, 1863-06-10
FROM GRANTS ARMY.
Fifteenth Day in the Rear Of
Ticksburg.
THE SlTuATI0R--h0 MORE GRAND
ASSAULTS,
Attempt to Drive Back Working
Parties on the Left,
From Our Own Correspondent

REAR OF V1cKsBuRe, June 9, 1861.
| For several days nothing has tranEpire
with this army Of unusual interest It ma
be Of some satisfaction to your readers to b
assured that the situation. remains full a
| promising as 1t has. at any time, and tha
the fall Of Vicksburg Is to be decided NOR
By time than by any assault Or splendid charge
1t is well to have it SO. It is better to aacrl
flee money, than to destroy life. Thi
We can all appreciate. The impatient publ
that cries son to Vicksburg," should relec
moment Brave men face these almost i'm
prcgnable Notifications, md 1t must be
great necessity TINT would warrant any Office
In giving the order to charge them, after on
| late experience
The rank and file Of our army are conf1den
md almost irresistible in open field. The re
pulse Of the ed ult., has not in the least dis
| pirited them for their work.
They work night and day in the rido pit.
with the zeA that actuates patriotic men whit
feel that they have m uncommon share In {
| great national interest. Any duty assigned
them will be as cheerfnlly performed, unlcs!
it may be an order to assault the enemy.
works. The fact that our army SO brarely at
tackled the rebel stronghold, that 1t callet
forth the admiration Of tho rebe
.soldie1y In many instances, and thai
too when they felt opposed to tht
movement, and knew they were marching tc
certain death, demonstrates beyond question
that the discipline and superior fighting qualf
ties Of this army can be relied on. If any
doubt it. we refer them to the battle Of Pori
Gibson $50 unjusty and untruthtully de-
serIbed by the 6 CORRESPONDENT Of the C!ncin'
pioni Hills, Black River, Bridge, Haipes' Bluff
and the Chicknsaw Bayon ortitcations-oye1
| 50 pieces Of cannon taken by hard fighting
5000 prisoners sent North, hundreds and per
haps thousands sick and wounded paroled,
Vicksburg invested, with Chickasaw Bay.
on, Watrcnton and Grand Gulf for base
all evidences that hard, effective work has
been performed during This short and bril-.
liant campaign.
The fears Of many who have imagined Joe
Johnston sweeping down like M avalanche
upon our rear while the Viclsburg forces come
out Of their works aud attack us In trout. viii
hardly be realized. From nll we can learn ot
Il, 2,000-pcrhaps not over 10,000-but little
larger than he commanded ut the battle OF
Jackson. Unless he increases this turce ma
ter1ally Gen. Blair, who is at will take
care 41 l1In4
:. Our line Of works are being constantly ad.
yanced until now line Of rifle pits md breast
works are In process Of construction within
Fifty yards Of the rebel forts. Last night about
12o'clock our working party WAS fired on and
the regiment that was detailed as support,
Is reported from u reliable source, to have
skcdaddled en n,asse in most coWnrdty mau-
first time the same regiment has ingloriously
retreated without orders. ! forbear to indi-
cate the regiment, that may be sure to do no
injustice. I nm proud to say thst Illinois,
Iowa, Wisconsin, and some other States repre-
sented in this army, that could be named, are
not, and hope may not he open to this
charge.
Our men were tearing up the railroad track
for the purpose Of excayating on the line Of
works when they were fired on. Other troops
were sent forward and our artillery opened.
It was quite q brisk little fight for about IN
We lost one killed and several wounded. We
lose, in killed and wounded, few each day
By the Eharpshooters, but the number Ia in
considerable for the amount Of ammunition
used. It Is impossible to tell the amount Of
injury inflicted upon the enemy. The
mortar-boats in front, and hundreds Of can
non in the rear, firing more or less rapidly
night and day, must not only disturb their
rcst, but cost them many men. Large REIN
forcements arrived yesterday from the North,
and more are expected The coil strength.
ems!
