May 29, 1863, The Charleston Mercury

IMPORTANT FROM VICKSBURG.

RICHMOND, May 28. – An official telegram from General JOHHSTON, dated yesterday, states that General STEVENSON reports that hard fighting has been going on at Vicksburg since Tuesday last with continued success, and that our men are confident of their ability to hold the place, and in fine spirits.

JACKSON, May 27. – Reports from below state that BANKS, with his army, has crossed at Bayou Sara. A Federal deserter confirms the report of the carnage of the enemy in their repeated attacks on Vicksburg. GRANT sent a flag of truce today to enquire after his sick and wounded. General PEMBERTON is burning tar and using the disinfectants to save his troops from the effects of the Federal dead rotting in front of our works. The slaughter of the enemy has been far greater that in any battle of the war. The Mississippian states that two gunboats were sunk in front of Vicksburg. The same paper also states that Saturday’s battle at Vicksburg was the most stubborn of all.

News came from Memphis to Grenada, and believed at Memphis to be true, that Helena had been captured by the rebels. Afterwards a dispatch from Oxford to Grenada stated that Helena was today captured. On Monday a man from the river reached Canton, who said he had read a dispatch to Col. FERGUSON, who stated that MARMADUKE had taken Helena and hanged a regiment of negros, three hundred and forty strong, with their Yankee officers. The Quartermaster at Canton says positively that the above statement may be relied on. Several Yankee gunboats are reported at Yazoo City.

May 29, 1863, The Charleston Mercury

THE MEDICAL PURVEYOR of Charleston has left at our office, for inspection, a lump of Opium collected from the Garden Poppy, by G.B. FARMER, Esq., from his grounds at Walterboro’. Mr. FARMER has a variety of the Garden Poppy – double and single, and of various colors. His Poppies, planted in September, have attained the height of 4 1/2 feet, and are of vigorous growth, whilst those planted in March are not over 3 feet high. The difference in the size of the capsules is also remarkable, those planted in September being nearly double the size of those planted in March. Mr. FARMER will make Opium sufficient to supply his family and plantation negros for twelve months. He has promised to furnish the Medical Purveyor with the yield of the different varieties, and will carefully preserve the seed for distribution. The Poppy must become a plant of great interest to our country, and we invite the attention of persons engaged in its cultivation to call and examine the Opium now at our office.

May 29, 1863, The Charleston Mercury

‘They were both killed by the first fire, and died without a struggle. Their bodies were delivered to their friends from Kentucky by order of Gen. BURNSIDE.’ Thus read the telegrams from Sandusky, Ohio, announcing the execution of T.P MCGRAW and WM. CORBIN, who were sentenced to death, we believe, for endeavoring to enlist men in Kentucky for the Southern cause. They ‘died without a struggle,’ is the consoling announcement; and Gen. BURNSIDE most graciously ordered their lifeless bodies to be ‘delivered  to their friends.’ That man, at the beginning of the war, put on the air of the humane gentleman; but finding that not popular with the Yankees, he essays now a shorter road to favor and thrift in the Northern mind, by throwing off all hypocrisy and becoming the unrelieved and unmitigated brute. He sees how BUTLER has thriven in Yankee esteem – how he has firmly fixed himself on a granite base on the very rock of Plymouth, where he cannot be shaken or displaced by his crimes against justice and humanity. He has, therefore, become his imitator, and is rising in the popular scale along with him. Humiliated and disgraced by his failures on the Potomac, he finds a malicious satisfaction, as well as a facile way of lifting himself up in Yankeedom, in issuing inhuman and bloody orders against all sympathisers with the men whose valor and skill in arms drove him in disgrace from the battle field. Safely ensconsed in his headquarters, in his own country, he is doing a slashing business among those who, through the agency of his spies and informers, incur the penalties of his orders. He thus seeks a spite that is free from present peril – a quiet and safe revenge, comforting to a coward’s heart, and grateful to a coward’s feelings.

But BURNSIDE is only performing the duty assigned him by his master at Washington. Like the execrated headsman, he is the mere instrument appointed to his bloody office. There is, however, a more serious view of the sanguinary orders now being enforced through him and others by the inhuman Government at Washington. It becomes the duty of the Government of the Southern Confederacy, as far as lie in its power, to protect those enlisted in its cause, and to retaliate upon our ruthless enemy his wanton and unjustifiable cruelties. It has already been announced that measures would probably be taken to retaliate for the execution of two Kentuckians, and we believe those mentioned in this article. If the cases of those men are properly understood, there can hardly be two opinions as to the propriety of this retaliation.

