Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-08-05
Vicksburg After the Surrender.

Vicksburg After the Surrender.
The following interesting description of
scenes in Vicksburg, after the surrender, is
copied from a letter in the New York 1rt-
June, dated the 5th instant:
What near view of Vicksburg would
disclose, after being so long subjected to a
rain of shot and she'll, has been theme of
much speculation in our army and elsewhere.
Those who have witnessed the siege cannot
fail to be surprised that there is anything
left of the town but ruins. But We have,
it seems, yet something to learn Of the en-
durauce of town as well as of men. But
few buildings in Vicksburg are totally de-
molished. None have been completely
ruined by the bombardment. On one of
the principal streets near the river, aadrun-
ming parallel with it, there are remains of a
block of buildings which we're burned about
the time of the fight at Champion Hills
In the block was mill and storehouse,
in which we're stored.a considerable quaint.
ty Of Aour-two hundred barrels and up
ward-which was burned at The same time.
The buildings were fired by crowd of
incensed rebel soldiers and citizens, US a
punishment due to some heartless, and ex-
tortionate spectators who had bought up
the -four to be enabled to get siege prices
for it.
There are few other houses scattered
about that are but heaps of rubbish. The
great majority of the buildings, both public
and private, can be by repairs made Gas
good as new"
The streets dre barricaded to a limited
extent, and have been ploughed up by shells
In walking along the pavements one must
be careful not to tumble into pit dug for
him by projectile from lS.inch mortar
or from Parrott gua: The yards, gardens
and open lots are also cut. up with shell
holes. A profusion of beautiful shrubbery
has heretofore rendered Vicksburg very
handsome town, but the broken and torn
fencing, and havoc incident to the presence
Of an army anywhere, have greatly dimin-
ished the beauties of the place. Nearly
every gate in the city is adorned with un-
exploded 13-inch shells placed atop of each
post. The porches and piazzas (nearly ev.
cry house has one) are also adorned with
curious collections of shot and shells that
have fallen in the yards. 1t is said that
there are some houses in the city that have
escaped unscathed; but in my rambles
through the streets 1 could not find them
I entered, perhaps, twenty buildings in
all, asd found frightful looking holes in the
walls and floors of every one. The house
occupied by General Pemberton as his head
quarters, has hole in the first room you
enter, op the lett side of tie hall, which
mule could crawl through without difficulty.
The publisher of the Vicksburg Citizen
invited mM into his residence, and inter-
spersed hi@remarks, while showing me a.
round, with frequent cautions not to tread
here and there, for fear shattered piece
of flooring would let me through into the
cellar And so it is all over the place
The northern portion of the city suffered
most, and l cannot convey any idea of the
damage sustained better than by sayiag it
has been smashed.
Notwithstanding the evidence everywhere
visible, of the terrible ordeal through which
the people and city have passed, the Vicks.
burgers persistently assert that they have
not been much damaged; that shells are
comparatively innocent thiugs--ssnothing
when you. get used to them;" that they
could have held out year if they had had
provisions, &c. They also claim to have
learped how to dodge shells, aud say that
those fired from the mortars had become
favorites with the people. Shots from Par
rott guns were not SO popular.
The most noticeable feature Of the city is
the group of caves on every hill side. In
these caves the women and children were
sheltered during the nights, aud occasional
ly in day time, when the firing was very
severe. The excavations branch out in va
rious directions after passing the entrance.
should not imagine them very desirable
bed chambers, but they seem to have an
swered very good purpose. In one or two
instances shells entered them, and two wo-
men and number of children were thus
killed during the siege.