Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-03-25
yankee movements against vicksburr.

The oft repeated tale of yickshurg and the Fed.
eral canal has been lately renewed with an air Of
official sanction. Yicksburg stands at sharp bend
Of the river. In 'front.' there is along, narrow Pc
,ninsula Of land formed by the said bend of the
stream. By cutting ship canal across the base OF
this Peninsula the snemys gunboats and transports
will Do able to pass up and down the Mississippi in
that neighboulhood without coming under fro of
the Confederate artillery ia the town., This project
found favor with the Federal Generals last year
when they had exhausted the flower of their armies
en- ele vain attempt to carry the city by Storm or
reduce it by cannonade They were at first pur'
suaed that it vas only necessary to cut an ordina
ty ditch across the land, and that the rapid current
of.the great river would perform % rest of the Ia
bour But the Father Of Waters obstinately ad'
hered to his ancient courses, andt ditch remain
ed ditch. Repeated attacks On the city having
absolutely failed the Federals have become satisfied
that the strength of the place and the vaour its
defences is proof against their arms. In this year,
therefore, they have undertaken to do the work
which the Mississippi dsdained. For several months
they have employed an army OF negroes in digging
this ditch. Ii is now said they have actually com.
pleted an artificial channel for the river five miles
long, deep and broad enough to float the largest
vessels and that their fleets of iron cads ana steam
boats can pass down the Mississippi without ap-
preaching Vcksburg within many miles,
We are inclined to believe that this story is pre-
mature = Northern papers contain dispatches from
the neis kborhood Of Vcksburg 50 late as the 18th
of March, and speak of the canal as & work incom-
plete. The dredging machines are specially men
toned still at work. and nothing is said of YES
sells having passed. or likely to pass, At any near
date. A..s !.
Nevertheless, CHS rumoar may be one Of these
shadows which coming events are said to cast be-
fore The excavation Of such canal, unless inter-
rupted by the operations Of an opposing army. is
but question of time, labour and expense. ship
canal, thirty miles long. was once dug through the
rock and shift ing sands of the Isthmus of Suez, and
it cannot be impossible to cut the five miles of the
clay which form the peninsula of Vicksburg The
Yankees are better dlechers than soldiers They
may achieve an lngorious success in their present
undertaking, and render the batteries Of Ycks6urg
comparatively useless In that circumstance, 1t
would seem not improbable that the large army now
employed in its defense, might find other occupa-
ton and the town oosng its strategetic importance
should be left with q sufficient force to hold It
against q. sudden enterprise Of the enemy. which
will then b. all that it will have to fear. =
Such an event would be serious lossand disad-
vantage to US. 1t will e-mortifyng to bear the ex
ulta,ion of the enemy. Vicksburg has baffled the
utmost effort of their arms Their troops have again
and again been hurled back by her hills like the
breakers of the sea by the rocks Without taking
tire city, they will have neatralzed its importance
by smart trick In military engineering il will
indeed be counted a considerable achievement
Since the fall of ConstantiDple, that memorable
event which closes the long chapter which is filed
with the name Of the Roman Empire and marks
the commencement OF what are called Modern
Times incident of THAT Sort so striking. is to be
found in story. Aahomet II took Constantinople
BY transporting feet across tract Of land seven
miles broad from one water to another, = grea,
work, but not greater than this If successful, j,
will deprive US Of the full command of the Missis.
sippi between Vicksburg and Port Hudson, now
free Of their fleet and permitting full eoumunica
ton with that portion Of the Conederacy which lies
west of the river-Riehmond Examiner