Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-13
80 vroksnuae ExPaDgrEoN.
Is Any.Eiug to be Done Agaiast the Re5d Strong
hold-Ia5ieations Of Aa0tksr Federal FaitHrs-

Na
hold-IaSieatious Of Aa0tksr Federal FaiIHrs-
Etc, etc.
Correspondence Of Chicago Timesl
NE5R VICKsBURG, February l2.-Is any
ching to be done against Ficksburg This l
imagine 10 be 8 very general query at the North
ct the present time Is anything TO be done
against Vicksburg7 is very common query in
camp bsTeabouts at the present time Who esa
solve it 7 Upwards Of three long weeks near
" four-an immense army hiss been in camp,
within sight Of the fortified city, separated ffom
it ONLY by the broad Mississippi, and yet seem
inel7 Vieksburg is no nearer Federal possession
than il was many months aga when FarragUt
and Dsris raised their pF0tractsd trUjtless siege
and steamed away from it. For three weeks
powerful navy has Lain IN the mouth OF the
Yazoo river. seven miles from tie rebel bate
ries that frown defiance TO the North and ara
breaking the backbone Of the Northwest most
effectually, and still no shot IS fred at this ia
mons Gibraltar During these three weeks hun
dreds-nerhaps would be equally correct in
saving thousands-sf the bravest men snd the
best disciplined soldiers the world ever saw have
been laid beneath the sod, victims TO the miss-
mas prevalent in this region
Sickness has slain, venture te say, nearly
IS many IS would have fallen in a determined
assault of the rebel position, however strongly
thst assault might have been resisted. And
sill there is no movement. TINS noble army
viii waste away 10 but skeleton ere long, and
then who win answer for the caUsel Is the
present demonstration against VicksbUrg a mere
feint to cover end aid movements elsewhere, or
is it bona fds offensive movement designed for
the red icti0n If this stronghold7 Can any one
tsu7 Can hIr. Gsneralia Chief Hallsck tell
Can Mr. Secretary Stanton tell Otis this a
movement Of Mr. President Liacolns planning ?
Or is It the offspring Of the uRiLed energies of
these three distinguished gentismsnl
Shall I be placed in dursnee il I say thst tie
third attempt 81 Vieksburg is doomed to be a
failure It may be so; but L viii not say it.
Bat, If [ speak my honest convictions, Judging
from personal observation, must say that at
present It looks veTy much as if We were to fail
! for third time Twice before we have been
here, aud twice have failed. Ought rot those
two failures have taught US whsn and how, if ST
Rll to take this place ] confess to no ability
! to determine when and how Vicksburg can be
taken Bat is It not folly to return to the attack
! before plans are fully matured Is it not folly
70 bring this immense army and navy here "a
] sit down in idleness while somebody devises 8
/ plan of cpeFati0ns7 Ought net TIE plan f
/ have been devised before we returned here
/ And wss not our experiences gained on the for
mer visits eufisient to 6nablsus to devise th'
plan that would insure success
Somebody has ssid that everybody ought "a
he able either to impart or receive information
J. have no information fo gIve aHd therefore
seek 1t. seek il honesjy,,with due Difference
to and respect for the powers that be, and az
honest desire 70 utter nothing that shall impingt
I upon the regulations governing the conduct @
| writer's for the press. have no object in view
either Of dispsragement or the opposite. l only
| wish 10 see the cause Of g constitutional gov
| ernmsnt advance For this reason I am De
r AZ = -,
/ ia the srny-beeeuse nothing is done. Daail
is at work with fearful esrssstues5 in our ranks
If we remain idle much longer in this climate
ard of this season, We shall waste away Ou
comrades fallen, not in battlo while rushing ol
ia victory, but while inslOriously sitting quiet.
ia camp, warn us that We, too may fall ere tn
season changes
Already the harvest of the fell destroyer bs
been so great as to forbid the attention to hi
victims that humsnily claims. Walk along tb
great Louisiana Ieyee at any hour, aud you wi
NEE dozen squads disposing of the remain
of their Uompsnions in shallow graves, % or
knelled unc0fined," !" and almost unknown.
4 is frightfnI to contemplate death upon th
battle field, and the hasty, almost indecent
l burial that of necessity awsits the unfortu1ats
But. when death snatcbes his victims IN the ol
dinarv way, when no din of battle Is soundir
in our ears. when all is quiet IN camp an
around it-the dead should have decent buria
A eofin, st least would Be aTaaseESbe request
A PRAYER might be SAID over the grave. and 81
tbs demsnd would not be unreasonable. HIS
our brief experience at war turned us all bac
To barbarism7 HsTe the eonmanest instlnci
Of humanity been lost in rs If this is so, v
had far better stop our warning ct once, regard
less Of who IS victor, and re5Faes our steps tc
wards the civilization We have left behind as.
Is II moi time that this army was set in mC
hcn-qiven something TO DO that il may not di
of insrtivity This idieness aud this alsrmin
mortality ere two subjects that I understand
be tabooed But why should theg be tsboOed
Have not our friends ct the North right
know our fate ? And have not those who al
supporting this war right 10 know whelhi
, their money IS being properlv and profitebl
r expended or not7 VOLUNTEER.