The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-01-30


vfcrsBuRG, Jan. %, 1863.
We have Trustworthy intelligence from above that the
great Yankee iotla, consisting Of sixty guDboats and
transports passed Greenvlle, Mississippi, coming
down. We ready.
Williams Cut ON, Opposite VicksbarS.
The general OF the Mississippi as all web know
runs nearly duo south, but detail il is exceedingly tor
tnous. wnon vicssourg drst appears in sight TO the
sraveer down river its direction is almost due east
nearly three Inhcs distant. Al y,cksburg the stream
s.doubies completely upon itself, and for three miles
additional its course is exactly reversed A peninsula
tongue Of land, thus formed with length Of nearly
three mics and width Of a little less than mile. Al
shc commencement neck OF this peninsula II is
contracted than a: any other point The people oil Fchs
burg long feared that the river would mako ts way
across tins bend cut them OF from the steam
boat M gaton Of the MISSISSIPPI.
II the channel is formed the neck no earthly
power prevent the OF the stream from
Sonownr ihs direction bar wond speedy form II tne
lower end Of the cutoff and the main channel would
gradually iii up or torn lake Navigation WIN follow
ane shortest route ycksbrrg VIII become 81 The
cities
On the pon,nsnla the ground much sowcr than The
surface Of he river ordinary foods and
Jevee entirely around 10 preserve from
overflow The Shreveport and yicKsburg Railroad
along The centre Of the peninsula and terminates rs
that Cconel crafts Wright operated during the recent
attack upon ycssoarg Tar Delhi, and destroyed the
track The Of the road made perpetual N
prevent The possibility u the state Of LOUISIANA
permitting the cut being made across Admiral Ear
ragut arrival before Vcksburg last June perceived
the great advantage TO movements that ~oad arse
from the channel extending across the peninsula out Of
range Of The batteries Of yioKsburg, and saving dis
tsncc Of several mlcs Not having any particular
gcnr tho atty IF lc.g
OF parish Of Madison, the State Of louisiana, hc
the suggestion according to the plan General
Thomas w.Lams, VITO killed at Baton Rouge
decided make the channei and sent boat TO visi the
plantations twenty-five miles down the river ami IN.
press all The negroes who could be found Four hundred
OF them were work cutting the caaal, bat
there fear that the project would not at that
tnc succeed the hen over ten feet within
It's At highest foods IT is twenty ieel above
its then level.
The Richmond papers Of last July stated that tic at
tempt Of ilncolns army oil dggers IN the Mis-
sssippi from ycgsbnrg, by cutting FOR channel
excited very little soclude there. The task they sad
q great difficulty and would require long tune
maze successful In an the enterprises FOR straight
enng river made by the citizens OF the lower Mssis
sppi ound that, alter cutting through few feet
OF sand, oue clay entered npon, which Is s. *
ceedingly iourn as 10 require blasting Ii and
channel cut .ery deep, 10 u speedily
choked and died up with dirt, wood, sand, SC The re
bells, however when forces withdrew from NlcNshlrg
last tcgan speedily M Up me cut "fcr lear #
accidents
Tho latest reports from vcksbrrg, via Caro- state mat
The river low bank luD, aud that two rgades q
NcClefnands troops were engaged cxcavalng the oil
canal. view days WILL doubtless decide whether viii
be not and, ycssbarg, defeaces and
all. viii b. entirely useless the reocls, and they viii
r.v .,ag tfY.#t T.8r 1ax, N