Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-07-10
Corrrspondrnec Of the star 4 Chronicle.
CAMP NEAR SNYDER's BLUFFS,
June lS 1863


its bend towards vicksburg. We remained
there during the day. The ground il lo'
and fiat, and bears the marks Of bein;
flooded, 1t was SO when Gen. Grant
army lay here. Just here is the moutl
Of the famous canal. 1t is, should sup
pose, some six feet deep from the level o
the ground, and hardly wider at the bot
tom, the ground thrown out making tb'
banks higher. 1t was supposed, that, ,
course being opened, the water rushing
through would make it wider. Blu, tn,
ground is Of a sticky clay, not the sandy
alluvium where the waters usually blur,
their way and make for themselves . new
chanue!. This ditch and the row Of new
made graves along the levee, attest The
stay Of the army. 1t seems to me wonderful
what a queer people We are. We give
credsnce to any seemingly possible scheme,
trust more to a thing that seems impossi.
bic, just because we have accomplished
wonders like the telegraph. The idea Of
humbug never enters the head until it is
demonstratedj then We coolly acknowledge
that it is humbug, aud 90 it again at
something else. | could not help admi.
ring the cool sang.fr0id with which these
western people speak of Grants canal, as
. thing to keep the soldier, employed
and satisfy the people, at time When
nothing could be done.
We marched across tho point TO the
lower landing, below Vicksburg, crossing
in cur way the Ievee and railroad embank-
ment The levee is a bank, raised, back
some distance from the natural or usual
bank Of the river, to restrain the overflow
Of the river. 1t is bank like the rail-
road bank over at the station at Lewisburg.
The road across the point was part cordu.
roy aud part plank, and was terrible trial
to our horses and artillery. Oae brigade
(ours) was taken down to Warrenlon on
some transports, and We had scarcely
landed, and had pitched our shelters, when
the order came to return. We returned,
and pitched our shelters again, when we
were ordered to return to the upper land
ing where We first landed. 1t was dark
theu-the corduroy, loose plank, stumps,
aud mud holes, made it q trying time for
the infau,ry-but swearing was uuusces-
ssry, Us the artillery did enough Of that
for the whole division. The journey was
very satisfactory to US, as we bad an op-
portupity of seeing the town aud fortifioa.
lions, above and below, SO that our view
was complete of the front. Now, if they
march US round down behind, we will
have had . regular excursion of it-with /,
this difference-returu tickets for oil not
assured. 1t bids fair to be so.
They embarked Us the next morning on !
and brought US to the Yazoo,
andiug US at Snyders Bluffs, which are
.wo to three miles this side Of Haynes
Bluffs, and are a continuation of the line
If bills on which Vicksburg is built. Now
We have marched around by the western
base of these hills some three miles inland
md are encamped. We have fiue, breezy
,lace, and good water from springs iu the
Hills. I have my quarters beneath the
argest oak tree l ever saw.
We continue to stumble on scquaintan-
,es. The first mau met, was Levi Reber,
on Of Col. Ssm'l Reber, who used to keep
sbat is now BiehPs Hotel. Levi had four
,roshers in the army. Many, who heard
here was Penn'a Reg't here, came over
md proclaimed themselves. An officer Of
be 34th Iowa introduced himself to me,
vho, when . boy, lived at James Straw.
ridges, in Lewisburg. His name was
Waters, and he questioned me about all
be little boys, nov grown men, at homo.
began to feel my age again. 1t. Foster
net cousin Of bis, IN Capt. Davis COM
ANY, both from Centre county. met
ousin, and heard of many scquaintances
around among these hills. There
'as 1t. Klcokner, son of Mr.. Klecknsr
bovo Miffiinburg, who studied medicine .
ere, camc aud staid with US a night and
ave US all the news about Vicksburg.
We scarcely hear the guns from this ;
lace, but over at Young's point there was
continual roar. We we're at q safe dis I
lnce, with unobstructed view.
They bavo here, on the Mississippi,
hat they call the Marine Brigade. They ::
ave common steamboats,, heavily plauksd
D the sides, sufficiently so as to be proof ,
sainst musketry. They have a certain ,
roportion of infantry, cavalry, and artil.
ry, on board of each boat, and have fly !
g launches BY which they can rapidly !
isembark the whole on to the shore, and
ere Intended to operate against the guer- I
Has, that FIRE on the boats. The guer- .
Has have . battery which has been an
pecial sort Of aunoy ance to our transports, 7
'pearing at unexpected places on tho v
lore and firing their broadsides. This e
of the marine brigade was j.,
'sigoed to operate against these parties. :
ut it has been like the Vicksburg canal, n
ID the expedition up Deer creek. The a
beer { don't know his name) that got {
up, was allowed to recruit the brigade
ON the hospitals of convalescents-a bad
ing to start With. The greater proportion
those hangers on Of couvalescent camps,
G what they call in the army, 8" scheis.
r-Ou's." Then the horses are cramped P
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