May 29, 1863, The Charleston Mercury

It will be recollected how great, in the beginning of the war, was the anxiety which filled the breast of every patriot in relation to the scarcity of powder in the Confederate States. Every grain was husbanded; each sportsman and farmer brought in his little store, and poured it upon the heap to keep up the supply. Percussion caps were scarcely to be obtained at all. And at the first battle of Manassas, many of the soldiers had not one cap to each cartridge in their cartridge boxes. The terrible rout at that period was a God-send in this particular, thousands of cartridges were collected and saved, and thus we made in one glorious day, preparation for a whole campaign.

But during the interim every effort possible had been made by president Davis and the then Secretary of War, Hon. Leroy P. Walker, to establish a mill for the manufacture of powder on an extensive scale. The matter was entrusted to the superintendence of Col. Kaines, formerly an officer of note in the army of the old Federal Government, and at one time Professor of Chemistry at West Point.

The ingredient most difficult to procure was saltpetre; but every inducement was offered to the people throughout the South to bring out this precious substance from the caves and banks where it had long lain hidden from want of an exigency calling for its production. The call was promptly answered, and a superabundance of saltpetre was soon produced, and brought to hand. By that time we were ready to commence the manufacture of gunpowder, which was done forthwith. The result of the whole matter is, [continue reading…]

May 29, 1863, Savannah Republican (Georgia)

                      The German Ladies’ of Savannah are invited to assemble in Concordia Hall School on Wednesday, 3d June, at 4 o’clock in the Afternoon, in order to form an Association for the benefit of those families whose fathers or husbands are in the army.

Thursday, 28th.—Skirmishing and heavy cannonading all day.

(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

May 28.—Hospital day. The wounded cheerful and doing well. I read, distributed books, and talked with them. They are always ready to be amused, or to be instructed. I have never but in one instance had an unpleasant word or look from any whom I endeavoured to treat with kindness in any way. Bible reading is always kindly received. J. J. has returned home, as usual much interested in hospital work.

Thursday, 28th–Last night we bivouacked twenty miles east of Vicksburg and remained there till noon, waiting for rations. We then moved on ten miles and went into bivouac for the night. The country is very rough in this part of the state and there are only a few small farms to be seen. Water is scarce, our main reliance being cistern water.

28th. Spent the day in camp as usual. Read May Ballou. Some good things and some silly. In the evening felt quite aguey.

May 28th. At three o’clock this morning hostilities commenced again between the two contending armies, with all its former ferocity, and the loud booming of cannon was in great contrast and bold relief to the low but quick mutterings of numerous volleys of musketry. The rumor of yesterday in regard to several thousand of our men being in their entrenchments we have since learned was untrue. Although the fortifications in and around Port Hudson are very formidable, and of such a nature as hard to be overcome, making this rebel stronghold almost another Gibraltar, still great confidence is put in General Banks that he will be able to surmount all these in time, and reduce the place. Admiral Farragut, on board the staunch and new sloop-of-war Monongahela, below Port Hudson, is aiding the army by all the means in his power towards the consummation of the reduction of this place. He has the sloops-of-war Richmond, Genesee, and iron-clad Essex at his command, with six mortar schooners, and I assure you he does not allow them long to remain idle, but whenever he thinks some execution can be done by the sending of a few shot or shell, grape or canister, among the rebels, they all go to work with a will to perform this duty. They are more or less engaged every day with the enemy; the rebels admit that it is not Banks they fear, but the ships, and if they were not around close to hand, Banks would have to look out for himself; without us their supplies would not be entirely cut off, and the blockade would therefore not be effective; they could not be reinforced by Kirby Smith’s band of guerrillas, or some other party, by crossing the river, or cutting their way through Banks’ handful of men. I give all praise, though, to Banks doing as well as he has with the forces (and quality) at his command; and although he has been repulsed, and has to fall back to his old position, in the late engagement with the Confederates, still we will not say he did not fight well and attempt to carry everything before him; but, although defeated, we look forward to the time when our arms will be successful, and that soon. Although we lost many men in these two days’ fighting, yet the enemy must admit of being much cut up, and his men demoralized, which weakens him for an early renewal of hostilities.

