The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-06-19

qualities. 1t is now generally admitted,
by those competent to judge, that our only
hope of successful charge lay in throw
ing tremendous force, say an entire d.
vision, or even more, upon the weakest
point, and pushing cOlui..n after column
through bitches, over parapets, over every
obstacle and over hundreds Of the fallen,
and thus a short and hard struggle might
have won Vicksburg. Possibly this might
be attempted and accomplished now. But
while bitter experience might teach us q
wiser plan of attack, we must remember
that even the splendid columns of the Ten
nessee would not repeat the assault with
the same confidence of success with which
they charged on the memorable Friday
Such disaster as that would of a neces-
sity, injurc the morale of any army.
On the whole, therefore, it is hardly
probable that another attempt will be
made. But the question is constantly
asked,
Is IT LIKELY THAT JOHNSON WILL BE ABLE
TO FORCE GRANT TO RAISE THE SIEGE?
| answer no. johnson cannot have a
sufficient force, either in number or mo-
a'ale, to render such an attempt other
than the act of madness, for some time to
come. Where is he to obtain the force !?
Loring's division is broken, disorganized
into mob. and hopelessly scattered. Bow
ems army, what is left of it, is even worse
off, They are the miserable Debris of sue
cessive defeat and rout. No one can conf
prehend the fatal effect upon citizen SOL
diery of such reverses, without being an
actual observer. 1t is a humiliating fact,
of which l have been assured by officers
high in position, that our own army under
Sherman, after the repulse at Chickasaw
Bayou, could hardly have been brought
into action with a hope Of success, and
against force of equal size. Even the
brilliant campaign of the Post of Arkansas
hardly redeemed it. What, then, must
be the condition of these tattered frag-
ments of the Confederate army of the Mis-
sissippi, which would be Johnson's main
reliance
How is he to obtain reintorcements =:
Certainly Bragg will need all the troops
now under him to save himself from the
tremendous army and cunning strategy
of his vigilent opponent. Possibly Gene
raj Beauregard may render him some as
sistance from Charleston. But suppose he
does. Observe the difficulties of approach.
If the enemy attempt to march by the
main road across the Big Black, they will
have a very different foe to attack from
that which faced McClernand, and expe-
rience a widely different result. The in
trenchments at that point are formidable
in the extreme, and a well disciplined
army would probably have rendered our
attack disaster, or at least victory
bought with fearful loss of life. The
outer works would sweep the circum,acent
ground as JacksOn's cotton bale redOubts
swept the British at New Orleans. A
second line of intrenchmentS immediately
on the river command the first, and the
steep bluffs across the stream command
| the whole Osterhaus is there with a
strong force, and the mere mention of his
name speaks volumes for the success OF
the defence. Between the river and
Vicksburg the approaches are crippled
and entangled with broken bridges, felled
trees and every description of obstacles.
Should johnson overcome them all, he
would still find the work of succor hardly
begun. The position of our own army
around Vicksburg is hardly less impreg-
nable than that OF the enemy's defences.
Like them, our troops are entrenched
along The crest of hills. and can only be
dislodged by the most desperate end OBJ
stinate valOr.
THE GREAT CAVALRY FIGHT.
MIR. CrOunce writes to the Times full
particulars of the cavalry battle in Virgi-
MIA. 1t appears that General Pleasanton' :
cavalry rendezvOused during Saturday and
Sunday at Catlett's Station and Warrenton
Junction, getting supplies of forage and
food by the Orange and Alexandria rail.
road. General Ames' infantry moved or
Saturday evening to the Spotted Tavern
and on Sunday to near Bealeton's Station.
General Russell's brigade moved on Sun
day to HARDWOOD Church, and on Monday
to Kelly's Ford. The plan was to rendez-
vous the command at the two points on
the Rappahannock, Beverley's Ford on
the right, and Kelley's Ford on the left,
the two being six miles apart, and then
move the column forward toward Culpep-
per, on roads converging at Brandy Sta
ton, where a junction of the forces was
to be formed, or sooner, if necessary.
CROSSING THE RIVER.
At dawn General Buford's command
was in motion. Colonel Davis's brigade,
led two squadrons of the Eighth New
York and supported by the Eighth Illinois
and Third Indiana, had the advance. The
morning was cool and pleasant, thick
mist hung over the river, and objects OF
the other side we're rather indistinct. Oul
cavalry soon reached the river, dashed in
dashed up the bank, and were we'll on the
opposite side before the rebels in their for
tifications were aware of their presence
The suddenness of the movement com
pletely surprised them, and they at once