Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-07-21
FROM THE Sofa REGIMENT.

only four days ago shells, solld shot,
canister, grape and rifle balls we're be-
ing cont nually hurled at our lines, aud
a, which our cannons and rifles were
belching forth their noisy replies. Near
mo are encampcd three regiments OF
Georgia troops. who formerly held US at
bay, and our erewhile enemies are now
Our iuoffenslvo ne,ghbors. AZ contrast
cd wit the tumult Of the siege, the AL
most oppressive stiffness which has sue
cecded It is SO like what Sabbath
should be, that am continually saying
to myself when / try TO think what day
Of the week it Is, ".urely this Is Sun
day" Yes, VickSburg is ours. Let US
thank God and take courage
Last Friday Lieut.. Spangcnberg, Of
the Typographical Engineers, under
whose orders ] was for some time act
ing, cent US to the extreme right Of our
lines, nearly TO the Yazoo River.
vent on foot, from necessity, but !
would have gone on foot tom choice;
also, as | had thus an opportunity TO get
a near view OF nil our works, not TO be
| otherwise obtained.
l stated on my errand, which | nigh,
have two days TO accomplish.
designing to make tour OF our rifle
pits, that being the nearest road 10
Gen. Sesle's command, which was the
poiut that ] desired to reach. ! had
! gone abon, two miiea, taxing occasional
peeps over entertainments ut the works,
when | heard the order to "cease
fr,og" A flag OF truce had gone ont TO
zen. Grants headquarters, and It was
believed that Gen. Pemberton was
about to surrender. Ny God il it only
could be true
Suddenly the silence almost Of death
rcignel throughout the lines. 10. ked
at the opposite forts and saw the r, bells
browning thu parapcts thick as bees al
swarmlng time, and harmless as so
many sucking doves. Our boys were
not slow to follow the example, and in
less than two minutes every foot OF
ground along the line Of our pits bad a
man standing on it. Very strict orders
had been gwen against holding any
conversation with the rebels, but moth.
could restrain our boys from asking whs,
II all meant. Were they going to sur
rcndera The rebels didn't know; reck-
oued they were, but Of one thing We
might be sure, if they didn't surrender
on the Sd they would hold on till the
9Th, Tor they would sec us damned be-
fore they would surrender on the 4th
This question wa asked. and the SAME
reply was given at several distant point
on tho lines, and the wish not to give
such Q new significance to the Fonrtl
, OF July scems to have been universe
among them.
Tho ground grows more ana more
broken "a YOU approach the lazoo, and
on every available point within theu
lines the rebels had bu,lt fort, eacl
commanded by and helping to command
II, least dozen others. The forts ar,
all connected by rife pits, which eros.
the rav,nts and run up the sides o
the hills, all forming perfect chain o
fort,tica,on, than which 1t is impossible,
to imagine of any more formidable.
On our side the rifle pits complctcly
eucircle the rebel works. In gooc
many places the pits are six or seven fee
deep, showing by what successive step
we have dug our way mp to the enemy
in one place 30 near that big 10.
alone separates the rival pits.
Behind our bitches two lines OF tcrt
have been built. and in these forts ver,
near one thousand guns Of almost ever,
; calibre were ready TO commence on til
next mo. ming such n celebration of tn
Fourth of July as WAS never heard G
before.
= About three o'clock came TO tn,
, place where the rebel officers were I
meet with the Union officer who wa
: sent 10y Gen. q ant to receive Genera
7 Pember on's reply to Grants propos
: TONS. judged that Pcmberton d dn
{ sccede TO them, as after the meet, WI
5 over the fling commenced.
i A mile OF two fu,,her brought me {
e the place where Gen. Logan has mad
, two attempts at blowing up a rebel tor
the last WIS not complete succe
e although it blew up about fifty mer
throwing five OF them clear into our Inc
lone of them, \ negro, VAS not kile
I BY the ai,ghtinq. While WAS 10 kin
E ut III fort, distant about 400 ysrds,
: thought and then was sure ! saw u whit
Fl waving from il, and then remem
= be,ee that Tor tie las, few minutes Their
e had been no firing. | was back in ,h
I road At the time, aud alone.) Present.
. a Major General with his staff aud bod
]. guard came tearing by, rails ng 90 infer
:, ual dust, aud followed by whole regi
. ment Of Major and Brigadier GenerAl'
!. Colonel, etc, dressed Ms if for fame
/, bail, and dashed through large rfl
= pit right up to tie rebel fort. aite'
j. wards learned that the first General wa