From the diary of Osborn H. Oldroyd

MAY 28TH.–We did not strike out on the war-path again till three P. M. to-day, having spent the time previous in taking a good rest. To-day we have not marched very rapidly, as it has now become necessary to go more slowly in order to feel our way, since we cannot tell what obstacle we may encounter. All the natives we meet along the road claim that Johnston is going to raise the siege. If so, it will prove about the biggest “raising” he ever attended. Camped again about dark.

MAY 28th.—There is some animation at the polls, this being election day. It is said Mr. Wickham, who for a long time, in the Convention, voted against the secession of Virginia, is leading Mr. Lyons, an original secessionist, and will probably beat him. And Flournoy, an old Whig politician, will probably be elected governor.

A dispatch from Gen. Johnston, dated yesterday, says in every fight, so far, around Vicksburg, our forces have been successful, and that our soldiers are in fine spirits.

Papers from the North have, in great headings, the word VICTORY, and announce that the Stars and Stripes are floating over the City of Vicksburg! They likewise said their flag was floating over the Capitol in this city. If Vicksburg falls, it will be a sad day for us; if it does not fall, it will be a sad day for the war party of the United States. It may be decisive, one way or the other. If we beat them, we may have peace. If they beat us—although the war will not and cannot terminate—it may degenerate into a guerrilla warfare, relentless and terrible!

May 28, 1863, Tyler Reporter

                      The idea has been suggested to us that, under present circumstances, it would be wise and safe to organize companies of Minute Men in every portion of the State, and especially in Eastern Texas.  Banks’ late raid into Louisiana should be an all sufficient warning to us, and an unmistakable evidence of what our enemies will do whenever the opportunity is presented to them.  Gen. Smith suggests to the people of Texas the great necessity of being ready, and that pure patriot, Gen. McCulloch, seeing the danger to which his State has been and is still exposed, makes a most earnest and eloquent appeal to those at home, urging them to organize and hold themselves in readiness to meet the foe at a moment’s notice.  some may be disposed to settle down with an idea of quiet security, now that Banks’ army has left Red River and retreated from their late scene of action and immediate danger no longer stares us in the face; but should Vicksburg fall (God forbid it!) it will, in our humble judgment, be but a short time until we will find the enemy again at our doors.  We hope Vicksburg will stand; we believe Vicksburg will stand–but it may not; and whether it does or not, no injury can arise from preparation to meet emergencies.  Will some of our influential citizens take the lead in this matter?  In other counties companies are being organized–let us not be behind.

May 28, 1863, The Charleston Mercury

THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG.

LATEST OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.

The following despatches, from General PEMBERTON, the commander at Vicksburg, were sent to Jackson, Mississippi, and from thence telegraphed to President DAVIS;

VICKSBURG, May 20. – The enemy assaulted our entrenchments yesterday on our centre and left. They were repulsed with heavy loss. Our loss is small. The enemy’s force is at least sixty thousand.

VICKSBURG, May 21. – The enemy kept up a heavy artillery fire yesterday. Two of our guns were dismounted in the centre; our works, however, were uninjured. Their sharpshooters picked off officers and men all day. Our works were repaired and our guns replaced last night. Our men are encouraged by a report that Gen. JOHNSTON is near with a large army, and are in good spirits.

MAY 21, 2 p.m. – We have had brisk artillery and musketry firing today; also heavy mortar firing from gunboats.

3 o’clock, p.m. – During the past two days transports with troops have gone up the river. Their destination is unknown.

(The Latest.)

RICHMOND, May 27. – A trustworthy private despatch received from Canton, Mississippi, and dated yesterday, says: ‘All is well at Vicksburg. The garrison holds out bravely.’

