Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-04
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special N1ffotpQNttlce OF ia Appeal
vicEsBUR0, February 5, 1853.
The passage Of he FedeEair ram Queen af the Wea
b. our batteries yesterday morning ia regarded here by
he non military asa remarkable affair, and a deal Of in.
dignaton is expressed against the manner in which the
guns Of our batteries were served. Some contend that
those who were IN charge Of he batteres were found
notonly nappipg bui really aseep, and that che men did
lot ess to sheE gans unalii was toe late to do any exc
eation; Others fnd great cause Of complaint at the In
aesusate shooting Of cur guns.
whstever mRy have been the esuss Of the very weak
ebert which was made TO prevent her passage, it ap-
pears now % be oei tain that 1t is the policy Of the com.
mand here cot 70 inierpose any very serious obstacle to
their passage down the river, and seine wiseacres even
assume TO predict that If the transports venture through
ID, canal and come out Of the liver below, our lower
batteries would not.be overly active in preventing their
S.Beueb from the canal into the Mississippi. An this is
supposed to be Part Of q regularly laid scheme which Is
to entee the Yankees into an inexricable trap.
BY some If IS believed that the ram which is now be-
low, VIII make a maraudiHg cruise down the rivsr, and
60 up the Big Black to des roy whatever property my
come within her reach and that the railsoa3 bridge
may now be in imminent danger Of destruction. This
iest would appear practicable at the present stage Of
water, if it were not for certain warlike arrangements
which our military authorities have not failed to pro.
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guaboat is nothing In itself, and no very serious conse.
qusnces are spprehended It has before been demon.
strated that they can pass the batteries, and that they
cannot take Veksburg.
1t is not supposedly any except those least Informed
and possessing the smallest Judgment, that our defensss
here were competent to eose the river against i~ronelads.
That this was not the ease, everybody Of common sense
well knew. Bat what advantage can be gained by their
RAINING up and down the river under our guas, has not
yet trans5rsd, and from the barrenneEs which attended
the adventure last summer. one would have supposed
that the Feierals were perfectly willing to let that kind
Of navigation alone.
had an interview yesterday with two of the Fed
erals who cane over on Sunday. They Informed me
that The resson Of their desertion was superlnduced by
the new policy Of the Lincoln administration; that they
were nine months men, and since the war hsd been
turned into an Abolition crusade they hsd become dis.
gusted with the service, and were opposed to fighting
for the freedom of tho slave that If there was a way
Of &c ting across the river great numbers of them would
desert They feline that Gen. Grant has arrived and
that aetive movements are about to be made. General
Sherman is very busily engaged in organizing his army
end getting It really for a fight
On Mondsy afternoon two more d~eserlers a over.
They managed to get hold of canoe seme distance
back in the woods and did not put their shoulders to
tue WHEEL ~ tut9 put tS ALI bA 0- 1A~e-
AMI carried it 10 the river, where it was launched and
padded across vithou, any molesiation. They report
that active preparations are making, aud that hereafter
we may look for a coming storm as almost any moment,
and that is duration would be continued until the final
trike would decide the result
As night Set in yesterday a general ommOti was
seen in the fleet, and every boat was Ender a full head
OF steam-leading to the suspicion that an attaek was in
contemplation during the night. Ii, however, proved
that our apprehensions were unfounded, as everything
remained perfectly auiet up TO this morning. A large
addition to the feet has taken place since yesterday, and
with this exception no new movements have transpred.
The Queen Of The Vest was anchored below, in sight Of
the city. up to 5 o'clock on Monday evening, but this
morning she is gone-apon what voyage Is not know.
BY some she is believed to be making a cruise TO Port
/ Hudson, but your correspondent is of the opinion that
She will rot venture any great distance away from
Vcksburg until the balance Of the %gunbOats get below.
NESTOR.