, 1863-01-12

Stuart Mills made a very telling speech.
Tic meeting endorsed Emancipation, and
gent a complimentary address to President +
Lincoln.
TEE STRUGGLE FOR v1c1zsnUnG.
jeff Davis addressed the Mississippi |
Legislature, on the oUth ult, on the Wal, at
great length. Among other things, he
said: "That when he arrived in the State
"Grants army was pouring down upon |
s'tllcm, but when he went up to Grenada !
s'nothing could be seen Of them but their
*'bacls" "Hc Ind discovered that the |
s'rcal point Of attack was Vicksburg and !
s'port Hudson, and all who desired to save !
f'the Southern Confederacy MUST hnston
there and lend q helping hand. These
"placcs must be saved ut gil hazards, be-
f'causc if they were lost the Confclcracy
*'would be cut in two" Hcdwelt ut great
length, the reporter says, on Tie importance
"of holding these points If they stand,
"the people of the Northwest will grow
<'rcstiyc and become discouraged, and
"ccase to support the war and demand an
lend of tic contest To the Northwest he
"lookcd for tile first CLEAN Of peace"
Therefore, Vicksburg must be held at all
hazards.
From these confessions We learn some
other things. 1t will be recoliected that
when Grant crossed the Hatchie below
Holly Springs, Gen Sherman co-opcratcd
with him in the advance, and then sudden
II countct1narched to Memphis and en- :
batlzcd on feet IF steamers for Vicls-
l1rg, at the head Of a force vuriously
estimated from $1,000 to $4,000 men.
While he was acting with Grant, the rebel
garrison at Vicksburg vas known not to
exceed 1900 mem Sherman landed in
the rear of the city, and without delay pro-
ccet!,'d 10 assault the rebel entertainments.
1!c carried the first and second lines Of
works, but was defeated and driven back
with severe loss in his attempt on the third
line. He then discovered that instead Of
having garrison Of T. 900 or 14,oo0 men
10 contend against, that he was fighting a
rebel army larger than his own He sup
posed that the only rebel reinforccmcnts
that could come to the assistance Of the
y-icksburg garrison was the Arkansas: and
Texas army of Gen. Holmes, and to pre-.
vent their junction he dispatched Gen.
novey with 500 men to destroy the track
Of the Iieksburg and Shreveport Railway.
The rebel accounts state, that force o1
Cnionists were engaged in doing it
liolrncs' force has undoubtedly reached
yickaburg before this, as cur. dispatche:
several days ago reported rebel steamers
crossing with reiniorcemcnts from tht
Louisiana shore.
But it was moi. these troops that rcpcllet
Sherman, but the army Of Gen. Pemberton
which Sherman left in front Of Gen Grant
It appears that when Sherman marched
buck to Memphis from Holly Springs, Rcm
hc1ton started the bulk Of his agny 70
yicksburg, which place they reached seTe
raj days ahead Of Sherman's column. The
took tic New Orleans Railroad down t
Jackson, Miss, and thence the Charlesto
hallIOAu ~ 1Chs0u4S- NA1As 0As1AS1
towards Grenada; thinking to occupy th
attention of Pcniberton's army; but tn
latter threw out cloud Of slzirmishcrs
his front, while Forrest with 1000 caval1
made wide detour around him and fe
upon lis rear, breaking up forty miles
railway, capturing Holly Springs with i
sleery garrison Of 1900 defenders und'
tho imbecilc Murphy, burning a millic
do]lass' worth Of stores and cotton, go
bling up half dozen other detachmen
in the vicinity, and causing terrib
panic in Columbus, Cairo and Memrhi
soaring another imbecilc officer, &c
Davies, into spiking all the cannon, d.
1pying all the small arms and militia
stores on Island No. 10, and hastily cva
uuting that important stronghold. .
last. Gen. Sullivan tell on the audacio
guerilla at Cross Roads, and routed a
tlispcrred his bandits, but not until he IL
played the very mischief with Gran
communications and supplies. The 1at'
was obliged to tall back 10 Ho
Springs, and has since been employed
establishing railway communications nj
Memphis. Sherman also fell back I
der the cover Of his gunboats, where
awaits rcinforccments. Meanwhile G.
Banks could get no higher up the ri,
tlan Port Hudson, which is said to be
strongly fortified and defended as Vic
burg, and that is the reason why lie '
unable to cooperate with Sherman.
must lie confessed that the rebel Gencr
1Aus far in the game have played the bet
cards. the stakes being the keys Of
:: 2iissisaipri. ..~..
~ -
Since wiring tho above, cur Cairo
patches announce that Gen Shcrma
dorcc has embarked and returned up I
river as far as Napoleon, under comms
Of Gen Mcclernand. Gen. Grant
marched Ills army to Memphis, o
vigorous preparations are being made
renew the attack on Viclssburg with 70
strong enough to overpower,. all
resistance the rebels may offer, Vicksb,
is shortly to become the scene of
tremendous struggle. The West is zeaol'
10 clear all distractions from the II
The navigation Of tho Mississippi nust
opened. The Northwest will be j" resti
until this be dons, and will not "cease
support the most vigorous warfare, u
the stars and stripes proudly float over.
lights of Vickebrrg and Port Hudson,
The u nnnfadaroc cu Ia mt n 4,not, on5