, 1863-04-18


forth thrcatenings and slaughter, his respira-
tory apparatus WAS far less severely taxed
than was flat Of our man with the asthma in
bis recent foot journey from Vicksburg to
Haincs' Bluff. As he followed the river road
winding out around the Walnut Hills, you
may imagine, if you please, that sharp Fed
eral army reporters around the bend, and
tBod" among them,put a new point to their
pencils and paragraphs, and stFaightway sig
nailed rebel steamer On her way up stream.
They would hare done 70. had his laborious
lung practice, reached their ears as lie pushed
On. II was twelve mile job. It was no use
for pickets to challenge him. He sat down by
one full half hour, vainly attempting to
settle his arrears in breathing, and tell him
where he was from, aud whittier going. Hc
could not do it. Finally, he tugged out a
yeloW-coyercd novel, "Blood and Thunder-
Tale Of Zodiac" and laid it On the picket's
knee. 1t was enough The picket fell to
reading, and the asthmatic man went on.
Haines' Bluff is twelve miles from Vicks-
burg, on the banks Of the sluggish Yazoo. 1t
is the first high land On that singular riycr,
above its confluence with the Mississippi, AL
below Is go lntersectel with bayous, aud cut
up with morasscs, TINT it's few patches Of Arm
soil are not 10 be trusted for military purpos-
cs. Just below 1Iaines' Bluff, indeed, Gen.
Slc1mnn's i'll started expedition of last win
ter fell into disaster. The Nicksburghcrs rely
on Haines' Bluff for their defense against any
hostile party that should seek to land on the
Tazoo. Lower than uaines' Bluff, they rely
on Coprerheads, mot The Illinois variety
cotton snakes, moccasias, maseasaugas, and
the reptile tribe, whose number and venom
would hare bothered st. Patrick entirely, to
bc sure, for nowhere are these specimens Of
the serpent tribe presented in greater variety
and perfection, than on the lower banks OF the
Iazoo. Our asthu,atic friend did not stay to
examine, in detail, these defcnces Of Vicks-
burg, hut bids us note thai Copperllcads arc
helping them, eycn there. VIC told him it
was the nature Of the beast. So came he to
uaiucs' Bluff.
Our engrsycr reproduces his sketch. The
place Was nothing until the war. A wheezy
old steam saw nill ct IA" occupies po.i-
ton at the mouth Of the little crcck. Below
this is Dlake's plantation, a broad level area
once III cotton, now in corn. Along The river
front arc breastwo orks aud rilc-pits. In the
woods in the rear Of Blakc's house on both
sides Of the road, ART the cncampments Of &
rebel force of five thousand, their tents fol
lowing at intervals the 31illdalc road for sey
eral miles. The turnpike from VicSsburg
winds about the base of Graveyard Hill, {"F'
in the map,) which is fortified on the top b.
grim batteries etninently suggestive Of gra''
yards. Their range commands the river up
proach and the landings.
Haincs' Bluffs, proper, is just above til
creek, and is strongly defended By heavy sieg
guns. The man With the asthma counted owe
thirty heavy guns in position at the sever,
| points above named. At the point designate
| as "Withers' artillery in the map. are eigt
teen splendid riled pieces, mostly Of Englis
make but several Of them the boosted trophie
Of the war. Two, it is claimed, came ffol
the firr. Bull Run. The rebels say that othe,
ofthese guns were won 1T Shiloh and Stor
River. At all events, they are there, ready
sweep down To any point Of threatened q
tack. These guns, rs arc the arms Of the L
| laNtIy, arc MU6L GutcllsC, AuE 1alIeT Ocu
principally Enfield muskets.
The rebels claim, to be able to hold Halne
Bluffs against nil comcrs, and would certain
be, as indeed they have been, in time past, ,ab
TO make stiff resistance. The man with Il
asthma passed four days there, domiciliati1
the while ut the plantation Of Mrs. Fo1,
elderly woman OF rebel persuasion, dash
with Camrbclllte turn Of mind. The whe
1,righborhood, once the most quiet in t
vicinity Of Vicksburg, now emacks of t
bcl'igcrcnt, shakcs with the tread of ar'
and the neigh Of gaunt war sseeds. 7
words Of the poet naturally como to on
mind on such occasions.
Hreaf1tS there man with sonl 80 dead
Who never TO himself hath said.
s'Th{s is my own. my native land!
And the man with the asthma four Jacks
fiiend) answers in writing, that it is not Q
ing to dead soul at all; but when n
can't even get breath enough Tor ordin:
breathing purposes, how is he to say a
thing. To which we answer: How, indec
, We remember VIC are get to get our asthn1
r ic man-our friend, Of 1.-THE loud sound
:, lungs s"-out Of Dlxie's pleasant land.
J. slall be done In good time