Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-04-16
Correspondence OF the Charles City lrtellieenc
ARMY LETTER.
HEADQUARTERS 18th ARMY CORPS,
Lake Providence. La, March 30.

HEADQUARTERS 18th ARMY CORPS,
Lake Providence, La, March 30.
DEAR HMDRErH Great changes
are constantly taking place in this
Department. This morning Brigadier
General Sullivan stopped here, en- route
to report to Gen. Grant, having re-
quested that an active command may
be bestowed upon him. Gen. Sulli
van has been very successful. from
the commencement Of his military
career in Western Virginia, up to the
present time. He it was who punish
ed the rebels terribly at Parker's cross
roads, last January. He is succeeded
in the District of Jackson" by Brig.
Gen. Kimball, within two days. Brig,
Gems. futile, Benton, Carr aud Jno.
E. Smith have passed on below. Every
transport that can be used is now be.
ing pressed into the Z. S. service. All
the troops that could possibly be spar
ed from the different Districts within
this Department, have been ordered
to report at "vicksburg forthwith"
The great struggle will soon be de.
cided, and either. yicksburg fall, Or an
army perish.
On the 25th of March, Gen. Ross,
9th Army Corps,) finding the posi-.
ton of the rebels 10 strong for him at
Greenwood, Yazoo Pass, rctreated
back to Coldwater, one hundred miles
from his former position. Here he
met Brig.-Gen. Greenly, 9th Corps, J
and uniting their forces, they again
started for the rebel stronghold, un.
der order to give the enemy battle.
In all probability part of Admiral
Porter's iron-clads will go to their as.
sistance as three iron-clads have gone
through the Deer Creek, into the Sun
flower, then into the Yazoo above
Haynes Bluff, placing this battery be-
tween two fires. 1t is expected the
Notifications at Greenwood will be at
tackled at once. Our forces are conf.
dent Of success. Two of Admiral
Farraguts feet-the Hartford and
lraquois-are at the mouth of the Ca
nal near Warrenton. The Mississippi
was destroyed and thirty-seven of our
boys captured by the rebels. The Of
ficers who ran the blockade, speak of
The fire they passed through, las most
Internal" and that the enemy's works
1t Port Hudson are CT the most formi.
liable kind. Gen. Banks, is reported
within four miles of tho works with
lis command. A messenger had been
tent by him to Gen. Grant, at Young's
Point.
The canal is progressing slowly.
There are three dredging machines at
work. The water rushcs with great
velocity through the channel. At
times We are strongly hopeful of sue
cess from this cut off but as gcncr.
al opinion, it is hardly thought any
great benefit will be gained from it.
The canal at this place will soon be
tried, although as yet, no boat has
passed through the channel.
The rebels are reported as falling
trees. and forming earthworks along
the banks Of the Bayou Macon, where
hey will dispute our passage. But
they will find that Gen. Mcpherson is
the hardest nut they ever tried to crack.
The Lake and its Bayous have been
thoroughly explored, and splendid
maps drawn of all the surroundings.
| do not think there will be any great
defence made on Bayou Macon by the
enemy. All their available force in
the West is now at Vicksburg and va.
zoo Pass, and besides they have sent
a large force of Eastern rebels to aid
their Western brethren. Now we will
have a fine opportunity of seeing if
the Eastern rebels are superior to
those of the Southwest-as some zeal
Gus defenders of the Army of the Po-
tomac maintain when speaking of the
victories gained by our Western boys.
Now / would not not speak or write a
despairing word of the gallant boys
of the East. Yet all will allow that
what success has been gained in this
has been gained in the
by the western boys. They
may not know the use of the spade as
well, but in the use of the musket
they are in no way superior to the
Army of the West.
Will the President draft a force in
the field sufficient to Gil up the old
regiments in the service?
The soldiers-or majority of them
prefer having the conscripts in body
by themselves they would not vol
unteer, yet they will share all the glo-
ny of the old veterans of Shiloh and
Corinth, by being classed with them.