Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-07-15
FROM VICKSBURG.

lN REAR OF NICKSBURG, June 29.
Eds ChronicIc=-If it is any satisfaction
to kno,0 that Vicksburg has not yet fallen
you are perfectly welcome to the intelli
genee gratis. Allow me to premise, how
ever, by saying that on account of the
extreme hot weather, l will not insure
this 10 keep over night The siege il
progressing slowly but surely. Every
step taken thus far seems to have beer
in the right direction. With all the lib
erty of criticism tolerated in military cir
cles, Grants Raodls operaadi, from leaving
New Carthage 10 the complete invest
ment of Vicksburg, is heartily approved.
True, some are inclined to question the
policy of ordering the bloody charge OF
the ODD ult., while others as conversant
with facts and their bearings, maintain
that it was a military necessity arising
from two sources: first, the importance OF
testing the strength of the rebel position;
and second, to satisfy the demands of our
own soldiers. From leaving Port Hud-
son, until We halted before the main
works in the rear of Vicksburg, it had
been brilliant succession of charges and
routs, and the soldiers firmly believed
that the same order of affairs would con-
tinue until they had planted the OLD flag
in the very heart of the city ITSELF
! Flushed with unwonted success, they
vainly imagined that nothing could ar
rest their victorious march. Thus elated
they could only be reconciled to the de-
lay and fatigue of long siege by being
permitted to see the physical impossibili-
ty of reducing the place by direct assault;
but having proved the inefficiency of
musket and bayonet, they cheerfully went
to work with spade and pick. They
would not commence to dig until satisfied
their game was securely 'holed.'
The great secret of General Grants
success lies in the readiness and facility
with which he adapts himself to any
emergency that may arise. He-is al
ways prepared TO meet and dispose of
the issue as rational, business-ike man.
He may be wanting in strategy, but COM
nonsense answers as an admirable sub
stitute, at least in the Army of the Mis-
sissippi. One year ago, Grant began op-
erations with view to removing the last
distractions from the navigation of the
river. Hot weather, and sickness eompell-
ed him to temporarily abandon the enter
prise again, in December, he failed in
the attempt to reach Vicksburg by an adj
vance from Haines' Bluff; he then went
to canaling dug two they looked well
on paper, but wouldn't wash Blythe
way, this enterprise, though grand fail
ure, served TO amuse the boys and
keep them OUT of mischief during the
winter, when military operations on any
considerable scale, were impractieab!e.-
When canal stock went down and canals
went up-Duckport Canal now lies high
and dry some ten feet above the surface
of the river-he went to fighting again,
drove the rebels before him like fright
ened sheep, captured upwards of one hun
dred guns and more than ten thou
sand prisoners. and finally, having forced
the enemy to seek safety in the. hills
and ravines that environ the city, and
failing to drive them from their conceal
ment by storm, he has beseigedthe strong
hold, which is gradually crumbling be-
fore the steady march of sappers and mi
ners. General Grant is deservedly popular
with his men, who confide in his fertility
of resource, for when one project fails he
tries another.
In relation 10 our iron-clads, let no
gloomy apprehensions be entertained as
to their safety. Self-preservation is the
law of their being, caution their ruling
trait, which judiciously dictates secure
anchorage out of range of the enemy's
guns They doubtless constitute nee
essary addenda to the army, but they are
certainly a very expensive luxury. For
conveying coal across the point-a dis
tance of eight miles-to supply the six
gunboats below Vicksburg, detail of fif-
ty teams is daily made, requiring one hun
This is only one item. They, however,
render important service in preventing
the enemy from concentrating on the riv-
er banks and establishing additional
blockades, but so far as any effective DEM
onstrations on the rebel works at Vicks-
burg are concerned, they might as well
be three fathoms in Mississippi mud
They are as shy of the batteries as school
boys of a nest of irate hornets.
The Musquito feet, as the tin-clads are
termed, do excellent servive as convoys
for our transports, about hundred of
which are constantly plying between this
point and Memphis. But for them our
supplies would be at the mercy of the
prowling bands of guerrillas that infest
both shores of the river from Helena to
this place.
1t was quite amusing to witness the
strife between the Army and Navy as to
which was entitled to the honor of the
capture of Haines' Bluff When the SOL
diers landed at this place after its partial
evacuation and destruction by the rebels,
they found the gunboat men marking
the cannon as having been captured by
the Mississippi Gunboat Fleet, under
command of Rear-Admiral David D. Por-