, 1863-06-30
THE SIEGE OF VIGKSBuRe.
TERRIFIC B0MBaRDIENT OF
THE ENEMI'S WORKS,
ATTEMPT TO "C0BBlE" OUR AD-
VANCE,
Progressed the Siege, Belligerent
Ciyilities, &c.
Major Gen. J. 4. McQernand Re-
GeVed.

lFrom Our Special Correspondent

6lnce your correspondent was SO badly de-
moralized in his attack on V1cksburg, he has
been tudiciously disposed to keep respectful
distance. Having received n hint that at i
o'clock this morning our artillery was to open
along the entire line, aud continue to fire
rapidly six hours, preparations were made to
witness the affair. Weadvanced at the ap-.
pointed hour cautiously to point outside the
range Of the enemy's musketry. Icannot de-
scribe the awful grandeur Of the scene.
Words cannot describe the screaming, hlssing,,
terrible sound of q shell, and without 1t no
description can be accurate or just. Once
heard, 1t can never be forgotten, and only
only who have heard them can form any con.
ception Of the scene this morning, when hun
dreds Of cannon Of different calibro opened
their destructive fire. There was constant
roar for the six hours, and all along the line
the shells could be seen exploding orer the
enemy's works or in the bank Of come fort
every moment.
: Some we're 20 hopeful that they were conf
IDENTIFY looking for flag Of truce md propos-
ais for surrender before the bombafduent
was over. Your correspondent was not one
Of. this class. He believes them still peril
nacious and hopeful, and that their resources
are not Eo limited as could be wished. Du-
ring the whole bombardmcnt, so far rs could
be detected in the general confusion, not q
single gun from the encmy's works respond
cd, and hardly musket was fired. Very few
mere Eo foolish as to show their heads above
the parapets; and when any one did raise his
body, he was soon notified that his safety re.
qulred an unconditional and immediate re.
treat. Two rebels that we're posted as tslook-
OUTS" to observe our movements, kept their
heads above the parapet Of fort In front of
the Mercantile Battery, for few mozncnts-
just long enough to attract the observation
of the lire men comprising that battery.
They Immediately brought gun.to bear, and
the very first ehot hit where the heads
were. Three more followed in quick sue.
cession, and all hit nearly the came place.
Our men, with 100 rounds Of ammunition.
we're formed in line. ready to advance. il At
any time It. should be thought expedlent to
assault. Nothing during the time was deyel-
oped to Justify, in the minds Of The command
Ing officers. any advance. Now 1t is quiet
along the line The only known result Of
this extensive bombardment, is the material
damagc to their carth-works. In manY nlaccs
tho enemy was obliged to repair breaches
In the forts, wmie the firing progrcssed~ 30
many well directed shots muet have inflicted
severe loss upon the cnemy-to what extent
we cannot tell
When the artillcry is a1l 60 efficient, It Is
hard to distinguish, but those that were par
ticnlar1y noticed for their rapid and accurate
shooting, was k1anss' 1st 1ndiana, Fosters
1st Wisconsin, Mercantile, and. McAllister s
hn%$n has %1SnI 1T Ga. AA..-
estimate OF the number of ehotA fired to-day
A mathematical calculation demonstrates be-
yond doubt that over17 300 shells we're thrown
inside the rebel lines. Some we're thrown
into the city; some burst midway between
the city and forts, while the larger portion
Of well directed shots been sent into our lines,
very much doubt whether, with our present
means Of protection, our army could hare en-
dn1ed 1t. ,.,.
!: Night before last at the left Of our line the
rebels made an attempt to flank cur pickets
and advance line Of sharpshooters. About
500 came outside their fntreuchments with
the view Of getting to the rear Of our line,
and taking them prisoners, as they did three
entire companies some time ago.