May 28, 1863, Natchez Daily Courier
                      Permit me to call your attention to one deserving your ever ready sympathies.  A noble, patriotic, devoted woman, a resident of this city, has lately returned home on a visit to her children, after an absence of two years, having followed her husband, a soldier, to Virginia, where she has been incessantly engaged in ministering to the wants of the sick and wounded in the Hospitals, the tented field and on many a field of battle.  She was actively employed in the above capacity in the fights before Richmond, at the second battle of Manassas, and at Sharpsburg, Md., marching with the army, having canteens of water strung around her, for the parched and thirsty, and with her haversack containing splinters, lint and bandages for the wounded.  Having obtained a furlough to visit her home, she was stopped on the route and made a prisoner by Grierson’s cavalry on their late raid; her trunk, containing all her wearing apparel, was burnt with the Railroad cars, her purse was taken from her, the contents torn into shreds and trampled in the mud.  She was then made to march to Brookhaven, a distance of 125 miles, when she was released, with the thread of imprisonment during the war if caught again.  Finding no conveyance, she walked to this place, and is now destitute; but cheerful, hopeful, resolute, and determined to return shortly to the army, and resume her duties as a “Ministering Angel,” to the suffering soldier.  Her name is Mrs. Spangler, and she lives near Brown’s Sawmill.                C.

May 28, 1863, The Ranchero (Corpus Christi, Texas)

                      We learn from the True Issue that the Chief Justice of Fayette county has invested nine thousand dollars of the State bounty for the relief of soldier’s families, into cotton and shipped it to the Rio Grande, there to be converted into necessary supplies and returned to Fayette.  This example is worthy of imitation.  If the Chief Justices of all the counties would take the amount placed in their hands by the State for the relief of soldier’s families, and do likewise, there would be a relief, indeed, to the family of the soldier.

May 28, 1863, The Ranchero (Corpus Christi, Texas)

                      A number of officers stationed at this post, taking advantage of the short stay of Gen. Magruder, and staff, here, tendered them a complimentary ball on the 20th inst., at Anacreon Hall, which was accepted.  We have only room to say that it was a magnificent affair, and was agreeable to all participants.  The Hall was splendidly decorated with evergreens and flowers.  Upon the right side, and high upon the wall, was the name of Major General J. B. Magruder, the letters being ingeniously formed by the entwining of evergreens.  On the opposite side, were the two quotations–”Wait not for orders; but attack the enemy at once, and furiously, wherever he shall be found;” and–”From Palo Alto to the City of Mexico!  From Great Bethel to Galveston–a succession of Victories!” both being beautifully enclosed in a wreath of flowers, and, of course, complimentary to the General.  Mr. Jacob Ziegler, the superintendent and indefatigable caterer, prepared a sumptuous table, which received full attention.  It is needless to say that the fair ladies of Corpus Christi contrived the decorations, and were the embodiment of beauty and loveliness upon this occasion.

May 28, 1863, The New York Herald

The latest news which the government has received from Vicksburg is by way of Memphis, up to four o’clock on the morning of the 24th ult. Vicksburg was then holding out, and Grant was hopeful of success. It is said that a storm interrupted telegraphic communication between Memphis and Cairo yesterday. Rumors by way of Cincinnati from Murfreesboro state – but without any confirmation – that Vicksburg had fallen on Sunday, and that General Pemberton had got his army away safely, losing all his artillery. Another despatch from Chicago says that on Friday morning last General Pemberton sent a flag of truce to General Grant offering to surrender Vicksburg if General Grant would allow the rebels to lay down their arms and march out, and that the offer was refused. We give all these stories for what they are worth.

We have considerable news upon the subject from the Southern journals. Their tone with regard to the state of affairs at Vicksburg is not very cheerful, though a little more confident than it was a few days ago. General Forrest is said to have arrived at Shelbyville, Tenn., from Murfreesboro, and will take command of Van Dorn’s division. A Savannah journal says that as General Bragg and General Rosecrans are both afraid of provoking a battle at Murfreesboro it is quite probable that they are both sending off portions of their armies westward, Rosecrans to reinforce Grant, and Bragg to reinforce Pemberton. This would imply the admission on the part of the rebel journal that Bragg, at all events, was sending his troops towards Vicksburg.

Richmond papers of the 25th state that an official despatch from General Johnson, dated the 23d. says an officer who left Vicksburg on Tuesday reports that an assault near the Yazoo road on Pemberton’s intrenchments had been repelled. It is said that another [continue reading…]

May 28, 1863, Tri-Weekly Telegraph (Houston, Texas)

                      Col. Wilcox while here gave us a correct drawing of the new Confederate flag, and a description of the seal.  The flag is white, with a red union, having a St. Andrew’s cross of blue, on each bar of which are three white stars, with a large one at the crossing.  To make a flag, say a yard and a quarter by three yards; take the usual size of the Beauregard battle flag, seven eights by one and one quarter of red.  On each side of this place a strip of blue, say 4 inches wide, running from each corner, diagonally across.  This makes the cross, and on this put the stars.  Now make a white flag, three yards by one and one quarter leaving space to put in the Union, and you have it.

