, 1863-07-04
FE2OM TICKSBURG.

cu1cKAfAw BATou, Miss, June Fl, '6s
The next ptlut to which my Gazette friend
and myself urged or proyokingly lazy and
pcryerse quldfupcds was a battery in Gen.
logan's division, mounting two 80 pound Par
5ots, 1wo Q inch Dahlgrrns, aud several
Smaller pieces, and connected with which Is
m extended range Of ride-pits. While secur-
Ing ourMules shell from the 13 inch mortar
iu possession Of the rebels gave us hospita-
b;e greeting. Il burst, with loud explosion,
athong the pits, peeping at the rebel works
through the portfolios for rifles, tor about tif-
teen minutes, when another monster shell
from the same mortar went whizzing over our
hrads, and exploded in the midst of perhaps
was wounded. We watched for about
ten minutes the operations of two Union
sl.arpshooters, who had taken position
o. tie base Of one Of the rebel earth-work
forts, and were digging away at the same
with might and main, protected by other
sharpshooters in our pits from the enemy,
who could not haue been more than twelve
or fifteen feet from them, and then turned
b.ck to the bottcry. Arrived there We asked
for drink Of water, aEd while drinking our
entertainer remarked that 1t was about time
fer another shell; and, pulling out his watch,
he said: ''She is nearly minute behind time
now.'' *'Here she comes-Iook out" cried&
man at the door Of the tent at the same In.
f!ant. I ruehed ont hoping and expecting to
sec the hinge 1niseile sail over my head. To
ny c4nsterna,lon, however, discovered
b:acl.looking object coming straight toward
NE, ard before I could turn to retreat, it
struck the ground about twenty feet in front
o; nc and instantly cxplode6. WAS covered
vns dirt In which the shell imbeded itself
before exploding, but otherwise was untnjur-
ed A loud laugh from all hands, rs If the
bursting Of u shell 13 inches IN diameter were
one Of the best jokes Of the season, notified
n'e that nobody was hurt, and regained
tie perpendicular, which had iayoluntarily
exchanged for horizontal position. walked
to tue spot where the shell struck, aud secur-
cd a piece weighing about two pounds. Ny
u,e m explanation Of the fact that there are
rebels still a>ivc in Vicksburg, notwithstand-
lug the storms Of shot and shell to which
they hive been almost daily subjected for
more than month. The earth hereabout Is
ground, # inevitably burics Itself to q depth
OF two or three feet, and when the explosion
follows the fragments have to travel through
The earth in various directions to reach tue
surace, and when there their force is spent.
The shell I haye spoken Of struck not
guns in the battery, and get not scratch
u or the gun; or carriage, indicated that
piece lad touched it.
have omitted to mention that 1t was in
Gen. Logan'e tent was standing when this
tlltu Wn6 announced Ns coming "On t1me.
The rebels haye q dislike to the Dahlgrens
aid Pa1rotts in this battery, and have been
firirE Mt 1t occasionally for week past
They hare obtained for their mortar the exact
rr1,se, and unless something is done to rem
e.iy tho matter they may render the position
urtcnable. It il now dangerous The men
= no work the battery, however, appear to
lujoy the excitement Of the game they are
playing, and when suggested the desfrlbil-
i.y Of more sheltered position, they laughed
at me. Gen. logan's bravery, in making his
Headquarters ut such place, is more conspic-
rous than his prudence
While lingering. in this place, I learned
something concerning our ammunition, which
surprised me. Our sharpshooters In advance
Il Our batteries are much more afraid Of our
e~n guns than Of those Of the enemy. Pre-
aIare e1p1o6ions Of shells from our guns,
~ut!e contract ammunition Is employed, arc
~ frequent TINT they almost constitute the
InlH snsead ot the exception, The cunuers
sag 1na1 Govern1nent manufactured ammnni-
ton is all right, hut they have TO re.;nsncct
contract ammunition before darfnr fn nea T.
and that they find it very defective. hors, ~,
made some further inquiries about the Tontter
/ and was told this morning that Pemhcrton,
had offered SIX dollars pound for the uncr-
1'lodcd powder in our shells, and was collect
| Ing considerable quantities Of 1t in this way,
For a contractor to furnish soldiers with
atiulterated md defective ammunition Is inf
1ftcly more villainous than to give them
| ehoddy blankets or putIid beef, and II this
army 1as been swindlcd IN any such way, I
hope the perpetrators Of the swindlo will be
brought to condign punishment,