The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-02-28

and bewildered. The water battery above the
town, and the redoubt some distance below,
were the only ones from which we could distin-
euish any shots. They did not fire one>fourth
the number that they fred at the Queen OF the
West. They evidently suspected that something
wrong was abroad on the waters, but what it
was, or where, was mystery they only conjec-
sured when the huge pIojectiles tores tbrough
their steamer. They realized the full knowledge
of what had happened when they saw, in the
early morning, fullgrown Monitor alongside
the ram.
The importance of this success which the navy
has added to its laurels lie obvious. The ram,
when she ran down and made her trip to Port
Hudson, was not substantially armed, and is not
now, although she mas been armed with 30 poun.
der PARROTS, calculated to Withstand FIRE from
land batteries. Her safety in such encounters
lies in her heels To her qualities ae swift and
powerful ram, armed with long range riAes, We
have now added one Of the most formidable gun.
boats, With an armament superior in metal and
range to any rebel gun on the Mississippi. Our
possession Of the river from Vicksburg to Port
Hudson lie perfect. River communication be-
tween the two belesguered poets is completely
destroyed. The enemy has q considerable mum.
at our disposal. They cannot defend themselves
and must, therefore. run so far up stream as to
be of no use in the transportation Of cattle and
other supplies from Texas, and will be destroyed
or captured. -
The great source Of eupplies, the t'trans Mis-
sissippi department" is sealed up az far as prac
teal use is concerned. The route which their
blockade runners have been patronizng from
Red River to Berwick Bay 10 seriously threaten
ed Although the North seems to attach little
Importance to the achievements of the e1pedi-
ton, land and naval, down the river, there are
substantial and valuable results already attained
1t has other and more conclusive blows to deal.
But the progress already accomplish d is worthy
of record, inasmuch az it has been serious blow
to the Cnnfederacy, end has SO far added to the
probabilities of success.
"A few days since saw a deserter from Vicks.
burgh-such he protested to be. His statements
contradict and disagree totally with those of the
last lot of deserters He estimates the rebel
force at 10000 Gen.. Pemberton is in. COM
mand, Gen. Jc Johnston having gone to Middle
Tennessee Pemberton is Northern man by
birth, but married Southern lady, thus Wedding
himself to the ipiquities of rebellion. He rep
rssents the troops to be well supplied with corn
meal and sugar. Meat is scarce and of poor
quality. The troops are paid very irregularly.
The best shoes issued to them are of English
manufacture, for which they charge IS, 3d.
Flour is sold at 500 per barrel. Whisky, which
lie only 'sLouisians rum" villainous decoction,
made from sugar-cane, is sold at $40 per quart
You remember that soon after We moved
down to the lower end Of the canal, rebel
steamer passed up the river to Vicksburg One
Of our batteries, Woods, which At that time had
charge Of two siege guns, S0-pound Parrott's
fred upon her, but it was 60 foggy that nothing
could be seen of the steamer but her chimneys,
hol; hot tho ehatA
This deserter, who was in battery near the
landing, says that she was struck twice, one shot
hitting the wheel house, and another passing
clear through her, very near her boilers. A large
number of ladies we're on her, coming up to
Vicksbure, and . scene entued on board.
mention this, because come Of your townsmen
felt little cbagrined at their shots.- oil Of
which seems to have been without reason.
The health of the troops is substantially
ss 1t has been, although this vet and stormy
weather must affect them considerably. There
is much sickness, but the report that you pub
lished in the Journal Of the 9th is an exsgger-
stion-not quite as ridiculous, however, Is
the plan given you by the Lieutenant Colonel
Of the 23d Wisconsin. The idea of Grants ar.
nv going below Vicksburg to attack Port Hud>
son, thus leaving an enemy stronger than that
which he is to attack in its rear, is too ridicu-
| lous for notice. Ii your Fea0ere nave any
curiosity to know the real plan of this cam
paieh, / will state it in detail as soon as it is
completed and Vicksburg is ours.
| Last night the rebel camp was alarmed by
some means. The long roll made trip Of
their whole line, signal lights were displayed,
but no collision happened Of which We have
any knowledge on our side Of the river.
The course of the guerrillas in your Legisla'
ture excites considerable remark in camp
There is but one opinion among officers and
men-Democrsts and Republicans-in the llli-
nois regiments. Every one of them, from the
little bantam from Chicago, clear along the
dead level of their line to your new Senator
re looked upon and despised as cowardly trait
rs, They not only lack patriotism and fealty
to their Government, but they are ingrates-
treacherous to their brethren in the field. Fro
Tossing the utmost loyalty to the Government,
they remain at home, using the Offices vacated
by better men to strengthen the hands OF those
who are in arms against US. If they were not
traitors, they would take the field and fight for
those rights and liberties which they affect
! There will be an end to these men. To the