New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-08

| Expedition Bomb erded, Hiown Up and
BuKNed Up-Tisc Survivors tu tse River
-Ex.ltniion OF the Rebels - Libby
Pri.srs- CassIe Tbuader-P.n Picturcs
The Horrors OF seiisbuvy-- Rcstsratios
| 10 Freedoms.
Old intelligence o.ten soryes the purpose Of news;
since tie forgotten proves almost as interesting a.
the unknown. 70 go back through twenty months
Into which striking events have been cro"dod a.
they have been in this great war, is much Ike 70
producing past era aad an Gnremembered clviliza
ton. Having lived long out sphere, lean but
take up my poor story whore disappeareda babble'
from the stirring scene, ard relate my observations
and experiences in what the ancisuts woad have
regarded as the underworld.
OUR APIEoAcH ID vIcEsBUTG.
4 An ago ago !, seems; ard yet the almanac teiif
| re it WAS on the night OF May 3D. 1863 since my
confrere, Mr.. Abort ID. Richardson, and dr. Rich
ard T. Colhurn Of The IVorH newspaper, with some
thirty-two others, left The headquarters OF Gen.
Grant at Mlikcn's Bend, La, TO run the batteries
OF olsblIrg, Wauonton and Grand Gulf, where
nos;itics had already begun.
Tie expedition, consisting Of steam-'ng, The
stu,gcs, aud two barges loaded with provisions and
bales Of hay, was very badly fitted out; the hay
lying loosely about where ANY bursting shell might
igaite it, aud neither buckets, ia the very probable
event Of conlasr4lion, uoIsmall boat, as means
OF cscaYe, being provided. IL addition TO This, the
moon was ~ its full whereas the other batteryrin-
Mug expeditions Lad gone down on dark nights,
and, about tho lire wercaohed the point of danger,
WIS In The zenith Of tho heavens. The night was
~ light "a day. AS VIC lat smoking our cigars On
tho barses We could every tree on the banks Of
| the mighty river, and ca ne nsarcd the peninsula
opposite vioksbur., we could observe the different
streets and buildings OF the city that had 80 long
deled the combined power Of our army and navy.
An oflicenvith us had bottle of Catawba, and
a. there wac some probability that in tho storm OF
shot and shell which awaited Us, it, iayor might DO
damaged, We ruaGed IT'S contents to the speedy
downfall of the hostile stronghold and tie early
! suppression Of tho Rebellion.
4 About midnight OF lttlc after, we were within
milo and half IL vek.burg by tho bond OF the
yer, but 10. more than quarter Of that distance
40 dire. line aud Lircdy IN range o; tho heavy
bstterios planted for several miles above below and
in front Of the town. We were moving very little
faster than the current Of the stream; and as We
began TO round tho peninsula, the trees on when
had been all cut down 20 give tho enemy an open
space for tho operation Of his guns against APP
proachiug yessss, the Rebel piekeis, who had most
ucedlessly AID very unwiscly been permitted TO
cross the river and take position on the Louisiana
shore, gave the darn by dischsrgns their muskets
az us-w.thont detrimcnt, Observation-Disclosures BY
signal..ocket from tho city, and the opening OF the
aery entertainment 10 which wo had invited our
selves on that bright, sof delicious night o! May.
auESIso InB REBEL BATTERIES.
Now the heavy guns opened with their thunder
Gus roar and tho first struck one OF the barSeS, az
we knew from tire jar Of the boat. Wen done
for the Rebels" said We, admiring accuracy OK aim
even In our foes.
The truth wac, tho nsurgent. lad from various
causes never had fas opportunity at the previous
expeditions The night had been dark; the artil-
lerrmen had not been on the alert; the guns had
not been well trained; the fuses had been defective
This time, ss We subsequently learned, the Rebels
were well prepared They had from past experience
obtained the exact range and felt confident of blow
ing ANY craft that Inado the venture out Of the
water. Certainly they made good beginning, and
VIC bad end oft.
| The found shot howloJ, and the shells shrieked
over our heads, and sometimes cut tho straw Of the
hey bales In manner calculated 10 give any one
not entirely blaze something of a sensation. We
tried to count tho sLots but they were so rapid as
20 defy our power Of enumeration. had witno ssed
number Of heavy bombardmontS during tho war,
| but had hardly known moro gunpcwdcr TO be burnt
In the same space Of time.
| All along the shore We saw the as.hes OF tho
guns The fire seemed to leap out Of the strong
earthwsIks for at least mile, and the bright and
quiet stars appeared TO trcpble before the below
ing OF the score Of batteries. Clouds Of amose
rose along the river like dense fog and tho water
and tho atmosphere shook with -rcverberaticns.
| Opposite. Vicksburg tho Mississippi is narrow ard
deep, and At that timo was rather low 80 that a.
tlmcs ws were not more than 800 or 800 yards from
tho lO-inch guns. II did seem strange our irl YES
sci, which was struck again ard again JAwas not
blown 10 pieces. But tho little tug passed on, and
we wero yet unframed
| We had nov passed the bend In the river Just
above the city, who're sand bar, on which NO had
been told We would probably strike and ground was
plainly visible, and the greatest danger was over
Still wo moved OF, and the Rebels, as If disap-
pointed aud cnragcd, seemed TO augment their ef-
and louder howled the shot and shrieked the shcl
above, below, around.
Again aud again tho shells burst over head, and
the iron fragments fell about the little crew; but
no groans nor cries were heard. Wo seemed fated