08-01
Fron vicksburx.

l., YaoAsbUfsd, July TO- NOTWITHSTANDING
! inc heat, which still is very oppressive
great activity is manifest in this Depart,
menI; Troops are continually in motion,
ana dispositions of forces are being made
Whicn, In due time, can be made public
ane nver Is now practically opened, free
rom all distractions to its navigation. In
oroer 70 attain this result it was necessary
70 mass the Federal forces, both land and
ma naval, about the two rebel strongholds.-
The capture Of these, together with their
Iespective garrisons, as also the retreat of
bragg from his defensive line to Atlanta,
nave removed the necessity for large ar.
my at this point, and it has become evil
oenLly necessary to make new dispositions
VI inc commands brought together for the
r norta OF Vicksburg. These move
menus are being made as rapidly as may
oe, ana very soon General Grant and adj
miral Porter will have made ample prepa-
ratlons to occupy and possess' the Mis-
| sissippi river.
Gen. Banks still remains at Port Hud-
son, Gen. Augur being in command at
6 na.oh p noage. Understand, however, that
that the command of the post will be as
signed to Major General Of Grants army.
Herron's division went down the river this
morning. So much of the 10th ARMY
Corps as has been here during the siege
will return to the Memphis District,
The victories of this month seem to have
utterly crushed the rebellion in the West.
Johnston, who was to have raised the siege
OF Vicksburg, has been forced, by. the
watchful and energetic pursuits of 'Sher-
man, to cross Pearl river in retreat, burn
Ing the State Capital, and abandoning his
heavy artillery and transportation, and
mas finally left the remains of his forces,
with subordinates, at Brandon, and made
Inc pest OF his way, by Meridian, to JEFF. 8
bosom. .
Unarmed transports now pass freely, by
Gay and night, from Vicksburg to New
Orleans. Not rebel shot has been fired
| on the lower Mississippi, since the surren-
DER OF Port Hudson. Still these matters
Will not regulate or take care of themselves.
several rebel armies are west of the river,
only waiting for an opportunity to strike,
Men, vigilance, guns, and ammunition
| must mold this great water-course. It's
occupation, thorough and complete, is in
the nature of the blockade of the rebel
hon. The Conference.-The sea-coast being
thoroughly Observation-Disclosures exist long
win thelr communication with the trans
Misslsslppi country cut off. 1t will have
no supplies; so that that which we have
seized with strong hand, must be held
with stronger. Every step taken so far
| is indicative of Gen. Grants purpose to
attain this result. In some future letter, it
may be proper to give general statement
OF the manner and details of the occupa-
ton of the river.
Gen. Ransom has captured an ammuni-
ton train of seventeen wagons. loaded
with ammunition for small arms. 1t is
| the remainder of the lots intended for Kir-
by Smith, a portion of which was captured
| at Vidalia. The officer who had the trans
portation of the ammunition in charge was
also captured, and sent North. Every day
adds evidence of the Importance of the
occupation of Natchez.
An incident occurred, few DAYS since.
which illustrates the great affection of the
Southern ladies for the Union, and the
summary and effectual manner in which
General Ransom deals with them. A Mrs,
Shields, wife of wealthy attorney resid-
ing near the picket line, came to the Gen
erals headquarters to apply for a guard
doorway Of the house occupied as head
quarters, an American flag is so arranged
that every person who enters must pass
under it. Looking at the Stars and Stripes
tiny lady,; exclaimed, 81 can't walk nm
der that dirty rag" She was shown a
side door, through which she entered.
Gen. Ransom soon came in, having been
informed of the ladys jeu d esprit, and
listened patiently to her long and eloquent
appeal for protection. His reply was
plain and forcible-" Madam, If that nag
cannot protect you, I can't. L giVe you
tayenty:f four hours IN aU'sich to go outside mag
ttnes.' Everybody in Natchez knew the
story before dark. 1t was as good as a
general order. Female secesh venom in
Natchez was then and there sauelched.
Great numbers of freed Africans are COM
ing into our lines, both here at Natchez and
at Port Hudson. The able bodied males
are at once put into the African regiments.
large per centage of the men are rejected
for ruptures and defective spines. The
number of those ruptured is surprising,
frequently reaching as high as 20 per cent
of those offered. Accompanying the men
are their families. At Natchez there are
already several thousand women and chill
dren. The troublesome question is, what
is to be done with them? They cannot, of
course, go with the males, or be with the
troops in any. capacity. In contraband
camps they are indolent, filthy, and will and
do sicken and die! The plantation project
so far has proved q failure. 1t is good
problem for the benevolent to solve. The
freedom of the blacks is natural military
result of the war. Victory over the rebels
in their own States is necessarily followed
by the freedom of their slaves. Thus libe-
rated, they are on our hands. Our Gene
rails cannot suspend the infinite labor of
the campaigns to devisean experiment up
on different plans to humanize and save
from misery, degradation and death the
thousands of female slaves thus thrown in
our midst. If those benevolent people wh6
were so impatient of the slow emancipa-
ton which the Federal army was working
out, and who could not be appeased by
proclamations and all that, would devise
some ways and means by which to save
these unfortunate creatures from ruin, mo-
raj and physical, which now threatens, they
will serve the cause of humanity. These
matters have come to such pass that, by
order of Gen. Grant, they-the females-are
now refused admission into our lines at
Natchez, and the officers there are instruct
ed to advise them to hire at moderate wa
ges to their former owners. This they re-
fuse to do, although number of the plant
ers have signified Willingness to hire
them, and give bonds for their good treat
ment and prompt payment. Thus matters
stood yesterday, when 1 left Natchez. A
large number had congregated outside our
picEets, and refused to have any thing to do
with their former masters.
Johnston's army has broken all in frag-
ments, each endeavoring to make its way
East. Sherman captured, after Johnston
from Jackson, about 800 pris-
oners.
The reports from Pemberton's army of
naroln1 prisopprs tn bo af}nn. ~.