Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-06-11

burg. is new divided between that point
and Port Hudsou. The openinsS oil tne
Mississippi throughout its length l. tue
grand work of the time and in II seems
to be employed the energy and holiness
commensurate with its vast Importance
The taking of Ylcksburg can now be but
a question of lime and rsiaf9rcemRt&-
We cannot doubt that Grant has been
and will be at all hazards SO reinforced
as to reduce the capture Of the rebel
Gibraltar" with Its garrison, to. the
question of time only.
Meanwhile, intelligence reaches us, by
the arrival at New York on Saturday
morning of the steamer Morning Star,
which left New Orleans on the morning
of the 29th ult., OF general and sanguin-
ary assault on Port Hudson by General
I Banks, assisted by Admiral Farragut
from lllt river HuCh ho bltoi Np-opV-
rates with Grant at Vlcksbrg. Port
Hudson had BEEN previously completely
invested by Gen. Banks forces. The at
tack commenced on the 9th, General
Banks lines extending for nearly four
miles about the enemy's works. The reb-
ell position with its defences on the land
face, consisting of lines of entertainments,
rifle pits, with an abattis of heavy trees,
&c, is represented as one of almost une-
| qualled strength, and an attack upon it, in
face of the murderous fire of artillery and
| musketry to which an assaulting party
I would DE exposed, as almost hopeless of
success. Assaults were however made bv
General Weitzel, holding the right of our
line, by General Sherman on the left, and
| by Generals Augur and Grover in the
center. The attacks were made with the
greatest bravery, and carried on with I'M
flinching determination and endurance, in
the midst of a murderous hail of shot and
shell our soldiers furiously charging on
the enemy's works, using the bayonet or
dubbed musket, when occasion required.
But every inch was contested with the
greatest stubbornness by the enemy, and
no great advantage seems to have been
gained during the first days desperate
struggle, except the taking by General
Weitzel Of one Or two important batteries
on the right, which he turned on the rebels
and the reported driving of the enemy
INTO his NAN works bv Generals Augur
and Grover.
General sherman, on our left, as stat
ed by the Herald's correspondent, charged
and carried the enemy's works by storm
but the latter massed his forces, compel
ING our troops to fall back.
The particulars Of this inst days fight
ing are meagre The loss upon our side
in such unequal and desperate fighting
must have been heavy some correspond
ents placing it as high as 5000; but no trust
worthy intelligence upon this point hao
reached New Orleans when the Morning
Star left that city, Among the killed ar
reported Col. Cowles, of the l2Sth New
York, Col. Clark, 9th Michigan, and tn
Colonel of the Both Massachusetts,
Among the wounded were Brigadier Gen
eral Sherman, severely but not dangerous
" in the knee. and General Neal Do1
slightly.
We find no particular mention as ye
in the correspondence of the New Yor
papers, Of the Vermont boys, except
statement that since the 22d continuor
bombardment had been maintained b
Admiral Farragut, and the lst Vernon
: battery had annoyed the enemy's bate
ries during the day"
? The lighting was continued up to tn
time the Morning Star left, butno auther
tic report regarding it had reached Ne
Orleans. Dispatches received al fol
= o'clock on the afternoon of the 2Sth, how
ever, represented our position as impro'
ing, with every prospect of success
General Banks, it was said had dete
a mined to carry the position by storm, an
heavy reinforcements were being sent u
: to him from New Orleans.
n Thus both the enemy's strongholds
: the Mississippi are beng assailed at ono
!, and the public anxiety for further intel
e gence will be proportlonately intensi6e
r The results will be of tremendous impol
ance upon the duration of this war Cor {
: Union. Success at both points, we tFu
will meet our arms. But victory at o
point alone, and especially at Vicksbur