The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-01-15
REVIEW OF THE OPERATIONS.

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Orr MOUTH OF YAzO0 RIVER,
MissIsslpF RIVER, Jan. 5, 1868
we have marched up the hill with much pomp and
courage aud assurance and we have marched down
again On Friday, the 26h ult.. the great Mississippi
river expedition into the Yazoo river for the pur
pose Of securing position in the rear Of Vicksburg
whence that stronghold might be successfully attacked
and with the from General Sherman that on
che following day we should be possession Of vcks-
burg and Friday the Cd nstust one week from our
sntrancewe moved out Of the river, tails dropping
between legs force diminished by about twenty
Avo hundred placed hors de combat and vcksburg
than 1t year ago.
since General McCcllans mastery movement from the
Hsrk the James river the peninsula, has
- very fashionable to call any retrograde movement
retirement from tho face Of the enemy 'change Of
base" SO here politely informed that the with
dSawal Of forces from the base Of the Walnut Hills
end Drumgoolds Bluffs, and the evacuation Of the Yazoo
fver change Of base Of operations. Undoubedy
sothat Is, shall longer operate against vicks
burg with the Yazoo river base at least for the
present; and IL operate ut all, have doubt
will, it win most likely Be from some other base
D far this movement may justly be termed
change Of base But the change was rendered
imperative by the absolute mpossbity Of operatn
u all where and the extreme probability that If
We remained in that situation much icuger the euemy
ooAnO
destroy us.
ExPEpnnoS COMPLETE FAILURE
The movement against vcksburg has thus far proven
most complete and lamentable failure We have found
Che snsmys front impregnabe against anything had
" bear upon IT, and his strongly fortified
biz 'front.' We found him with small garrison of fifteen
sr twenty thousand men, and. while these held in
sheck by their extensive and admirable system Of
tortncations, achievements have rolled III upon
them until, withdrawal, they had
from Atty to sixty Thousand ready for scton Since
occupation the Yazoo river below their obstruc
Mons they have had the river above the dam
with transports, bringing down the army of Pcmberton
and Price from front OF Grant, while the Southern Mis-
sisspp Railroad has been employed ito utmost capa
city In aiding the work
FORCE TOO sMAil.
II would be breach OF confidence in me 70 mention
The number Of troops here; shall safe ii
saying that is wholly inadequate cope with the army
she rebels have vcksburg in the open neld
How much less then it's chances Of against
formidable batteries and nterninable rifle pits ant
trenches Of the enemy, manned they by so power
f0l an army
BLUyDERs SOMEWHERE
There been sad bIunders committed by some on,
planning this Campaign; whether fault Is in The
War Office Washington, with General Halock OF with
0eneral sherman, will not undertake to say. That
SENEGAL Sherman both surprised and whea
he landed the east bank Of the and saw the
strength of the rebel position know. He had no idea
Of the formidable MI of the task he had
He had expected TO dcbark his troops quietly under
u Admiral orters eet OF gunboats and in the darkness
Of the first night charge upon the enemy works carry
thcm by storm ANA enter vcssburg triumphuty. This
ne previously announced as his plan and purpose, and
ths he faithfully attempted to do and then
he discovered tho wonderful strength OF these heights
had expected to take 50 easily
rIiE FIRST atsrAKE-yHo rLAMES
Here, then was the nrst great mistake on whica has
hinged M our failure. We had taken Mains obtain
tnpu latsr 40 tIA pnxIsr
had picked few Intelligent contra bsnds along the
banks q the river, ana received into lines
two deserters 80 called On renhty spesl, and all eur
movements based upon Information derived IRON
such sources. Good generalshp would have re
giired tu positive aud definite information OF the
ensmy's position and the strength OF his garrison
with tho nnnber OF his batteries and their situation ald
number o. suns mounted ia each. with Typographical
nlrs and charts q the country, showing ali the localities
the rayiucs hills, streams, roads, woods, open heds
building All this oIld and ought 10 have been
tanned and thon the commander OF the expedition could
have formed intelligent idea OF the number OF he
No4 Ieaulre 20 "Velcosc .hc enenly Iapa anu sIey
ni could have laid out an accurate aud clear pam az
agn that would have insured saved the
ty the embarrassment and disgrace Of sec nd repuse
fom this place. shall be very mulh mistaken Il does
not Or ally appear that tho fault ent ely with General
Halieok shall be surprised Il the future does not dis
close the fact that he organized this cxpedsu ning
10 IL such members 81 troops as ho IL, and directing
how and when the movement 10 he made. bat even
this should not 20 be the case he casuo escape
che responsibility OF the failure. since the lnder
was the man ol MS own choice and was appointed
trary the wsbcs the President. And further he
will he responsible for permitting the expedition TO sail
without being fully assured of is ability accomplish
the work which u was organized 10 do.
nssrlRryr RETREAT.
Since last have had mastery retreat
from the face VI the enemy: that Is all. Our army,
hrukel IN spirit and den, lies cooped
ports Il Antkens Bond, while General McIlefnand, the
treat sudyuS the ground aud preparing plan or
Operatives. Such the brief history weeks duinss
yet there are many Interesting items scattered along
the details u this achievement that are deserving
OF mention.
FURTHER prTAirs oY r1Ir prcHr
You have had iul accounts Of tho battle OF Mon.
day last and tie storm that followed on
fcesisy the army rested, the wooded pain
IN which or lIucs formed being covered
with water, preventing any movement The enemy
occasionally threw shell into lines Keen awake
and IN whlo their saarpsnootcrs would creep rp
md op,n slight skirmish The lines the two armies
wore parallel md scarcely q mile apart retwoOu them
With the dead and many instances the wounded This
Held swept by the niusketry well as the artillery
Of either party and hence tho rnpossbi,y yenufng
upon 70 barry the dead or even 70 bring Oh those
than doad-t.e helpless wourded. occasonaliy and
another Of those unhappy fellows, revived by the cool
rain and cooler morning air. would crawl into the lines
aud 1nd but 10 the long day YEARLY
away having them still unrelicved upon thai msof able
plain.
A FLAG OF rEUcE---1s ofgEgr.
During the nigt OF Tuesday nag OF truce rcccig.
al from the enemy, proposing suspension 81 hstiHes
the following Day that the rites u burial yht he
performed g. those wbo had fallen Monday Tho pro-
position agreed 10, aud the asst day the I'D year
devoted TO- this melancholy dnty. All the
pain scattered among the abas ,and hid away II -l,
arrangements o. LOGS tufts Of bushes they sy rebels
anu fctsras side by sde showing how The baltic hal
rolled and suiged with the alternate charges either
party.
But saddet sight or AL tbai OF The unfortunate
wounded who had lain through all those weary hopfs
since tho battle, Uncaged TOR, many Of them bacarse ~
the nature Of their wounds preventing thsir pnNing.