Year: 1863

| VICEsBURG March 10, 1853.


The operations of the enemy on the Talahstehie
have, doubt been the Cause Of Withdrawing part
Of the Federal force from vcksburg The impression en-
ter;sined by many that he has abandoned his designs
in front Is mistake and it viii be wrong to indulge in
any hope Of this kind His camp stiIl remains intact
the as before the passage through Yazoo pass
and the feet Of transports still remains in sight as if
with the Intention Of an early adya7ce The gunbOats
also present and present the bslligerent
pee before Altogether there is no apparent dim
mutton of the enemys forces to be observed here and
II few of the transports are sometimes seen to depart
up stream that i. indication that the feet Is dmin
ishng in numbers because before next morning their
vacant places viii be filed mp by new arrivals.


As for the sappesrsncs of the gunboais il is all de
speculation There never has been more than two or
three OF them in sight with one days exception when
five were seen. One, two, and sometimes three are al
ways present IN the vicinity of the transport anchorage
and these may be now the same as if no feet had
gone through Che pasa Behind the point of the river
aud IN the mouth Of the Yazoo where the gnboass are
quRrtered, the indications OF their presence is
6aiy observed and ii s presumable that those boats
which operating at Greenwood, have net been
down the Mississippi far this point and the same s
the case with the army now up in that section.


There may be part OF Grants army engaged in tho
attack Pemberton but it is entirely safe 70 write
It dowa that siderable portion Of his forces have
been removed from here. Those that were sent
through the pass, were such as had been scattered
along the river between this point and Helena, and
though they properly belong Gen Grants army, they
are not taken from before Vieksburg The Federals,
who have inhabited the swamp at Youngs point for The
last months, still vegetatAg in the place
and the impression that their numbers had been largely
diminished has foundation farther than the fsncfu
m,ginatOnsof Of the newsmongers, who in the absence
Of any other Information circulate their ideas as
thlt was really the present condition Of affairs.


Tbs quiet prevailing IN the camp the river for
days past is doubt attributable the move
meat at Greenwood II success should attend tie
enemy in that xpedition then we viii very soon learn
that General Grant has not withdrawn his forces from
here but that he holds them readiness to come upon
at the NEST favorable moment During the interval
the troops the peninsula, assisted by eontraband
Engaged in digging the canal for the transports to
60 below What the next movement win be in case the
expedition Greenwood proves failure it Is hard to
conjecture but it will in all probability have the effect
of staving of the attack Ycksburs ron any other
quarter for long time. Aud that the Yankees viii be
repulsei the Tsshsehie, tn is not the slightest
doubt


Some little motion In tbs feet was observed yester





being kept up G number Of the former Everything
was apparently quiet in the camp as well as on the
canal. For several days have no news Of the pro
gress of their K and the boats which have been try
Ing to navigate It have been taken out Some, who
CO. not tell steamboat from saw-mil supposed thar
those crafts in She canal dredgs boats digging out
the mud but they that class Of uondescrip
and no doubt some ef their smaller transports
which can navigate IN ten inches of water Ihave but
little doubt that the enemy viii yet get below Vieks
burg BY means Of canal and am also satisfied that the
old one win Jet have to be abandoned


There is rumor the streets that the Yases pirate
boat Esssr had escaped ths vigilance Of our PORT Had
son friends, and the way up the river No faith
is put in the report and if it were even true It would
csuse no appreheusons The news Of the fight on the
Tashaehe is good enough 50 far as it goes The re-
pulse Of the enemy there is equal to great disaster
and he Mississippi having come to stand and com
menced falling, it VIII make it necessary for the enemy
to get Of that section Of Dixie as soon as possible
Ihave DO fears Of the sbiy Of General Lorng to check
the future advance Of The enemy IN that quarter.


NEsFoR