Year: 1863

soon exhausted. But It IS impossible, with cause like ours we can be the first to cry ssHod enough"

 The sacrifices which have already been made, have perhaps fallen heavily upon aporton of the people, especially upon the noble little city of Vicksburg. After Memphis and New Orleans had fallen two points which were considered to be ad- mirably defended, two points which we had no req son to believe would fall, Vicksburg became the object of attack. A few earth works were thrown up, a few guns were mounted, and Vicksburg ceived the shock of both fleets; the one which, ur- der Commodore Foot, had descended the river, and the one which under Faragnt, had achieved the capture of New Orleans. Noby did the little city receive the assault, and even the women said, "Rather than surrender let us give them the soil, but with the ashes of our dwelling upon it.''

 This was the heroic devotion of the people who deserve to be free. Your governor left his chair, and went himself to the scene of danger. Noth- ing more profoundly touched me amid my duties ill distant land, than to hear that the chief mlg- jstrate of my State was defending the town which the enemy had made the object of his at tack, and that the defense was successful. Now we are far better prepared in that quarter The works, then weak, have been greatly streng gthened ; the troops assigned for their defense better dis cplined and better instructed, and that gallant sol dier who came with me, has been pouring in his forces to assist in its protection Himself the son of a revolutionary hero, he has emulated his fath- CTS glorious example upon other fields, and comes to Mississippi to defend, and, as believe, to pro- tect you.

 Tn the course of this war our eyes have been often turned abroad. We have expected times recognition and sometimes intervention at the hands of foreign natous, and we have had right expect it. Never bt fore in the history ot the world had people for so long time man. tai ned tn cir ground, and show 'd tirrselves capa- bic of maintaining their nation. Il existence, with out securing the recognition oi commercial ma tons know not why thls has l'een so, but this say, "put not your trust in princess and rest not your hopes in foreign nations This war is ours; we must fight it out ourselves, ant' 1 feel some pride in knowing that so far We have done it with out the good will of anybody. Itistnie that there symptoms of change in public opiL ion abroad They give their admlratlo,l-they sometimes even say to us God speed-and in the r, ,markable book written by Mr. Spence. the question Of seces sion has been discussed with more of abi ity than it ever has been even in this country. Yet Eng land still holds back, but France, the ally O other days, seems disposed to hold out o us the h md of fellowship. And when France holds out to her hand, right willingly will We grasp it.

 Daring the last year the war has been character ized by varied fortunes New Orleans fell; sad blow it was to the valley of the Mississippi, and as unexpected to me to any one Memphis als fell, and besides these we have lost point on the Atlantic coast The invading armies have pressed upon at some points; at others they have been driven back; but take view of our condition now and compare 1t with what 1t Was d year ago.

 

 it now is; consider their immense power, vast nun bers and great resources look at all these things and YOU will be convinced that our condition will compare favorably with what it was then Armies are not composed of numbers ,lone. Off cers and men are both to be plined and in structed. When the first began the teacher and the taught were in the condition of the blind leading the blind; all this is changed for the better. Our troops have become disciplined and instructed. They have stripped the gunboat of it's terrors; they have beaten superior numbers i'll the field; they have discovered that with their short range weapons they close upon the long range weapons of the enemy and capture them. Thus, in all respects, moral well physical better prepared than we were year ago.

 There are non two prominent objects in the pro gramme of the enemy. One is to get possession of the Mississippi river and to open it to nayga- ton in order to appease the clamora o the " est and to utitize the capture of New Orleans, which has thus far rendered them service. The other is to seize upon the capital of the Coniederacy, and hold this out as a proof that the Coniederacy had no existence We have recently repused them at Fredericksburg, and l believe that under God and by the vaor of our troops the capital of the Confederacy will stand safe behind its wall of living breasts Vcksburg and Port Hudson have either of rftf ffdr2e itie I fj at 1 have confidence that VicksbuFg wftl stand as be- fore, and hope Johnston will find generals to sup port him if the enemy dare to land. Port Hudson is now strong. Vlcksburg will stand, and Port Hudson will stand; but let every man that can be spared from other vacations hasten to defend them and thus hold the Mississippi river, that great tery ot the Confectionery, preserve our communica tions with the trans Mississippi department, and thwart the enemy'S scheme ot forcing navigation through to New Orleans. By holding that section of the river b-tween Port Hudson and Vcksburg, we shall secure these results, and the people of the West cut of from New Orleans, will be driven to the East to seek market for their products, and will be compelled to pay So much III the way ot feights that those products will be rendered almost valueess. Thus, should not be surprised if the first aybreak of peace were to dawn upon us from that quarter.

 Sometime since, for reasons not necessary to re. capituate, I sent to this State general unknown to most of you, and perhaps, even by name, known but to few among you. This the land of my affections. Here weresituated the little of worldly goods possessed. 1 selected d general who in my view, was capable of defending my State and dlscharging the duties of this important service l am happy to state, after attentive examina ton, that have not been mistaken in the general ol my choice. find that, during bis administra- ton here everything has been done that could be accomplished with the means at his command. l recommend him to your confidence as you may have confidence in me, who selected him For the de- fense of Vicksburg, SC ected one from the army of the Potomac, of whom it is but faint praise to say he has no superior. He sent to Virginia at the beginning of the war, with little battery of three guns. With these he fought the Yankee gunboats, drove them off, and stripped them of their ter'ors. He was promoted for distinguished services on various fields. He finally made colonel of cavalry, and l have reason to believe that at the last great conflict tue field of Ma nassas, served to turn the tide of battle and con sunpate thr victory

 On succeeding fields he has won equal distinc ton. Though yet young he has fought more bat ties than many officers who have lived to ad- vanced age and died in their beds. 1 have there fore sent Lee tc take charge of the deenses of Vicksburg. can say then that 1 have every con fdence in the skill and energy of the officers in command. But when 1 received dispatches and pondency among the people of Mississippi; when l heard even that people were heasng to Texas m order to save themselves from the enemy, when l saw it stated by the enemy that they had handled other States with gloves, but Mississippi was to be handled without gloves, every impulse of my heart dragged me hither in spite of duties which might have claimed my attention elsewhere When l heard of the sufferngs of my own people, oi the danger of their subj ugation by ruthless foe felt that if Mississippi destined tor such fate, would wish to sleep in her soil. On my way here 1 stopped at the headquarters of Gen. Johnston.- knew his capacity and his resolutions mparted to him my own thoughts and asked him to come with me. I found that his ideas were directed in the same channel He came ill the shortest time for preparations; but whatever man can do will be done by him. have perfect confidence that with your assistance and support he will drive the enc. my from the soil of Mississippi. After having vis-