Governors Kirkwood and Solomon arrived
yesterday with large supply Of sanitary
goods. They have been visiting the troops
from their respective States to day, and, am
informed, they are pleased with their effect
fveness and condition They return to the
river soon to look after The wounded, most Of
whom hare been lately removed to hospital
boats.
Sergeant Charles Q. Bessie, Of the 33l Hi
nois, died yrsterdny. He had both arms taken
off BY u shell, and afterwards suffered amputa-
ton, MS reported BY your correspondent few
days ago.
battle ut Raymond BY the Cincinnati CONNER.
hard fought battle, while tho battle Of Port
Gibson he classes rs q t'heavy skirmish." We
lost over double the number, fought three
times as long, and took four times the nun
Der Of prisoners at Port Gibson Compara-
lively, was the battle OF Raymond more than
= Ii1M ski1mishs PARTRIDGE.
Especial Correspondents Chicago Tribune.1
Cu1cKAsAw BAToG, June 3, 1868.
Since the departure Of the Sultana, little
has transpircd Of general interest. The po-
eition Of the forces on tho left is unchanged.
The extreme left wing is now held by Gen.
Lauman's Division, and firmly held. The
ground here is not so favorable for tho erec-
tion Of heavy earthTorks as in some other
portions Of the line, but there Is that in the
topography Of the ground Immediately before
him worth dozen embankment5 and as many
batteries. The latter are not wanting, as the
enemy can abundautly testify. Gen. Lauman
has located his line Of rifle pits we'll up to the
enemies works, from which he is able to pick
off the rebel sharpshooters with ease and
safety.
The divisions commanded by Generals
Hovey, Carr and Smith occupy their old po-
sition.. Gen. Osterhaus OF McClernand's
corps is with his division doing picket duty
at Biz Black River.
It Is reported that Gen. johnson has made
his appearance at that point with the advance
guard of his army, estimated ut five thou
sand strong. It may well be doubted il this
demonstration is made with any Immediate
intention Of crossing.
There is rumor that Gen. McClernand has
been placed under arrest. I do not beliercit.
Gen. Grant, am satisfied, will not take thls
step, except under great vocaAon-proyo.
c4tlon which am sure lie hss not yet recciy-
ed at the hands Of Gen. McCiernnud.
Gen. McPherson and Gen. Sherman occupy
the centre and right as heretofore. They
hold all the ground they have gained, and are
gradually and surely closing in around the
beleagutred city.
Unless the garrison be relieved within the
next ten days. we mny be sure of Its capture.
Within that time Johnston must hurl his
Grant to raise the siege and fall back to the
Mi:sissippi at Warrcnton, or the Yazoo at
Haines' Bluff, or the city must yield from
sheer starvation, if the reports Of prisoners
and deserters can believed. I aPprehead,
however, that these reports must be taken
with some degree Of allowance.
It would seem that Pemberton must have
toreeen the contingency Of siege, and made
ample provision therefor; but his conduct
since the movement Of Grant upon Port
Gibson, has been characterized by such eccen.
trlclty, such an entire absence Of skill, and
such wonderful neglect Of the first princi-
pies Of military science, that it is not surpris-
laying In suf1iciency Of supplies. It Is all
very well to vaunt the courage Of the rebel
army, md to boast Of their desperate bravery,
Of their patriotism md pride, but even brave,
patriotic and proud men cannot fight, unless
they haye Tint which sti1ls the gnawiugs Of
hunger. And then this constsnt dropping Of
shell and shot into the heart Of the city, must
speedily kill ont the hopes of the braTess.
Gen. Grant is In the best of spirits, and
feels confident that he is able to hold his po-
sltion agaiust both Pemberton and Johnston:
anxious 10 occupy Vicksbnrg.
Gen. Blair has returned from his expedition
into the country between the Tnzoo and Big
Black. A large section west of the railroad
hae been trarcrsed, and every thing capable
Of adding to the enemy's strength removed:
Our troops destroyed all tho corn, drove Off
I q nd md nva5