Maryland free press. [volume] (Hagerstown [Md.]) 1862-18??, 1863-03-13
LATEST NEWS FROM THE SOUTH
The Vicksburg "Cut- off, Southern
Opinion of its Success.

allay anxiety on the subject of the Yankee
project of turning Ficksburg into an inland
town, Tho writer is Colonel Angamar, Of the
Confederate service, and at present in charge
of the Notifications of Mobile. We take the
lcttor from tho Mobile Tribune:
''In presence of the general feeling oeun.
eas;ncss produced by the cutting of tho canal
opposite Nicksburg by tho Yankees, II might
be relief to our friends TO know that, as far
as their purpose Of turning tho Mississippi
away from Vicksburg is concerned, it will
prove failure, which opinion is founded on
the following facts.
"In April, 1850, the Mississippi river rose to
a height never known before, and crevasses
or break in the levee took place at the planta-
tion of Col. White, about thirteen miles above
| Ticksburg. The rush of water was tremen-
dous; tho whole country for many miles was
sub,ncrgedi and the viczsbiitg and Monroe
railroad washed away. A strange feature of
the case was tia. tho river ran through that
part of the country as if it had been canal,
race course or cutoff, of which the crevasses
was the head, and scmcpoint below was tho
mouth, for the water that had run inland
through tho crevassc ran ont again from it to
the river about one mile balow Nicksburg.
| "Thc crevasso was not closed, and when the
water subsided the river retired to it's own bod
again, aud so will the present canal do.
"This singular phenomenon was owing to
tho fact that below the alluvial soil lay layer
of stiff blue clay, Which cannot be washed
away by the action of water. Below that
| layer of clay, which is about seven to ten feet
| deep, and lies about six to nine feet below
tho surface of the soil, comes the quick-sand
and it is only when the water comes in con
tact with that quick sand that there is danger
| IF abrasion by the action Of tho current on it.
I "tIod tho Yankecs cut their canal to depth
| sufficient to reach tho strata or quick-sand,
the Mississippi would certainly have cut its
way through the channel offered and left
Vicksburg an inland city; but they went to
work prompted by their malace only, and new
or thought of acquainting themselves with
the geology of our Mississippi lands They
only saw one thing; they wanted to pass their
transports down the river in order to quiet the
trouble of the West, and as Vicksburg was in
the way, and they could not take it, they
thought of making a cutoff; but they were ig-
norant off the nature of the soil they
had to deal with, and failed in accomplish
ing their object-showing once more to the
world that science and knowledge are neces-
sary in every enterprise, oven in digging a
canal"
fHE ATTACK ON CHARLESTON or SAVANNAH.
The Beaufort e. C.) Correspondent of the
N. Y. Tribune, writes under date of the 2ith
inst, in relation to tho expected attack on
! Charleston OF Savannah, rs follows:
':Quartcrmasters tell us that everything in
their department is ready. Comnissaries
have on hand food and ra.ons sufficient to las t
until some important city has been reduced,
vessels deeply laden with coal and water are
continually arriving, tho vast fleet of gun
boats and their attendant transports are asking
for nothing more, the Monitors are all upon
tho ground, and every wheel, and crank,
and bolt, and turret, in the smoothest
working order. Gen. Hunter and Admiral
Dupont both represent their respective
departments ready. 1t cannot therefore,
be many days before this important cxpcdi-
tion will set sail and commence operations
upon Charleston Or Savannah, or perhaps
both.
Tho leading officers Of this expedition,
those who are supposed to know its exact
strength, and epon whom also devolves tho
duty of knowing that of the enemy, are SAN
guine of success. Only among very few sub
ordinate officers have we heard it donbtedi
aid they know almost nothing of our actual
strength and the obstacles we have tocontend
with"
JefDavis Issues Another ProcIa mat ation.
[Fron the Richmond Enquirer, Feb 29.1
PROCLAMATION Bf TIE PRESIDENT.
1tis meet that, as people who acknowl-
odgo tho supremacy of tho living God; we
should bo over mindful Of our dependence on
Him, and should remember that to Him alone
can we trust to our dclivcranee, that to Him
Is due the dovout thankfulness for signal mer.
cies bestowed on us, and that by prayer alone
can we hope to receive continued manifesto
tion of that protecting care which has hither-
to shielded us in the midst of trials and DAN
gers. In obodoncd to this prccept, we have
from timo to time been gathered together with
prayers and thanksgiving, and Ho has been
graciously pleased to hear our supplications,
and to grant abundant exhibitions of His favor
to our arms and our people.
Through many conflicts we have now at.
tanned place among nations which com.
mands their respect, and let the enemies who
encompass us around and seek our destruction
SEQ that tho Lord of Hosts has again taught
them tho lossson of His inspired word, "that
tho battle is not to the strong" but to whom
soever Ho willeth toeoxalt. Again an enemy
with loud boastiag' of power, OF their armed
men and mailed ships, threaten US with sub:
jugation, and With evil machihatibns seek,
even in our homes and ut our own firesides, to
pcrvert our mon servants and our maid ser.
wants into accomplices Of their wicked
design.
Under these circumstances it is my privi.
legct invite you, once more, to meet togeth-
Grand PROSTATE yourselves in humble suppl
cation 10 Him who has been our constant and
ncvcr-hiling support in the past, and 10 whose