The Hillsborough recorder., 1863-07-29
Ham Gncnt Drove his Men TO Slaaghfer-
Meraless neglect of his FOUNDED.

Mersitess neglect 81 ms Voutueu'
We ask cur readers to carefully peruse
fhe following letter Of correspondent OF
this New York Times, writing from Grants
headquarters before vicksburg, in which
the writer coolly attempts to justify Grant
fer mercilessly sacrificing the lives Of SO
many thousands of his men, knowing be-.
forehand what the result would be, VIZ
emily appease the clanors of the ignorant
masses of the North:
People may be disposed to find
fault because Gen. Grant repeated his as
sault against the works at Vicksburg. in
stead OF at once proceeding upon the safer
plan Of laying siege to the place 10 torn.
/ have but little doubt that General Grant
knew very we'll before making the hrst as
sault that the place was imPregnable to
everything save regular approaches; out
yet public opinion. in measure, compell-
ed aim to make the attack in the precise
manner tina. he did. Had he placed his
army before these works aud commenced
formal investment, week would not have
elapsed before half the people and two
thirds of the press of the North would have
been growing at his unwarrantable delay,
and have been we'll assured that the rebel
force before him was half-staryed and fee
BILE in number, that the works were Of no
strength, the guns we're all wooden, and a
thousand other things of the kind usual
under similar circumstances.
Gen. Grant probably foresaw this, and
determined to put quietus upon It at the
very beginning. He knew that the same
people and the same journals that have
been stating that Vicksburg was of no
strength in front, that its garrison was de-
moralized, and its monster guns sham,
and who had peesistently urged his reno.
val because he did not at once land his
forces in front Of the town and secure the
place. would renew their clamor The yer,
instant they fovad he had determined upor
formal investment Of Vicksourg-Vicks
burg was weak in front, aud, Of course, i
would be Of no account in the rear-Gran
was timid. not equal to the positiOn-awa,
with him!
Grant took the only possible course lef
him TO forestall this senseless clamot. HI
moved at once upon the enemy's works an,
was repulsed but as, !rom some misunder
standing, only portion of his forces ha
participated in the attsck, he knew th
country would not be satisfied, and SO h
tried il again. This time column twely
miles In length. and numbering thousand
by the score, was precipitated against tn
Gibraltar defeices in front Of them. AS wa
expected, 1t met with bloody and over
wEelming repuIse, and-the country, afte
hearing this, and learning that in the ex
periment we lost from three to FIVE thou
sand men, without, in single instance
having made the slightest impression upo
the rebel works, viii be likely to allow III
commandsr-in .chief to reduce Vicksburg /
his own way. Our heavy loss, after Nv
unsuccessful attempts to carry the reb,
works by storm. will convince people ,hat
If Vicksburg is very weak in front, il doe
net have that defect in the rear; and, fur
thermore, that the rebel garrison is neiths
weak, demoralzed nor starved, and ths
il, guns, instead Of being Qaakers," ar
yeritable Parrots ami G Jiumbiads, al onc
commanding in position aud numerous
TO quantity, and which at any moment al
aoie to fiII the air with tempest OF deaf
into which no storming party can enter an
live. From this time onward the peopI
will be willing TO wait with greater tina
usual patience the slow process Of reducin
this place.
The wounded, or many Of them, an
the killed Of last Thursday, we're nj
brought Of the field till the afternoon
the succeeding Monday. tits scarcely n,
eessary to add that when our parties wer
over the field the proportion Of the liyir
10 the deed was terribly small. III this n
climate few men will lie under a scorchir
IN, without food, water and medical 4
tendance, and survive wound three day
For this reason very few of those four
vere alive; but FEW, if any, will recoye
Why they we're not brought away soon
cannot tell. Alter the first assault 1
rebels not only allowed our men 70 cor
upon the ground aud carry of the woun
ed, but they assisted Us by rendering