Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-08


tfeIs..i t11 - eff
How MATTKRs AT VIcKsBuRG LOOK AT THE CAPI
rAL-THE PRESIDENT ELArED AeAIs--FEARs
THAT GEN. JoHssros's STRATEGY WILL BE TOO
MUCH FOR GEN. GRASr-CoscESTRATIos OF
REBEL TRooPs TO DEFzAr GRANT. r
Especial Correspondence OF the Chicago Times.1
'.H' sfA7et WASHINGTON, May 81
cannot give you any late news from yicks.
burg. You get that, in a more reliable manner.
from your able correspondents on the Mississippi
For our news here. we are dependent on such
reliable men as Manager Fuller" who sends
to the President messages from Cleveland. 500
miles from Cairo, in regard to the siege of Vicks-
bnrgi But it may Interest your readers to know
how matters at Vicksburg are regarded here by
the men in power. Manager Fuller's message TO
the President was received here on Sunday II
stated that 1.-THE stars andstripes now 1oat over
Vicksburg and the victory is complete The
President, with his usual credulity. forgot even
the strength of Vicksburg. its capabilities for de
tense, and the relative strength ofthe Union and
Confederate forces operating there, and became
at once as much elated as when he heard of the
"surender of Charleston, 81 Burnside's "victory
at Fredericksburg" and of Hooker's GLORIOUS
triumph at Chanceiorville. Again he rubbed
his hands in glee: again he declared that the
backbone of the rebellion was now broken, and
that the war was virtually over. But this time
he did more He rushed to the telegraph Office,
and, in obedience to his imperative order, the
message was "put through" to New York. 1t
appeared in the New Y ork papers of Monday, as
coming direct from the President, and as having
his sanction for its authenticity. And the Ad
ministration papers here. when they published il,
added that Manager Fuller was a perfectly re
liable man. and his dispatches may be fully re
lied on as correct"
Well. how does it turn out? 1t is now the27th.
The latest news we have from Vicksburg is in
Admiral Porter's dispatch, without date (but evi
IDENTIFY written on the Doth or 2lst since he speaks
in it OF operations on the 18th sent from Cairo
on the 25th It appears from that dispatch that
not only is Vicksburg not taken, but that it is
doubtful whether il ever can be. The reception
of this dispatch caused Mr. Lincoln as much un-
due depression as can well be imagined. For
some time. the worthy Mr. Fuller's official
head was in some danger; and l do not know
that it is quite safe even now.
And now, to cap the climax we have some late
news from Richmond. brought by exchanged
officers and others, who come direct from the
Rebel capital This news is not so late as Por
ters dispatch but it is interesting and highly i'm
portant, as il furnishes a sure basis on which Ia
make calculations as TO the probable result of the
military operations before Vicksburg. Accord
ing to this account, it that the forces under
Gen. Johnston IS command are those at Vicksburg
including Pembertons troops, $4,000 men; those
under Gen. Bragg, 100000 and those at porl
Hudson, 40 900. Their estimates of the Union
forces, that Gen. Grant has 10 900 troops Rose
Grams 80 1000, and Banks 5000; total, 240 ,00(
troops; besides the powerful naval forces of Ad
mirals Porter and Farragut They believe tha
the co operation of these forces before Vicksburl
would compel the surrender of that place; and
that Gen. johnson has taken measures, not only
to prevent any such co operation, but also to Sc
10 any that can be brought against it. Their ides
is that Banks aud Farragut will be held in check
at Port Hudson; and that Rosecrans will be helC
in check by certain strategic movements on tn,
part of Gen. Bragg with SC, 900 of his troops
| This would leave Gen Grant and Admiral Porte
alone to reduce Vicksburg
But it is also understood at Richmond that tht
-other 10000 OF Bragg's troops (haf of them cav
alry) are already marching toward Vicksburg
and that l0,0l0 troops at Mobile, 20,000 a
/ Charleston aud savannah, and 20, 900 of Leei
troops at Gordonsville. were started off from
those points some days ago. their destination be
ing the same point. These reintorcements to
| gether amount to 80 600 troops. 1t is easy Il
see that there is nothing to prevent their having
been sent as stated There were Is 900 troop
at Mobile, entirely useless there: Beauregard haC
900 at Charleston and Savannah, and h
knew very well that there would be no occasion
for them there for some weeks to come: and. Al
for Gen. Lee. the army that was strong enough tC
defeat Hooker's $50 600 troops the q finest OF
the planet could surely spare % .0J0 men with
out missing them; particularly as Lee well know
that Hooker is in no condition to advance, AM
cannot be for some weeks vet There nigh
have been some doubt, indeed, about Bragg get
ting 40 900 of his troops away from hefore Rose
Grams But the news that he has already done 81
comes to me from Union sources. even as | write
and on this point | think there can be doubt N,
longer.
1t is stated, too, on the authority of an Office
who arrived here this morning from Fortres
Monroe that Just before he left the latter point
a vessel had arrived there direct from Port Roya
ana Hilton Head with the intelligence that Gen
Hunters troops had sailed thence for New Or
leans To reinforce Banks If this is true, it ha
highly important bearing on matters at Vicks
burg For, if Hunter has made this movement
il is equivalent to saying that thesege of Charles
ton is definitely abandoned for the summer, an
\ Gen Beauregard of course, would be apprised Q
the movement as soon as it had commenced.
it is true. instead of sending half his troops I
Vicksburg, the probability is that he would sen
nearly all of them; and. as he has direct railroa
communication, and by two parallel lines of rail
road. too, to within fifty miles of Vicksburg, h
can have his troops there long before Hunter ca
reach New Orleans.
Supposing, then that these renforcements, o
part of them reach Vicksburg, they would amour
to 20 900 or 80 900 troops. The attack of sue
a force in his rear would no doubt material
change the plans of General Grant. and migf
cause him to raise the siege. Such at lea:
are the speculations which are indulged in
Richmond.