Journal of the War [pp. 319-331]

JOURNAL OF THE WAR.
Gardner's batteries, to completely close the
river to the enemy's boats.
Marinaduke, of Gen. Price's army was near
Helena, and General Price, with 17,000 Ien,
was on the march for that point, his object
being the same, to command the river, and cut
off Grant's supplies. The great fall in the
Mississippi river, 28 feet below high-water
mark, afforded great facilities to these operations. The narrowness of the stream forced
passing vessels to come within easy range of
the shore batteries, while the river had sunk
so low that the attacking parties could not be
reached by the enemy's gunboats.
The garrisons of Port Hudson and Vicksburg are both well provided and in fine spirits
-each uneasy about the fate of the other, but
entirely confident in their own situation. They
have abundant supplies. News has been received from Vicksburg up to Saturday night.
Grant's army is undoubtedly suffering for want
of water, and suffering more from being obliged
to drink the water of the Big Black, which is
very unwholesome. As our informant says,
Gen. Johnston is in no hurry to move, for this,
among other reasons, that he does not like to
interfere with the action of the waters. He is
in regular communication with the West of
the Mississippi, and all are working to a common end-the starvation of the enemy, the
raising of the siege, and the capture of as many
as possible when he begins to mlove off.
Louisiana has been abandoned by the enemy,
and there are no Yankee troops except about
Donaldsonville. Gmn. Morton with 7,0)00 men
is at Franklin, St. Miary's Parish. In their
retreat the Yankees carried off mules and destroyed many wagons. But most of the
negroes have been recaptured and are being
sent back to their owners.
The Red River is free of Yankee vessels.
Communication between the east and west
banks of the Mississippi at Natchez and many
other places was constant and uninterrupted.
The enemy's gunboats are powerless to prevent
it. Ten thousand head of cattle were on their
way to this side and have probably passed by
this time.
The Crescent regiment and the 18th Louisi ana, both of which were formerly stationed
near Mobile, are at Bayou Lamourie, sixteen
miles belowv Alexandria.
Gen. Magruder has his eyes fixed on Vicksburg, and is cooperating with his fellow-soldiers
nearer the scene of action.
The foregoing facts may be relied upon for
their general accuracy; and they put a l ew
face oni the great campaign in the Valley.
Pemberton and Gardner-shut up in their
strongholds with plenty to eat and drink, and
ample powder and ball for the entertainment
of the enemy-defy and laugh at the hosts
who are scowling and digging outside of their
works. While Grant sits down quietly-that
is, as quietly as Big Black water and the sun
and mosquitoes will permit-to starve out Pem berton, Kirby Smith, Price and Taylor are
arranging little details to starve him out and
compel him to abandon his unhealthy locality.
Once again, our climate comes to our aid.
The rivers hlave fallen with unwonted rapidity
and the eniemy's vessels, stranded and on sand banks, are beauty spots on the picturesque
scenes of the great river. If Grant is forced
to retire, many of the vessels of the Yankee
fleet between Vicksburg and Port Hudson
must be lost. When scarcity, bad water, mala ria, and demoralization have done their work
VOL. III.-NO. IIl.
upon Grant's hosts, Johnston's opportunity
will have arrived, and we have str, ng hopes
that a combined attack between him and
Pemberton will result in realizing one of those
"pulverizing" military operations of which we
read so much in Northern papers.
We think the " situation" greatly relieved,
and we certainly "breathe freer." We can
nowsv afford to await events with becoming
patience.
SATURDAY.-Telegraph brings nothing.
SUNDAY.-Northern accounts agree
that Lee is marching upon the North
at the head of a powerful force. The
governors and mayors are calling out
troops and preparing to resist the invasion. Evidently the alarm is intense.
The prisoners taken at Winchester,
Va., estimated at 7,000, also 2,000 to
3,000 horses, and an immense number
of wagons.
Ewell reported to have captured
Harper's Ferry, and is advancing on
Frederick city, Maryland.
Stuart denies that he was surprised
on the Rappahannock.
MONDAY.-Our cavalry has certainly crossed into Maryland, and a por tion of it has reached Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania. They are advancing
upon Harrisburg, the capital, and will
repay with interest the injuries done
in Mississippi and Louisiana.
All still safe at Port Hadson. Yan kees have evacuated the Attakapas,
Louisiana.
Enemy's cavalry are actively ad vancing in North Mississippi, and
threaten Panola. Federals have left
Port Hudson and burnt Bayou Sara.
We have captured Maysville, Ken tucky.
Our war steamers, Alabama and
Florida continue immense depreda tions upon the enemy's commerce.
Others are now afloat.
Confederate gunboat Atlanta cap tured at Savannah, Ga.
LETTER FROM VICKSBURG.
We have been very kindly permitted by a
friend to make the following extracts from a
private letter, written in Vicksburg, on the
13th June, by a mutual friend who formerly
resided in Jackson;
REPUBLIC of VICKSBaUG, June 13, 1863.
Friend F.: An opportunity is just offered
me, through a friend, of communicatilng with
the "outside barbarians," of which I gladly
avail myself.
I am not scared, nor shelled, nor starved out
of existence yet, as you perceive; nor even
driven to live on worse fare than beef and
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