They supposed themselves unohseryed and
cure Of their prey, when Of. Il sudden they
found three regiments after them 50 closely
that hasty retreat only prevented the cap
turc Of the entire party. Musketry firing VI.
quite active for time. If they suffered much
| they had means Of covering their loss, "a they
| always trT to do, 60 thnt no accurate Idea caH
be formed. During the time OF this raid they
opened artilieFy in front1f Gen Heron, and
it il reported, dismounted some of his guns,
for the reason that they we're ont on the oper
field, with no earthwotks In front. Herron't
| command hare within few days taken the
position assigned, and complete the eemi
circle behind Vickeburg. Before their arrival
the line OF Investment IN force was incomplete
and no line OF approach had been erected fol
quite q d1stance from {our) left to right They
! are now ut work in the way other portions o1
| the army we're ut work some weeks ago
which very easily accounts for the fact, If 1t be
| 8 fact, Of injury to the artillery. :.
Some OF our approaches are SO far advanced
| that earth from our bitches Is thrown against
the base OF the rebel forts. As our working
parties advance, email bitches at right angles
| with the mnin one are dug for sharp.shooters,
who keep so close watch upon the rebels that
| no one daTes TO raise his head to fire on The
workmen right beneath their works, and en-
tirely unprotected, rs they must ben when
many Indications that the rebels expect us to
take eomc Of their strongest points soon,
and there are also Indications thai
they aEe vigorously at work upon points
back of thtir present line to meet such con
tingency. Several formidable looking forts
a short time, and each morning we can detect
progress in many places. believe they mean
| 10 fight obsttnatcly tor the possession Of the
doomed city, ard If they can hold ont thcy
intend to make us march into Vlckeburg By
"rgnlar approaches''' As they fall back
| our line as VIC advance. The interior line Il
| much shorter than the present one and vii
| require much less time and labor to perfect it;
Jet they will be too hard pushed to allow the
construction Of 50 pesfecta line as the one
they now hold. They hare already moved Sc
reral guns from the front to. the in
terror line, where our sharpshooters
cannot trouble them much. Until this wat
l. done they were unable to nse their guns, fol
reasons stated In former letter. Now they
appear to be in trouble again, In another d.
rtction. Grape and canister aTc plenty, but
shell and solid ehot are very scarce. Latel,
they have thrown pieces OF solid iron, and
what the soldiers call scamp kettles" They
hare two WhitwoTth guns In position, and
use solid, gEcoycd steel, conical balls, Of Eng
1ish manufacture. Ammunition mauuEc
tnrcd expressly to penetrate iron easements
it was the only resource left. Nearly all thei,
/ nrtillery ammunition, and all tho ammunition
for enau arms, Is Of English manufacture, al
furnished by "neutral nation" to "pet bel
| Hgerent poTer." Is it more than just to cal
her ''perlldious Albion,'' and is it not strange
nary considcrations, to a position Of mora
grandeur that would excite the admiration o.
Ill CAristendom9 She Ia making her history
and If its infamous, it Is Of her own choice.
The two bclligerent powers here assembled
have lately been exchanging civflities some
what extensively through. tkeir representa-
tiyes-the picket guards. Pickles have rare
y fred at each Other along the line, and il
front Of Carr's division an amicable feeling
bus been maintained between the pickets
PIcksts haye usually been stationed just afte
dark--ours advancing towards the for1ifca
tions, while the enemy's came outside anf
took position near our own. They have gen
crally been near enough to each other to car
ry on-conversation in al ordinary tone, o
voice. At fret the great design was to tanta
lizc andaEnoy On both sides. They would ad
drese each other as tYank !" and @Rcb." ant
growl like two mastiffs Of be1ligercnt inten
The first night our picket called out, "Reb
how do you like being prisoner?'' He sui
len]y replied, Yank, hare you heard iron
the Potomac lately :" Then: again, IS Reb.
In an 'irritable manner he replied, Old PEN
be1ton is fool; Johnston will warm yo1
chaps." Soon after two pickets met, and tn
rtbe1 Gays, I" Yank, will you lay down you
gun II ! will, meet me half Way, and trad
iackknivess" "Yes,' was tile reply, "bu
no ehcnanigan [classica1. word used in th
armyl now" They met half way. trade.
knives, had quite 4 talk, and then returned t,
their posts. After few days they would nd
and converse in very friendly manner. Oh
GERS wonld 60 out and meet rebel officers 0,
| The picket line and talk with them, and pti
Yates thropged the picket posts to talk Wit
the rebels, until at last orders wsre issued pre-
venting this intimacy.