Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-06-18

REPORT OF THE REBEL BEARER Oh
DISPATCHES.

REPORT OF THE REBEL BEARER OF
DISPATCHES.
The rebel bearer Of dispatches who
gave himself up to Gen. Grant, on the
18th ullimo, ia a native of Illinois, and
took that method to get home. He be-
longed to the regular cavalry and was
stationed in Texas when the war broke
ont, when he was forced to join the rebel
army, and has found no opportunity to get
away till now. His name is Douglass and
his report Of the state Of affairs in Vicks-
burg is likely to be reliable. The sub
stance of the dispatch which he Was to
carry to Johnston was an urgent demand
for help. Number of reln.orcemenls re-
CURED, $4,000 advising retreat if he
could not bring that number upon Grants
rear with ten days--number Of troops 10
Vicksburg, l8,00O-on hand thirty days
rations for the garrison, one meal a day
ammunition scarce, particularly gun caps.
Douglass was further instructed to ascer-
tain the exact number of Johnston's army
and report as speedily as possible. He
| desired to return home, and Grant sent
him up the river on the steamer Sultana
He says there are eighteen thousand fight
ing men in Vicksburg, commanded by
| Gems. Pemberton, Stevens. Reynolds,
Bowen, Forney, Morris, Lee, and n. l..
Smith. Penberton is chief in command
and exceedingly unpopular. 1t is sur
missed that he thinks Of surrender. Re-
ferring to this Bowen said in hist Douglas')
hearing, "that if Pemberton made the first
movement towards giving up the city he
would hang him as high as Hannah" The
evident policy of Pemberton will be, when
he is satisfied that all hopes Of succor
from Johnston are gone, to break through
our lines on the left, and endeavor to cut
his way through TO Big Black. The dam
age to Vicksburg occasioned by the fire of
our guns and mortars is immense. He es-
Inmates that at least one fifth Of the city
! is destroyed. Up to Wednesday at IL
o'clock, the names of one hundred women
and children were reported at the provost
marshal's office, who were killed by the
explosion of our missiles in different parts
of the city. Among these is said to have
been the wife of General Pemberton him
self
STATE OF TIE BEsIEGED.
. The correspondent of the New York
Times, writing June LIST, says
The rumor that the garrison suffers for
water is false. They have an abundance
of water Of the very best quality in cis-
terms.
The women and children all remain in
town, although ordered at various times
TO leave. On the day our men left, a
morning report showed the sad fact that
up to that time ll9 of these unfortunates
had been killed by our shells, among
whom is the wife of General Pemberton
The women of Vicksburg are either brave
bevond ordinary mortals, or desperate IL
the extreme. Shells search every part Of
the town, and yet the children play as
usual upon the streets, and the womer
. seek no protection, but boldly promenade
the public thoroughfares, and attend u
their household duties. In house Gloss
to the Jail our men saw several ladies, wht
sat in groups on the piazza, moved leisure
ly about the house, and at times made the
!, air melodious with the voice and piano.
: What quality is this shown by thes'
: women? Is it heroism, desperation, o
:. what /? Death is all about them--it hiss
es through the air, crashes through thei
edifices, smites down their innocent chll
= dren and themselves, and yet they uncon
cernedly sit, sing, chat and laugh througl
:, it although a combination Of horror
!" that would almost make a coward OF tn
:. bravest man who ever drew sword.
y These things seem incredible, but the
are true, for our prisoners unite
vouching for the fact, all phases Of whic
they themselves heard and witnessed
While in the Jail our men received
messenger from our fleet in the shape OF
- two hundred pound shell that made tive
~ a capacious entrance through the roof
Passing down it carried away nearly th
3 entire floor of the room in which it entere
:: and then exploded in the hall below
= Wonderfully enough it hurt no one, a
!, though several We're in the very room +;
- did no further damage than to open an i
VA regular skylight in the roof, blow ont a
j the glass in the building, and knock dow
= enough brick, mortar and old iron to ket
~ ~ busy two colored gentlemen with whee
barrows day and a half in removing Il
aa accumulated rubbish.
naS Almost every building IN town bea
!" the mark of shells, some of which ha'
81 fallen from the mortar feet and othe
'ai from the PARROT batteries IN the rear. o.
~ men passed one house through which
ID I3-inch shell had dropped, from roof
~ basement group of ladies eat on Il
= balcony, and servants were engaged
IA wheeling the shattered fragments out
~. ~. the building.
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