Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-03-13
The seIge of Viclssburg.

Correspondence of the New York Hines.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
OFF VICKsBURGH, Feb. 27.-So much has
been said about the famous Vicksburg canal,
and so much has been expected of it, that al
most the first thing that one newly arrived at
this place asks is, "Where is the canal p
"Have any boats passed through it yet?'
"When will it be tinished?" &c. Every one
experiences a feeling of disappointment at
first view Of it, but if, like Niagara it seems at
first glance to have been over-rated, | cannot
say that tine disappointment passes away, or
that the o1Icct gains Importance by many con-
temptations. The feeling of disappointment
that every one feels on first viewing the much
talked of canal, is only confirmed and height
sned by second and third survey.
When | left it in July last, it was only a
muddy little ditch through which no water
ran. and through which no. even a skitf had
ever passed; and though the water is high,
and Is willing to run in almost any place, the
clnal is not much more now than it was then
Considering that the digging of this canal has
been almost the only occupation of the army
since it came down here, a great deal of labor
must have been expended upon it, but the re-
suit of all the labor certainly does not make a
very imposing effect. Even if the water
should not rise SO high as to obige the sus-
penslOn of all work upon it, it will take weeks
or even month before it will be completed.
If, however, it is completed according to the
present plan, there is little doubt but that it
will prove "A success, in so far that it will al
low the passage Of steamers during the pres
ent high water, but not if the river should fail.
The river has now risen until it has overflow
ed its banks. All that portion of the bank
between the levee and the river is under wa
ter, and the leveo is all that restraints it from
Overlooking the camps, all of them being sit
uated on ground that is seven or eight feet
lower than the present level of the water in
the river
a fleet OF about sixty transport steamers is
now lying just above the entrance to the ca
nal, and on these are kept all the commissary,
ordnance, and other army stores. Gen. Grant
had his headquarters on board the steamer
Magnolia. The quartermasters, provost mar
shalS, ETC., all have their offices on different
steamers. There is nothing on the land but
the soldiers and their tents, and should the
water continue to rise for week even they
will be obliged to take to the boats or become
amphibious. The narrow strip OF land out
side Of the levee, and ON which everything
from the steamers is obliged to be landed tor
the supply Of The army, is one vast quagmire,
through which it is impossible for mules to
maui SNSh thS SiHptJ Wagons. nay, oats,
flour, ammunition, has to be carried on The
backs of mules, and long lines of them may
be seen continually wallowing through the
mud on their way from the boats to the
camps.
There is no symptom of any plan of attack
upon Vicksburg. Everything is deferred till
the completion of the canal, when the plan of
attack will probably develop itselt by tl,s. .,A,
ming of transports, though it is so as to be
beyond the range of the enemy's batteries on
the hills opposite, the decentralization of the
troops, and the landing the whole army some
where below Vicksburg, on the Mississippi
side of the river.
The loss of our irOn-clad Indianola, in con-
nection with the capture by the rebels of the
Queen of the West, has materially changed
our prospects on the river below this point.
Day before yesterday the Queen of the West,
now flying rebel flag, was in sight lying off
Warren, seven miles below Vicksburg and
yesterday was reported to have come up to
the landing at VickSburg. For three nights
past our fleet of transports have anticipated a
raid of the rebel rams, and have been in Il
state OF readiness to scatter like a flock at the
first warning of their approach.
Large SELF was perpetrated on the reb-
els in Vlcksburg two nights 20. An old
coa-barge, fitted up with bogus paddle box.
two large quaker guns in a quaking sham tur-
ret and a pair of ruSt-eaten smoke stacks
from some condemned transport--the whole
affair painted practically black, was set atoat
from the fleet about midnight of Tuesday last.
The night was dark, and it was feared that the
enemy would save their powder by not dis
covering it. 1t had scarcely drifted around
the point in range of the batteries, before the
''boom" of large gun showed the watchful-
ness of the enemy. Presently another and
another, battery after battery, opened upon it,
until the long range of hills belched fire like
volcano, and through the humid atmosphere
the believing of the artillery sounded like
continuous thunder. 1t was great cry and
little WOOL" however, the innocent Quaker
gunboat drifted safely through, and skitfs
were sent out by our troops from below the
point, and the craft was towed to shore,
where it now lies, without the mark of sim
gle shot in its formidable looking bulk.
From the Indianapolis state journal.
T.JppEssfvr SCDNE At ITNtoI