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February 18, 1863, The Charleston Mercury

MOVEMENTS OF THE ENEMY –THE ‘FATHER OF WATERS’ IN OUR FAVOR –STRENGTH OF THE DEFENCES OF VICKSBURG –NO DANGER OF ITS CAPTURE.

(Correspondence of the Mobile Advertiser.)

VICKSBURG, February 8.

Great activity prevailing amongst the Yankee army yesterday morning, a rigid scrutiny was instituted on the part of our military authorities to find out what it was all about. The transports were in motion, and a powerful glass revealed the fact that portions of the Yankee army were being taken aboard the boats. No conjecture could solve the meaning, except the knowledge that the rapidly rising water in the river was driving them away from their camping ground. Such an event had been predicted for some time, as the water was plainly visible creeping over the bank in that vicinity. No dry ground for a general rendezvous can be found so near Vicksburg as that from which they are now driven by the flood. The Louisiana side of the river is all of a similar character, and their condition cannot be improved by any nomadic advantages; while, on the opposite side, a living breastwork of dauntless Confederate soldiers will interpose an insuperable barrier to their effecting a landing anywhere on dry ground.

Finding their present ground untenable for a much longer season, they have pulled up stakes and marched a force across the Peninsula to a point opposite Warrenton, where the ground is more favorable for camping purposes, and they have gone to work throwing up batteries opposite the latter place. This is, no doubt, done for the purpose of covering the crossing of the troops to our side of the river, and perhaps the greater part of the army may be taken down to effect this object.

This movement only confirms my former impressions that they will never be able to camp nearer to Vicksburg than where they are at present. The new point selected is some fifteen miles below the city, with the angry waters of the Mississippi still between them and our shores. When a sufficient force of the enemy has been concentrated, there will no doubt be an effort made to cross the river under cover of their batteries; but this desperate adventure will be hard to accomplish, and unless a large part of the gunboat fleet runs the gauntlet of our batteries, in order to assist in this transit, they may safely count on making a disastrous failure. This fact is too evident to require any explanation. If the transports cannot land troops under our batteries above the city, they have just as little show to do the same thing below the city. But they are deceiving themselves by thinking that we are not so well prepared in that quarter; and so much the better for us.

VICKSBURG, February 9.

While apparent activity has been observed in the Yankee force opposite this place for the past two days, there has yet been no demonstration made in any direction to indicate an advance. The Yankees are beginning to find that the taking of Vicksburg is a very serious job, and the longer they are putting it off, waiting until they are fully prepared, the worse it will be for them to take it. Every day their chances grow less, and their prospects are now more dreary than ever before.

From the high stage of the river, it is now evident that their effort to flank the point by the land army will be attended with very great difficulties, and the question is discussed whether they will be able to operate on land at all. A landing will first have to be effected at some feasible point before a demonstration can be made against the city, and the most serious consideration is, where a place can be found sufficiently adapted for this purpose. It will require them to select some point at a great distance, and the impracticability of getting a force overland with artillery is too manifest to allow them to adopt this course.

By some it is already predicted that the expedition which was to operate by land is a failure and valueless. Not being able to land this force within striking distance of Vicksburg, it will of course not be possible for the Yankee General to bring it to his assistance until the city itself is captured. The only practicable place to land his troops is right in front of the city, and the impossibility of accomplishing this feat under our batteries is very patent to every one. No other point offering for this purpose, it remains for them either to do this or to abandon the project.

The only feasible landing place on high ground besides that of the wharf, is below Warrenton; and that being below the city, it will require the whole Yankee army to cross the Peninsula and to get the transports down through the canal in order to effect the crossing. Should this plan be adopted and accomplished, we may have great hopes of announcing one of the greatest disasters that has yet befallen the Yankee army; but few indeed would survive to tell the sad fate of their unfortunate companions. There is but little difference whether they land in front of Vicksburg or at any other point, the effect will be all the same.

VICKSBURG, February 10.

The opinion still prevails here that the Yankees are evacuating the peninsula. Since Saturday there has been a continual moving up and down of the transports, and the general belief is that they are carrying the troops further up the river, to some point where they can find dry land. The water is not yet up to their present camping ground, but is rising rapidly, and can be seen from the city to be encroaching upon them with rapid strides. It is also reported that the levees above there have been cut, which, if true, will soon leave the whole peninsula under water.

Several deserters have arrived here, but they bring no additional news of what the Yankees are doing, they having left the camps several days previous to the present move. It appears that on account of the water in the canal, they are not able to do much work at it, and in order to facilitate the progress of their labors, they have constructed dams at both ends, to keep the water from running in while they are engaged in digging out the stumps and other obstructions. They seem determined to make it a success, while the more honest portion of them confess that it is a failure.

It is now believed by many that the land army which is being transported up and down the river on the transports, is a useless encumbrance; that it never will be brought to operate against Vicksburg. This opinion is gaining ground from the fact that there is no practical landing place on the river where this force could be debarked with safety, and consequently it cannot be brought into action. The rise in the river bids fair to attain enormous proportions; every possible avenue to the hills will be submerged, and no landing place can be found except under the batteries at Vicksburg. The only show for an assault now is a repetition of last year’s attempt by the gun and mortar boats, and for them we are well prepared. I would not be a bit surprised to hear that Gen. McClernand’s monster army would be entirely withdrawn from here and taken back to Memphis, in order to get up another expedition on foot by the way of Grenada and Jackson. The river expedition is a failure, and it will very shortly be so pronounced. There are no apprehensions manifested here about anything that this army can accomplish against Vicksburg. It will never be able to leave the transports, much less to attempt the point in the rear.

There is also a Confederate expedition on foot which will very shortly set the Yankees to dancing juba in another quarter, and will require at least part of the gunboats to withdraw from here. What this expedition is will be made known in good time, and may prove as disastrous to the foe as it will be gratifying to the Confederacy. With the exception of the gunboats making an assault upon the city it looks very much at this moment as if we were not to have the big fight at Vicksburg after all. The mighty Mississippi is doing his part, and the consummate strategy of our Generals may do the other part, which will drive the Yankees away from here and clear out the river of all that kind of nuisance.

The ram which ran the batteries a week ago is still in the neighborhood of the mouth of the canal, and the captured ferry boat is also in that vicinity. Nothing has yet been seen of any of the transports which the ram is reported to have captured on her trip down the river, and it is not yet certain whether the report is correct about her making any captures.