Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-04

The Hartford Press publishes extracts
from private letter received in that city, the
writer Of which has been in the rebel service
since the commencement of the war, and only
recently escaped from Vicksburg, where his
father holds an important command. 1t is
dated New Orleans, April lst, and contains
several items of interest. We publish below
some portions of it. The orders given at the
close show the almost starving condition of
the rebel army at Vicksburg:
'FDEAR C--:-Over seventeen months
have passed away since / have heard from
you, except Il short business line you sent
through Gen Wool, in 1866, relative to the
contiscation Of your property in Rome rGa.
| am sorry to say your portion has long ago
gone into the hands of the confederate gov
eminent. While we have stripped the Union
lists both at home and abroad OF all, we count
our acres in the north. Ours in Massachu-
sets, suppose are safe, as | suppose by the
debates as they appeared in congressional des-
patches of our own press that the United
States government has not yet found out that
it is constitutional to contiscate a traitors
property. But whether it is so or no, eight of
our institution are-well, in the First
South Carolina volunteers
"The communication between the two Sec
tons is as regular as the old mail, only the
postage is some larger. Father had letter
from Mr.. -, in New York city, the day
before came away. Three dollars will
carry letter from New Orleans to YOU
through Richmond in one week. Why I'M
der heavens the people don't unite is nv
greatest wonder. BY unity the confederacy
might have been among the things that were.
l send you some copies of orders which will
show you the state of our commssary de-
partment They are verbatim, as have the
originals in my pocket. But the arbitrary
and unrighteous tyranny of the confederate
government is such that no planter will plant
the necessaries Of life; besides, the labor is
getting scarce. The emancipation act has
enticed more slaves than few, but mostly
from the country contiguous to the federal
forces"
''rhe week 1 ran away nine skedaddled,
but five were recaptured, and in three hours
shot! That's the way we have discipline
fourteen death penalties were conspicuously
posted throughout the camp. Our loss by de-
selIoh Is enormous, notwithstanding these
heavy penalties.
ne attention of all, both rebel and loyal-
ISL Is towards Vicksburg. THAT the federal
@tmy "'H capture 1t, and that without a bat
~ ~ or NOT much of one, Ihace no doubt, for
lheir supplies will in time give out, with no
ciiance OF another supply, if the federal army
WI T TuI on the Mississippi Central railroad
anu anu IeAuS railroad. The reduction of Vicks-
burg by regular siege is the onlv chance ot
success. No direct assault will ever sncceed
Iuily believe Vicksburg utterly impregnabIe
to any assault from the combined world II
Gen. Pemberton had any men to snare 70
keep In heavy force on the railroads. / dopht
your ever capturing it. But he has not. Eve.
ny man is needed in the city or its surround.
ings. lie has a battery manned 5y men moi
one Of Sohom is under sirty years old. There