Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-06

| the enemy was constantly communicating
| with Port Hudson, Natchez, and other points
below, and were also receiving supplies by
steamers from the Red river, he conceived the
idea of cutting off tins line of communication
and for this, on Saturday last, sent Col Stew
art, with Il suitable detachment, across the
| point to position directly opposite Vicks-
burg, to destroy the enemys boat. In this
undertaking the brave Col. Stewart lost his
life. He was discovered by the enemy, who
opened fire upon him from their batteries as
| well as by SharpShooters, Il rifle shot from
| the latter striking him in the breast and kill
ing him instantly. His body was taken back
to camp by the detachment he had led. and
the expedition was abandoned because of its
! discovery. During the same day the rebel
! batteries opened on admiral Porter's fleet of
| gunboats, lying just above the point, and for
an hour and quarter quite brisk cannon
adingwas kept up from both sides. Our boats,
however, maintained their positions, and came
! out of the action uniniured.
The high water of the river at the present
| time has demonstrated most fully the imprac-
ticability of the canal dug last summer for the
purpose of turning the course of the river so
as to leave Vicksburg several miles inland.
The canal is apparently failure. Water is
| now running Though, it is true, but so does
water run across many of the long points in
| this curious river during times of freShet.
| But this does not change the course of the
river. The main channel still follows the old
| bed around by Vcksburg, and the most that
can now be expected is that the small quantity
of water finding its way through the canal will
form that course into what is technically called
shutp-that is, Il narrow stream running be-
hind an island, and sometimes navigable in
high water. There is prospect of this kind.
iO, g
site Vicksburg, though the main channel
of the river will always keep its
| present course, unless, indeed. the de-
| defect in the canal affair is remeded This
defect is purely in the location of its point of
intersection with the river at its head There
| have been humorous cut-otfs made in This riv
er In former years for the purpose of short
gprh It's course Inc soll OF the bottoms Is
constantly cb9nging If dt VL 'ne aver
small, is dug across a point of land, and Joins
the river at Its upper end at point where the
current strikes Tue oahk, so soon as the water
started through the ultch 1t washes out
cll'lnnel very rapidly, ana IN some instances
STEAMERS nave passed. through lleSe cut-ohS
III !hree hours from tte ume water was hESt
lc' in'o tleni' me tue, once turned carries
e'erytnih9 before IT, Inc son gives way be-
|
tlHioer apparently furnishes no impeachment
" M
ou' Ill 'iie case"t flchsourS the engineers
engaged secuted the suggestions OF ola and
eAPeilehceu river men on TINS SupJect, anu IN
H'uel 10 s"ih Sotiie trlilihS advantage IN me
less amount Oh Juggling 10 De done' Drought
.te upper emu Vi tlie canal TO the rivers bank
az point where mere was no current at all,
T", ,"tVi t an uuoy men tne %ater Is near
y up W l,ie '9P vi t'ie oa"As NIUE surface
80 VIM n'lu It's way through tiiiS intehueu
Ii11 'UV NV ~ olu mat ho''ii,i9 can NC
loohGu WI ne "'iiy ie"ieuy lol tI'ls pluhuer
nv" 70 " ou' VI "hoii nun 'ne c"h"l 10 'Ie
PIoPei pm .i IA :"c itei' nave ho Aho"f
euse "he'iler tiiS Is intended 10 De uohe or
n0'
1t Is stated that Col, Blssell, who operated
so skilfuly at Island No TO- is engaged in
| oorra,tir,r +Lis dafao+ II, tbo ,,o,,+,,; &c
.I
INC '"""i' AAo lolio"liS are tue IeoeI re-
ports =
From the vicksburg Wing, Jan. %.
Yesterday exactly resemb}ed the morning
of the 10Th OF last July. An day transports
were bringing down troops and landing them
about a mile and a half above the famous ca
nal. Camp treS were visible along the levee,
and large squads of the enemy could he OH
served with glass maneuvering about the ca
nal. In the afternoon Whites field was dotted
with tents, and troops were perceptible all
along the river in front of DIR. Young's 0hc
old Stone) place. Some twenty transports
were fastened to the Louisiana bank and ono
was on Guard ON the MIssissinni sboro ;nst
opposite Whites cotton Gin Amonr tho
TRANSPORTS that came down with tronns Gnrirl,
tine dav we noticed the foIloyyincr pl,t,oo
Valley Iioress. Kennel Von Pbnl lC"n
tinental General Anderson SiI,,ar Ntoo,
Hiawatha. and Emma An iron oIaI
gunboat came down abont noon and tacl, NV
its nosi,ion holo,v tho trarsrorts O,a,' 'iN
visi+nrs in th, sbona of sIoIIs -,
TO the troons who were nitcbin,r tbo;r tot,
bv orr mon ar tbo 1o,or hptton7 'hu ,4 'e"'s
feet is not known Tbav ara n h oGe a''o
of rance of INV, If c,,r r,,s III 49,, w, Uu'
low the citv c3nn,onc6J hoI1o-,.;r, I' De-
tho afternnon anJ f,r sIa+ ,,a,; e1 III
the nnner batteres dnriny tho da,, III IN run
emv asnea, to he connantro ti,o : ne en-
near their old cor,, rronnd a. "a" iotoe
If nsod at ,nter"isr SilI no,d ou,
yarv nnnnaSnnt II ,ro,Id ,,,eit poS!ton
h,,.o ,;,p,, w., t, w., e. th'U t"ey
hrr,, h., , ''' Vi lckS
Jus " :" ~"
V,cTsp,'T Ian % !e TGole Aayerser,
onnroanIaJ % az Inv mas "s''Ih
ee canaI and Iarrn '''~ ,s''i,ous an.