Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-19

Correspondence Of the Chicago Timeal
EieKsBURG, January %, 1853.

RpERAB VIEW CT THHE SITUATION
Ap EsCH1sEURG.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Timesi
VleKsBURG, January %, 1853.
Batal this has listle to 90 with war. you say.
or that other absorbing topic, tho taking 81
VcksDurg. Well, here sc are in plain view Of
Vieksbnrg, ard our piczeis within Smelling dis
tsncs of the city. Our troops are al on the
Louisiana shore, and extsnd from three miles
above to Miliken's bend; and from about the
same distance below Vicksburg 70 nearly oppo-
site WarrentoR, twelve miles below. Our bas
teries now command the nver below the city as
well IS theirs do st it. Until within q few days
rebel steamboats, were plying continually be-
tween VieksburE and P3ItHudson. All This is
stopped row. One boat. the City Of Vieksburg,
hes at the wharf. and win become our prey
y bensvey tbs city does. Shs ran mp with bar
relso H,ur and meat two days ago, and was
basily engaged unloading all day yesterday
From "the point" the city and Qualifications are
infinitely diseernable, and dozens 90 down there
daily atthe risk of theirlives, no doubt TO crafty
their curiosity by q nearer view Of the far-famed
American Gibraltar. (AproP0ss Gibraltar was
taken once or twice IOar correspondent was
equally reckless. Re walked even to the
waters edge, within s mile Of the rebel water
batteries, sat on the shore, skipped stones on the
river, waved his hat afscsionately to the raseals
on the opposite bank 1t psgiiag, and came away
When z dozen or two get haddled together, q
she'll is generally thrown to scatter them, bat in
dividuals may wander along its banks with im-
punity. A dozen shots were thrown on the
point yesterday by the rebels, to fTighten some
engineers who were busy at work taking bear
ings. No ons was hit, no one discontinued his
occupation, but the firing stopped.
Thsir fortiications sre plainly Ia view 10 the
naked eye, and extend along the summit Of the
bluffs TO the northwsId for miles-probably 81
the way to the YazOo. To tbs southwark I was
unable to obtain q good view. Immediately
below the city they have 3 fort mounting
several Of their heaviest guns, aud casematsd
Men can be seen at work strengthening their
fortiHesi0ns everywhere Guns are planted
half way up the hill, in the middle of every
street leading from the landing, and most Of the
streets appear 70 be barricsded. Al the lower
part of the city (by which I mean the portion
next the river) is deserted By families. Soldiers
are quartered 10 many Of the buildings, but
many mora are tenautless, The few dozens Of
Fedora soldiers who struggled through cur
pickets and resched the river bank on the point
lay there for hours, watching all that was going
on. At one time a woman came out Of . house,
got into q buggy and drove away, which 80 eD-
cited every emotion Of gsllsntry, that three
rousing cheers were given for the lady, and
/ lltEt EttaHb tA hES DAlEC4 4DWA Mulu enl
drove. The cheering was too Uproasious, and
the rebels admonished them to be less noisy by.
pitching a shell directly over their heads, which
exploded but a few yards in the rear. The boys
took the hint and their leave at the same time,
for a second and a third followed the FIRST at
short intervals, and well aimed Later in the
day, stragelsis from the 9Th Missouri chased a
drove Of hogs to the very waters edge. and
killed and carried off a number, ia spite Of shot
I nAH shall Afrna-1nnAfu nanu al nv wrnwn g
a mail country store had been kept there at
some former period, bat the stock was reduced
to 2 few brooms, mouse-traps, and nondsscript
articles. These were pouaced upon, however,
and eonfscafed as only the S1h can do it.
Much has been sneeTingly said by Northern
papers fog q year past of " the last ditch +" which
the rebel boosters were diligently hunting. Our
troops ran into it unexpectedly when they came
down this time, but foand it on our side Of the
Tiver-the work of Federal hands. II the one
commenced last year across the point, for the
purpose of turning the ohs1ael Of the Missis-
sippi away from Yicksbugg, be not The last enc
It ought to hs-of that kind. A more miserable
abortion | never saw. The river is now un-
commonly high for the season, yet there is not
water enough IN it to carry . saw-l0g through.
It was miseTably planned aud worse Constructed
i use the word construct advisedly, for it is
actually built a part of the way, instead Of dug }
D1EAA4tIL III tU0J WaLcLs alaEtAIE AZ nearly d
right angle from the river, and being Eething
but q ditch Of the s-esntiese dimensions, but
htle water rams through it, and this with much
less velocity than the current 10 tha river. il
has leYees on both sides of Il, aud may vet be
the means OF Inuudstne our own camp and
destroying those 10 was intended 70 benefit This
viii be more apparent when the reader remem
beTs that a leves fifteen feet high, built msay
years ago., IS all that protects the whole country
I Em ~4An aaa-@ A@-I-L--- - A. L.-I
and that this ditch IS cut through thst levee,
and has very fimsy banks of IFS own in lieu
OF it. A canal can 20 doubt be cut across
that viii enable lightdraught boats TO pass
through at high water, ami that nigh, at
some distant period, become the main
channel. Aud this, IL nay opinion, would be
the true plan IF attack on Ficksburg. It need
not exceed ore mile in length, and would be cut
Of reach Of rebel batteries. The distance
around by the channel cannot ba less than four
miles, and some say six, 1t could be completed,
say ten or fifteen feet dssp, and forty on fhy
feet vida, in q few weeks at farthesf, IT the
whole army WAS made subseTvisnt TO that OBJ
iect. Then troops could be landed below, and
the place stacked with as much prospect of
| success a. fromsny quarter. I know nothing
of General Grants plans; enough is not yet
done to reveal them Those ia command here
had men constantly at work, trying to enlarge
tao etd uitcA- LIS HtsHb3 tiet tue nope OF pass
/ ing Yicksburg in this way IS not abandoned.
General Grant aud staff arrived on tbs Mag
holia this morning, and is at present looking
over the ground to determine his operations.
Whatsoever they may be, no one doubts his ulti
mate success. The place is unc9mmOnly strong
in natural position, and its defenses have been
made as formidable as months Of time and tie
best engineering snd military skill of the Con-
federaey could accomplish. That If should be
I NrIaA eAa- L. a--fN - .
Weeks must, and months may, slip by before
it s%uecUmbs bat taken 1t must be, or we may
as we'll acknowledge the independence Of the
Southern Confederaey at ones. As no individ.
Lnal has as much interest in winning a battle as
Tie general commanding, al may rc5t usaaya3
that, after stalking everything on its capture by
transporting the flower Of his army here and
coming in person to eommsEd Is, General Grant
will never move from its front tHl it surTenders,
OF ennihisates his army.
EaaefaaE -snorfs - zgg.b.h..