The Chattanooga Daily Rebel. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1862-1864, 1863-02-28
VIcKgnuno. EeLrnaIy l8. I0G3.

BOATS ~ READINESS
VIckBURG February IS 1868.
AS was predicted by many. and constantly kept
before our military authorities by the local press II
has turned ont that The enemy have erected bait es
on the lower end Of the leyee some two miles below
where the feet L. anchored, and q little above 'e
point where the mortar boats lay sheltered behind tie
timber last SUMMER Operations on this work ha9
been observed for week or more ana thc ptegalll
opinion was that batteries wore being erected tar
eyee as aiardlng TIE only ground nom which u
Gould get within range of q city.
Since Friday last The heavy weather 80 c.c mly
ohgentod the view that nothing could be SO but %
was ekpected that dea0uemeat would take place as
soon as the weather permitted, on the suspicion that
the enemy was improving his chances by pAl ing
mortars within range OF The city under cover 0t the
thick fog which hung like permanent curt IN OF
nipht over the bottom land, In which the Yankee
are located AS soon as the atmosphere became snf-
6cianty clear on Wednesday TO get good view, o e
eaemyA guns opened on the lower part Of fte city,
aiming no doubt al one Of our guns located in that
vicinity About one o'clock the first shot was fired
and at short intervals The firing was continued I'll
night Our guns replied, slowly and dclibe ately,
nearly shot for shot
Although this movement 81 the enemy had been
expected our business men are 10th 10 realize the
!act 1t will render the lower part OF the city-par-
licuarly that pari fronting on the river entirely un-
tenabe and the sooner those In exposed positions get
out Of the way the better 0i then The Depot of tho
Southern railroad seems 10 be the very enter Of th r
mark and the trains will no doubt be prev tied from
stopppg at that place any longer. TIE te giaph Of
Ace Is also IN dangerous place, and will no doubt
he moved out of the reach Of shells. What IS 70 be-.
done with the post Office has not yet been determined
bnt 10 will have TO seall some other locality for the
safety OF the mail matter and the convenience of the
public, out Of the reach Of dance.
Immediately upon tho commencement OF the ftiug
from the battery on shore, one OF The gunboats drop.
ped down to the same spot Later IN The day, 81
went back again 10 the Il ct above. Gr' excl a-
ment appeared 10 prevail among the shipping owe /.
tho close Of the day; the gunboats were Ia motion mo-
wing to and fro, aud all The transports bad on a ull
hoad Of steam. The effect Of our firing c. I'D NOT
seeu but IL must have proven quite an annol ance
the enemy. II our guns had shelled Ort the enemy
while he was planting these batteries, as was com
meuded by the press. we would not now be trouble d
from them. So far as their shooting is concei Ied
there has been no damage done yet though the shells
all come within the city liae
Tt will he very unfortunate for our citizens if Ger
pomberton onforces his order 70 remove the non com
baiants percmptOry al this iunctute. The nm ortu.
nate break in the railroad prevents exit by that route
whilca other means OF escape by the country roads
Ii sat present impossible. Tie interruption on the
the railroad will not interfere much with the massiup
OF trnOps here bat there may be'trOubc In getting m
supplies and In carrying away the nou-combatants -
The accident on Monday night was quito serious af.
air, and caused two men TO lose their lives in a mos
shocking manner. One waa mired in the mud be.
yound the power OF cxtricat0n, and was steamed tC
death by the engine The other Is supposed . have
been buried alive la the mud, aud has not yet beer
found. The road Is not yet repaired
During the night everything remained quiet. III,
skies cleared Of and stare were again visible for tht
st time In week This morning there was moth
y na strange 10 be seen among the enemy excen
The ireGen dous steam irom The fleet, which looked a
II they were all ready to start ON cruise. An occn
sional shot was fred during the night The olIoi
Yesterday was no doubt for the purpose Of obtann,
the range Of their guns. NgsroR.