The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-06-04

MT. lltldIu L. COlOulL NiAANA
RESPONDENT of the New York World has just
arrived here from our army near V~icksburg,
via Vicksburg itself, jackson, Miss, Selma,
and Montgomery, Ala, Atlanta, Ga, Knox
Vile, East Tennessee, L~ynchburg anu n.lch-
mond, Va. He furnishes the following nara
tive, which is all the more important from his
reliable habits of accuracy, and the unusual
" excellent opportunities he enjoyed while
passing through the country to converse with
the people, and to learn whatever could be
seen along the route.
On the evening of Sunday, the 3rd inst,
three correspondents, Messrs. A. D.. Richard
son and Browne, of the New York Tribune,
and Colburn, of the WorLd, anxious to reach
the advance column of Grants army, then
near Grand Gulf, took advantage Of an expe-
dition to our batteries at Vicksburg, Warren
ton and Grand Gulf, with provisions for the
troops. The tug Sturges, towing two barges
covered with hay bales, STARTED at l O'Clock
q. m, from Milliken's Bend, with fifteen sharp
shooters from Company B, 47th Ohio, a crew
of eight for the tug, and four others besides
the correspondents-all volunteers.
AT l O'clock hey approached the batteries
above Vicksburg. Just as they reached the
extreme range the rebels sent up rockets, and
in ten minutes they began firing, the beauti-
full moonlight giving them perfectly distinct
view. In rounding the point the firing be-
came very heavy. The first shot they fired
struck one of the barges, and several others
soon after. At 1.35 o'clock, as they were
passing abreast of Vicksburg Court House, as
they were exposed to a concentrated fire Of
all the batteries, a ten inch struck the boiler
and furnaces Of the tug, blowing her to atoms
with a terrific explosion. A shower of Gin
ders setting fire to the hay on the barges. AT
the same instant severar shells burst on the
barges, adding to the flames. The fire spread
rapidly, and the scaIded and wounded men
began crying for help. The rebels on the
butts were yelling like demons, shots whist
ling over the boys almost constantly, the fir
ing seeming hourly to increase. At the dis
covery OF our helpless condition bales of hay
were thrown overheard for the crew and suf-
terers when all was provided for, the cores
pondents leaped into the current and swain
to the nearest hay bales, and then endeavored
to make the Louisiana shore.
While laundering about i'll this effort, the
rebels ceased firing, and sent out boats to
seize us. After having been IN the water
about an hour, all the survivors were picked
up. -Four persons were killed by the expIo-
sion or drowned the rest were all saved, five
Of them badly scaided, and one wounded by
a shell. In all about one hundred shots were
fired, at least twenty Of which were fired at
the burning vessels, and at the crew and pas :
sengers struggling in the water.
On landing, the survivors were taken to
Vicksburg jan, a horribly filthy place. After
u tewllours custody, Capt. Ward and Surgeon
Dandlou and the correspondents were trans
tered to the city Court 4iouse, where they re-
manned two d9VS WiIpp If U-aS Ha1i1aI r
end us to Richmond. We We're disappointed
at the real weakness OF Vicksburg. Not more
than 1000 men at any time have been there.
The detences both Of front and rear, are vast
ly less formidable than is generally supposed
the rear detences are rude and unfinished
The Big Black River Bridge is almost defence
less. The country about Nicksburg is hiIly
and broken. The roads everywhere bad.
When Sherman landed ut Miliiken's Bend,
III December, the rebels had a force of /, 300
men IN Vlcksburg and its defences, but they
We're rapidly reinforced till the day of Sher-
mans assault, when they had 9, 200.
AT the time we were there. the city was
hall deserted, and the whole military force
consisted of 10, 900 west of Black River. un-
der Gems. torney and Loring, and 5000 east
OF that river, under Gen. Bowen. They were
bringing supplies by rairoa as rapidly as
possible.
Grierson's raid did Tot obstruct the raj lroad
more than forty-eig1at hours.
AT jackson, OIL the 9th inst, Gov. Pettus
lss ueu a procl% mation assuring the citizens
thaI tLere WIS no danger, while at the same
time he W as removing the records and public
roperty to Columbus.
Gen. Grants advance was within twelve
P.iles from the place when we were through,
and great CONSERVATION prevailed in the city.
On the 6th, we were sent to Demopolis, Ala,
thence 100 miles up the Alabama River, to
Montgomery.
Through central Alabama the wheat and
corn crops were abundant. Very little cotton
is being raised, and, it is believed, considera-
BILE Union feeling exists in that region. Elk
presslons Of sympathy were common. There
are but few troops either through that region
or any part of the interior of the Confederacy
which We visited the people generally pray
ing Tor peace,an very anxiOusly inquiring
when the war would be over.
While We were at Montgomery, Gen. Joe
Johnston and staff passed through, on the
way TO Nicksburg. From Montgomery, we
were sent to West Point, Ga, and on the 18th
to Atlanta Ga, where, contrary TO our treat
ment at all other places, we were confined in
a military prison, on account of complaints
that officers OF tue gunboat Indanola, and
officers OF Col. Straight's command, had been
treated with too much civility, by the popu-
lace at this place.
Newspapers were kept from us, and the food
was execrable-sour corn bread and rusty pork.
In other places we were permittedtopa pass thro
the town at will, but here, it seems, oater PraS-
0aer8 had been cheered and Jed by he p0putace.
Hence the unusual stringeney in our case.
At Atlanta are large machine shops and an
ordnance foundry constantly engaged on can
no II, small arms and ammunition. In all these
towns and thro'out the country the able-bodled