Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-22

ERTTER FROM FAOKsRUaef'
specisl CorruspOndenes Of the Memphis ApposLl
YTCKsBURG, April 20, 1868.
The batteries from which the enemy has been
playing upon the city since Friday, ere still
left unmolested, and not a gun hiss set an
swered from eur side. This unaCcountabls
silence is attributed to shs PcremptcTy orders Of
General Pemberton, who refuses permission to
open Ere, for what reason, is perhaps only
known to himself It IS certainly very pro-
vokipe to cur artillerists to be compelled to
stand in battery IS a target fer the enemy,
without the privilege Of making reply as
well as to the citizens who are Witnessing the
destruction Of their property under the muz-
xles of our guns. What military strategy there
is m not firing gun At the enemy, when on &
/ formsr occasion it required only two shots from
our guns TO drive him swsy, is beyond the com
prehension Of The unscientifc and unmilitsry
observer.
Erly on Monday morning the pickets and
signal men reported that the enemy had been ct
work all night, and that some Of the boats had
been down to the neighborhood Of Tie battery.
The presumption was that more guns rad been
pat up, or perhaps their places supplied by
mortsrs-and expectation was on tptoe to learn
what dsvilment had been going on among the
Yankees. Every one was prepared for the
opening Of a nSw programme during the day,
and they did rot have long to wait, as the enc
my opened somewhat sooner than usual, no
doub. being anxious to note the range Of the
guns in new direction, for which they had
prepared themselves during the night.
About hslfpast eight o'clock A. H., the first
shot was fred at the city, and came nearer reach
ing it than any previous effort They now d.
rected their Ere toward that part Of the town
between the Washington hotel and the court
house. The shells did not as formerly, fall or
burst in the river, but now they reached into
the city, and, believe, pieces of the first one
struck the Washington hotel Soon afler this
another one fell Immediately in front Of that
building, and exploding, whiTled its fragments
into q Jews store opposite, and set FIRE to the
goods One man was standing in the door of
the store when The she'll exploded, and it seemed
as if the pieces passed By him By hundreds
without touching him. Bis escape is almost
miraculous.
The length Of range Of the euemy's guns
kept on increasing as shell after shell came
uhirling and seTesohing through the air. Soon
they reached squsre beyond Washington
street, sBd several buildings on Walnut street
were struck, and their distance kept on increas-
ing until they resched the street in front Of the
custom house. On tie bill upon which ihe tat
tar building stands, number Of persons had
congTsgated to witness theshooting but when the
shells began to fail in the street. and on the side
Of the bill, the eTowd OF spectators very sud !
denly diminished, ard the place was thereafter
rot considered so agreeable for observations. I
hear of several soldiers wounded by fragments |
of shell and one or two killed.
It appears to me to be matter rather Tequir- /
ing csnsure than praise, in regard to the mex
cusabls rsckIsssness Of some Of the ladies about
Vieksburg, whose desire for seeiZg the sheIliDg |
prompts them to GEEK very exposed places, re-
gardless Of the dsngsr. Now, Imagine shell /
to explode in The midst Of bevy Of ladies', and ]
xiii dozen or two Of the dear creatures. There
could be no eensure put upoa the Yankees for
such an act, because THAR four 5ays sbelling |
previous had given al fair warning to get ont
Of harms reach. The order Of Gen. Pembsr-
ton, for the removal Of the women and children,
IS not enforced and not obeyed, and the town is
entirely too full Of the non-combatant element.
I do not think that tie firing yesterday pro
eeeded from the same guns that did tbs she'll
ing on the previous days. They are Of longer
range, but net Of such heavy calibeT, and they
seem to shoot with more accuracy than tie for
NOR ones. Their IRE is in direct line with the
courthouse, and if practice has any virtue, they
win yet strike that building. Pieces Of shell
went several squares beyond that place. OF
course it msy bs imagined that q stampede oc
cured yester5ay-but this Is a mistake, and
but few people were seen either tomove or leave
The city. They have made up their minds to
stay, and seem to psy but Iittle attention to the
shelling.
There are various reports in regard to the bat
terry from which the Yankees arc shelling.
Some aecsunts have It that it is casemated and
ron-clad. and that the guns are frod from port
holes. OtheTs have it that It is nothing but
simple battery behind the Ievee, and that the
sveee itself answers as parepet and embsnk-
nent, while the supposed poTtholes are merely
iitches cut through the leveo as peep holes from
rbich to take their observations. I have not
yet had an opportunity of examining the work
With a glass, and cannot venture an opinion of
IS character, further than what learn at Gen
headquarters, that the battery is
7ery much exposed, and liable to be silenced
my minute by our guns,
What the next order of the day win be is hard
% conjecture, and viii be regulated according
% the movements Of the enemy.
The Hewbraw element has sll disappeared
rom cur midst, and but few business houses
sre now open at which to transact busiaessi and
he town is ia fact untenable at the present
.ns; the daily expectation Of an assault in
orce, viii cause stagnation in the trading line.
There is not 8 large amount Of sugar here, or
hat might open 3 chance for speculation I
10 not think that there is anything wanting in
he way of full and perfect preparations for the
expected assault, and everybody is willing to
abide the issue with the utmost confidence
NEsTOR.
LETTER FBO1I RICHMOND.
Special Correspondsaoe Of the Memphis Appeal
RICHMOND, April IS, 1868