Year: 1863

Special Correspondence Of the Memphis A3pesLl


VIczsBURG, Mareh II, 1868
While General Grant continues to keep his troe pS
engaged in digging mp the amps Of Louisians, Gen
Banks is attempting teach Che ro5els Port Hudson
how open the free navigation Of the river and the
boasted geasraship and kl of he willy chief opposite
Yleksburg is in danger of being placed in the bsek-
ground unless he makes a speedy Of some kind,
in order to preserve his pres ge and commissions lis
refusal attack th point is not only addsion Of
inability but also equal in ali respects to outright
defeat


It hes been supposed for some time to be the ar
ranged plan between the arsss Of Generals Grsnt and
Banks together with their respective fleets, under Far
rsgut and Porter, to attack Port Hudson and Yieks
burg simultsueousiy and from the presence Of more
.han the usual number Of gunboats above last evening
it looked very much if such atteupt might be IN
contemplation. The disasters attendant upon the at
tack on the former place Sunday night might give
new turn IS their calculations, and certainly viii not
be very agreeable news to Gen. Grznt when he hears
oft


BY his tine the enemy must be convinced of the folly
Of attempting to unite their forces either az one the
other of these two points The failure Of Commodore
Farragut silence guns, and the narrow escape Of
one iron clad which the gauntlet NOT Indicative Of
success in the mammoth undertaking Of getting by with
the whole fleet ard the troops who transports will
never be be to pass either up or down. It true that
the arry above may succeed in getting below our guns
by means OF the canal but that viii place them in
worse pos tion than they are now,


How the work on the ditch Is progressing is not
known ct present though the active appearance Of
nuuioer of gunboats last evening Ia close vicinity of the
bead Of the canal indicated that activity was the order
Of the day No boats have been observed nor have any
men been seen work for several days and by someit
Is believed that the expedite the Yazoo has inter
fered with present operations on the peninsula but
think this mistake, it s pretty wen known that not
more than oue brigade If that number of troops have
been taken from hers TO against by the YazoO
pass.


The Hset which IS tbs Tallahasehie Is not the one
that has been of Vieksburg for the last two months
though part of the same it had never reached as low
down the Mississippi as this point And The same is
true TO the troops who mostly taken from points
aboye without interfering with those encamped on the
peninsula and It may therefore be supposed hst these
apparent divisions Of The Federal army does not IN reAi
iy weaken the force which Grant has collected before
this place Il may perhaps prevent ha from bringing
large naval armament against US he desired, bat
as to his ar1nys It does not eject Il at all
Net muob motion was observable among the trans
ports, yesterday, and the gunboats also qais.
but the latter had increased in number and in he dis
tanee more boats were noticed coming. There was
nothing visible that would point to an active move
nent the increasing number Of gun0oafs; and the
probability is strong thst If the enemy Intends to at
tack this plate, WI withdraw the feet to point be
hind the bend above, 50 that we may not know wha
Is going on until they approach us under the cover
darkness


II is not known here whether General Grant has re
eeived the news from Port Hudson yet and some euros
10y is manifested IS to what be viii think when be hear
Of it, He must feel considerably interested, and
are disposed be liberal in the matter, don't car
bow soon he may hndit out PIE may perhaps eonpi
raent Us with few shes in revenge iOg bad treat
nent to his friends below but DO not expect tia
anything very serious win result, even if he shout
bring his Whole force 30 ehastss Us Ike Xerxes, whs
2 he scourgsd the sea


Toward night yesterday few heavy shos wer
heard dowh the river, But could tell wbefhe
they were from guns or FROM the Yankees, but a
they appeared to be 10 tha distance they must hav
been our own IS there sre none Of the enemy COW
the river that far. bstte4y IS diacovsrsd below IL
mouth of the esnal asd nearly opposite some Of on
own. why It Is thai cur guns don't open oa thea AZ
shell them out not known and not easily ezpaine'


NEsT0R.