New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-03
THE REBEL WORKS BELOW VICkSBUBG.
DESCRIPTION OF A REBEL CAMP
Manners and Customs Of the Rebel Soldiers
Hopes and Fears of tho Rebels.
What They Think Of Their Northern Friends

=
ABOVE vrcxsBURG. Feb. 20 ie6a
Your correspondent, with feelings OF tel'-congratu-
lation for bis safe delivery from bis recent expert
eBces, finds himself vDoe moro denizen OF the
transport feet and with sigh Of relief sits down
70 transoribe history Of his ate adventures within
the Rebe, lines. TO say that be was thcre with bic
own free-w will and consent is equivalent TO saying
chat no went fully posted and prepared for aoy
emergency that be had reason to expect might turn
MP. That be fouod far less difficulty in attaining the
object of bis trip. az we'll succeeding in making
the trip ITSELF than be had anticipated and prepared
himself f,r, is fact no more surprising 10 others
than Il was TO himself
The idea of embarking on an independent
scouting expedition suggested itself on discov-
erisg an old canoe--more popularity known in
this region az dog-out-haif hidden In o
hap Of 6rift wood pear the lower end Of the
canal, and apparently in 50 dilapidsted condition
that If il had ever been noticed by the mi itary
authorities, 1t wss not thought worthy Of being
pressed into the UuioD service. Feeling that 1t
mine by the night of diseovery-s right which, by
the way. might not have Teen respected had been
less ciroomspect-l proceeded TO test the practica
bilty Of releasing iE from iis fasteDngs and found
that by moving sma portion Of the Drift it would
right itself and be in condition 10 ride the waves
with all the pristine grace aud buoyancy with which
u had once carried its former rebeilious proprietor
HOW THE TRIP WAS MADE.
On the afternoon of the. to me-, ever memorable
16+h Of February, ! made 1t convenient to be over
taken by nghtialI and heavy rain in the neighbor-
hood Of the canoe which 10 bear the burden Of
my hopes and fears, snd perhaps, my folly. For
several hours sat alone 10 the wet and darkness,
never once donbtng the ultimate success Of my pro.
jecs, dreaming Of tho risk about to run; for
j had heard Of more than one individual excursion
which, although they did n& ex'eud to within the
Rebel lines, were attended with more personal dan
scr than my own promised to be. At length, abou
O'Clock, felt my way fully to the edge Of tb
river-bank, or; rather, to he water. for the banl
was covered. After several unfortunate slips in tn
mud, that did not sdd to the cleanliness of my sp
parei which, by the way. was not at first so-cear
a. 70 exonerste from tho suspicion OF belonging
10 Rebellion. succeeded in reaching The pile OF
dsiawood. My undertaking, began to discover,
was attended with more difficulty in The dark than
had bargsiDed for, more especially as / have the
misfortune 70 DO lame; bat, nevertheless, directly
succeeded in d,slodgiDg part Of the obetructing
drit, and stepped into the canoe. My weight sank
il beuea the reach Of such other bndrances as pre-
vented lie release aud, carried by the current it
moved slowly away from its moorings. A pole, that
had the foretbought to bring with me, served for
paddle, and enabled me to keep near the Shore and
away went with the sw ,ft current, sometimes bow
fore most, and then the stern would swing around
~ the lead but always with quite as much speed az
desired.
The experiences of that night were monotonous
though somewbat trying. After floating down the
river for, shoudthink at least three miles, found
safs harbor Oh the inside Of that had tunb.d
into tbs river but was yet hanging by the roots and
afforded enough room between itself and the shore
to moor my craft. AS wet as IL w,s laid down and
tried 10 sleep till morning. but the circumstances
were uDfayosble TO such proceeding and could
only doze little. Sometime after midnight steam.
or passed within hundred yards Of me, the waves
from which bumped my poor canoe aud myself
Gbout in most threatening manner. The waves
presently subsidized, and down to bide my time.
Daylight at length appeared-but nearly in the op-
Pos,e direction from the point at which 1 bad
watched for tat the first streak Of which imme-
diateiy backed out" aDd made Tor the Missssip pi
shore. The canoe was rather large for one person
to handle. drfted down very fast and began to
feel some doubts us 10 my ability to reach the oppO-
site shore 1T all, but BY heading we'll against the
current I lost but little distance.
When about t~ o-thirds OF the way across, saw
two men standing some distance above the bank,
quo In hand, but who did not seem to have discov.
cred me, though 1t now broad daylight. now
commenced padding against the current, and guided
ny craft in such way to insure my being seen
by them. They did see me: and. contrary to all my
expectation, and to my utter confusion and amaze
mehts hey shot at me, Different from my military
nienas' did not come here with any great preien
s'oos 70 bravery, and therefore claim perfect right
70 % scared. AZ 10 my privilege, and On this occa-
sion exercised " 70 an extreme degree. And here
lot me ssy that yom correspondent has never either
fought bIed Or died for his country vet be feels
justified 10 claiming 10 have been as Numerically
scared for bis country any mao in tho army. no
mater who. hastily drew from my pocket a piece
Of an old newspaper that contained the remains Of
cue day's rations, aud waved it with such energy "A
nsssly 70 upset the dug'out My ps.ce Offering
was recognized, and they called 70 me to come
ssbors, which, after much difficulty, suoceedsd N
doing. Ola a. % ~
"a ii .s. ssgT THE REBEL POCKETS.
! Making the dug-ous fast with the flag end OF al
old rope that was yet attached to IL, climbed th'
bank, which was quite steep. and approached them
zASy were Il the same time joined BY al Intelligent
slsekiag stacsr. whom they addressed US Captain
and who had probably come 70 inquire as 70 10
/, cause Of the firing 0os of them was tall MAJ
With swazthy complexion. long black hair, and
. burgry look. The other WIS . insn Of medium
hight about % years Old, and rather good,lookipg
The CAPTAIN WA yonnr man. NOT a 4 ( w en-