Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-06-17

The Northern papers of the 10Th inst, bring
Us much interesting intelligence, especially from
the vicinity of Vicksburg
FROM vICKsBURG DIRECT.
Corrssps psudsncs chieags Trbune.l
LIZ REAR OF YICKsBURG, May 81.
have been considerably intesestsd in the
story Of Greene S. Douglass. son Of J. G.
Douglass Of Mason county, Ill, who came into
our lines Thursday lsst bearing message from
Lisutensnt General Pembsrt0n to Gen Johns
ton, at Jackson, Miss. Young Douglass left
his home in Illinois seven years ago, aud went
to San Antonio Texas, where be enlisted in the
United States service as 'rangsr," under Capt.
Hayes, who was attached to Col. Canby's com
mand He was subsequently captured aud en-
gagged in the resel service, in Texas and else
where. participating in several hard fought bat
ties He came to Yicksburg in February, and
has remained there ever since. Gen. Psmber-
ton was shut up in Vieksburg, and desired to
communicate with General Johnston. He
looked around for a confidential sgent, and
could find none whose fidelity was less likely to
be called into question than young Douglass.
Douglass was wiling, and the precious d9eu
msnt was committed to his hands. This was last
Wednesday. Dressed as a citizen, he left Yicks-
burg at nightfsll, and reached the rebel pickets
at9 P. N. Here heremained till daylight, when he
was placed out the lines. and sent ca his peril
Gus mission Douglas had long entertained the
| hope that he might some day free himself from
the rebel service aud Join bis friends in Illinois
/ Here was his golden opportunity, and be did not
hesitate to embrace it. With great caution, so
as to deceive his comrades within the fort, he
| plunged into a dense thicket and saught a deep
] ravine, and whom well out of range Of the -ebel
/ piekots, be called to our skirmishers, end gave
| himself ID as q prisoner. Col. ---, of the
/ 3d Iowa infantry, turned him over to General
/ Lauman who after a little questioning, handed
] him over to Gen. Grant, and 10 him he revealed
/ bis mission, and gave the precious dispatch.
| The substance OF the letter was An urgent de-
mand for help. Number of reinfOrcements re-
4 quired thirty thousand-advising retreat if be
/ could not bring that number upon Grants rear
/ within ten days-number of troops in Vicks-
/ burg, eighteen thousand--On hand thirty days
rRtions for the garrison, one meal dsy-smmu-
milton scarce, particularly gun caps, Douglass
| was further instructed to ascertain the exact
number ofJ0hnstnn's army, and report as speed
I ily as possible He desired to return home, and
Grant sent him up the river on the steamer Sui.
tans. He says there are 5000 fighting men
/ in Vieksburg, commanded by Generals Pember-
ton, Stevenson, Reynolds, Bowen, Forney,
/ Norris Lee and 81 y Smith. Pemberton Is
chief in command, and exceedingly unpopular.
It is surmised that be thinks Of surrender
| Referring 20 this, Bowen said in his Douglass
hearing g that if Pemberton made the first
movement toward giving mp the city, he wonld
hang him as high as Haman. The evident
policy of Pemberton will be, when he is salts
fed that all hopes Of succOr from Johnston are
gone, to break out through our lines on the left
aud endeavOr 70 cut his way through to Big
Black. The damage to Vicksburg Occssioned
by the fire Of our guns and mOrtsrs is immense
He estimated that st least one-hlth of ths city
is destroyed. Up to Wednesday, at II o'clock,
the names of ose hundred women and children
were reported at the provost marshsFs otice,
who were killed by the explosion Of our
missiles in different parts of the city. Among
these is said to have been the wife of Pember-
ton himself The depot and courthouse are
but slightly injured the jail is nesrly de-
stToyed. The largest magazine, containing
three-quarters of the shot and shell in Vicks-
burg, is blown mp; horses, cattle and mules are
killed, and large number Of houses burned
On the day Of the assault two thousand were
killed and wounded. including eighteen col.
onels and lieubenant-colonels. The day after
fSsturdsy) Colonel T. n Wall, Col Lse Willis
Colonel ROgley, Major Cameron, Adjutant Wil
liens, Adiutant Parker, Captain HOge aud Cap
tain Stshl-all officers Of the Texas Legion
were seated chatting pleasantly in the shade q
the angle of the fort opposite L0gans heavy
battery, when a shell from it exploded IN theli
midst and killed them all. Wall and Wills
I
seven forts from the railroad to Warrenton, o
which Douglas could remember the names o
but three Fort Psmbsrton, mounting guns
Fort Nee Cullough, guns and Pulaski, guns
. Fort BeauTegard is on the right (0ur ught] Of tn
railroad, and contains but single gun not disa
. bled. Ths csnnonsde Of tbs 23d disabled thlTtesl
z guns, and killed and wounded many rsbel sol
: disrs. On the 22d inst, eight Georgia and Ten
: nessee regiments refused to hght, and fol- 9sc s
into the rife pits. Louisiana, Texas and Hlls
: soUn soldiers are considered reliable.
/ CONDUCT OF THE BEsIEGED.
e One would naturally suppose that the rebels
Il so closely hedged in, would expend great aea
L Of ammunition to drive Of or keep At distance
Is the invading army. Such is not the case Q
% the contrary, they never fire n random shos' %
10 identity, for their shaEDshoOteTs prove 800 accs
rate Of aim and their srtillersts display renAii
a able skill in throwing shot and shell. VI va
C accuracy, however | have spoken oeio5e. 90 :
10 present. and indeed, since the assault Of tne 70
C the rebels have maintained uniform sliehe
m They are evidently 81 work, ike US, vita PlS
IN and shovel, and mean to give rs III iol -
be They have gangs Of negroes chained togeeSe
be to perform the lsboF on the dstenses' ief tn'
b. can neither spare the soldiers nor permit she y
in groes to run at large. This is iact' iof U
" camps are peoplsd with negroes VINO olhso
Dr. on the march from Jackson to Vicks0ai
n whence they came on passes issued Dy tns COZ
cir mandaut, and who assert that their ielio"s
on tho city would only be too glad 10 eseal
re, into our lines II they could. Negroes ha
srs been seen on their works loading me gar
lOr from which our sharDshOOtsTs nae oIiE
INT the regular gunneTs, znd it is evident u
the negro is still an element OF strength
he the rebsl arm. 1 am repeatedly Told that 81
81. are taken in large numbers siong Hltn Iae ~