The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-02-27
The Siege of Vicksbure
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial
NEAR VICKsBURG, Feb 1902
THE TOWN OF YICKSRIypC

NEAR VIcKsBURG, Feb T. 1863,
THE TOWN OF vICKsBURG.
In company with few others | yester-
day took long tramp through the point
on which the army is encamped, to get a
good view of the beleagured city of Vicks-
burg. After wading through mud and
water of various depths, from two inches
TO three 1eet, we arrived exactly opposite
the town, in full view of every street and
every house in it, with nothing but the
Nils ,lsslppl river between us and the South
western Gibraltar. | had very distinct
recollection of having been disturbed in
my observations from the very same stand
point last summer, by "a thirty-two FOUNDER
from the hostile shore, and was Particular
ly careful not to attract the attention oftbe
vigilant Southern gentlemen this time We
remained quietly obscured from siabt nm
der cover of the levce, for nearly an hour
until we had seen everything visible 70 tho
naked eye in Vicksburg. Since nv last
summers sojourn, the rebels have erected
q great many additional batteries. and
strengthened all that were then in working
order The old works are as Distinguish
able from the new ones SIS the graves Of q
year past are distinguishable from the
graves. Of last month
The entire city of Vicksburg is built I'D
on the slope Oft very high hill, and the
rebels have awaited themselves Of this nat
ural advantage OF position to convert it
into one large fort. The streets ascending
from the !evee are all barricaded with
heavy earthworks, from which artillery
frowns upon the river below; and all tho
warehouses upon the levce are loopholed
for infantry. Nothing Of this sort had
been attempted when the fleet was here
last summer. Besides the additions made
to the detences on the front, nearly all the
Qualifications on the TANKS and rear have
been erected since August last All the
dwelling houses in the city appeared to be
vacant, except few, in front of which we
could see the rebel flag waving to denote
Confederate headquarters Of some kind.
No signs of animation were visible upon
any OF the streets, except now and then a
few soldiers struggling lazily along with
muskets on their shoulders-probably a
provost guard-and a few army wagons
making slow progress up the steep thor
Oughtares, instead of through them, as
we would say of a city built upon level
ground. A long train of freight cars was
alternately backing in and backing out of
the depot, with an evident intention of
starting for Jackson, Mississippi, very soon.
In the cupOla of the court house several
individuals connected with the signal corps
were to be seen. Occasionally one of them
waved white, red or blue flag to indicate
the nature of his observations in the vicin-
itv Of the Federal fleet
Walking along the levee, opposite the
lower part of the city, We could see sever
al regiments on drill and dress parade
The batteries in this vicinity appear to be
composed, in Il great measure, of field
pieces with few Parrot guns here and
there. Some of the shot and shell fired at
the Queen of the West, while passing
these batteries, was of English manufac-
turc.