                      The seal is an equestrian figure of Washington enclosed in a wreath of cotton, corn, tobacco, rice and wheat, with the motto Deo Vindice, (God the vindicator.) the idea of the Cavalier and the Puritan are both discarded; the Puritan whose idea of liberty was the privilege of persecuting others, and the Cavalier whose violence and licentiousness were equally disgusting with the cant of the Puritan.

May 28, 1863, The New York Herald

Our Army Correspondence.

CROSSING OF BIG BLACK RIVER, May 16, 1863.

GENERAL GRANT’S RAPID MARCHING.

The situation remains unchanged at this point. When we arrived here on the heels of the retreating enemy, the army was entirely exhausted. We had marched continuously from Milliken’s Bend for seven days, and with hardly an hour’s rest night or day. We had fought a severe battle and achieved a splendid victory, and it was proper that a few days’ respite should be given the tired soldiery. This rest is working wonders. The men are now anxious to move. They are in the best of spirits and confident of their ability to whip the enemy. The indications are that in the desire to advance they will soon be abundantly gratified. Tomorrow, they say, we move upon the railroad bridge and the city of Vicksburg. One division is already several miles in that direction. It is intrenched, and the whole country is being thoroughly scouted, to arrive if possible at the enemy’s intentions. He doubtless means fight and defence.

A RECONNOISSANCE IN FORCE was made across the river at this point yesterday. Our troops penetrated the country to the north a distance of seven or eight miles, and found the enemy occupying an advantageous position, and drawn up in line of battle to receive them. There was slight skirmishing in front; but, as an engagement was [continue reading…]

May 28, 1863, Tri-Weekly Telegraph (Houston, Texas)

                      We were gratified yesterday by receiving a long visit from the talented representative in Congress of the San Antonio District, who gave us a great deal of valuable information, and buoyed us up with his testimony of the unwavering confidence in our cause, exhibited by the people all over the Confederacy.  After hearing his description of our hospitals, and being cheered with the information that the sick and wounded of our army were cared for as men should be, we felt a desire to repel the wholesale slanders, which are so frequently written in relation to the people at home.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been sent to the army by the liberality and patriotism of our men and women and instead of the sick soldier and dying volunteer being neglected and forgotten, we are told that their quarters are made comfortable, and their hospitals “kept like a parlor.”  Who does it?  The women of our State have toiled in the good cause, and the men have given them glorious encouragement by their never failing liberality–Soldiers’ wives and families too, are better cared for in Texas than in any other State, and we hope to hear of no more sweeping denunciations of those who are not on the field of battle.  Col. Wilcox gives a glowing description of Lee’s army–no profanity, no bickering among officers, no backbiting or jealousy, but a harmony and unity wonderful to behold.  Each private bears himself as if were a hero, and they go to the battlefield certain of being victorious.  There is no such army in the world.

May 28th, 1863.—Since that day the regular siege has continued. We are utterly cut off from the world, surrounded by a circle of fire. The fiery shower of shells goes on day and night. H.’s occupation, of course, is gone, his office closed. Every man has to carry a pass in his pocket. People do nothing but eat what they can get, sleep when they can, and dodge the shells. There are three intervals when the shelling stops, either for the guns to cool or for the gunners’ meals, I suppose,—about eight in the morning, the same in the evening, and at noon. In that time we have both to prepare and eat ours. Clothing cannot be washed or anything else done. On the 19th and 22d, when the assaults were made on the lines, I watched the soldiers cooking on the green opposite. The half-spent balls coming all the way from those lines were flying so thick that they were obliged to dodge at every turn. At all the caves I could see from my high perch, people were sitting, eating their poor suppers at the cave doors, ready to plunge in again. As the first shell again flew they dived, and not a human being was visible. The sharp crackle of the musketry-firing was a strong contrast to the scream of the bombs. I think all the dogs and cats must be killed or starved, we don’t see any more pitiful animals prowling around…. The cellar is so damp and musty the bedding has to be carried out and laid in the sun every day, with the forecast that it may be demolished at any moment. The confinement is dreadful. To sit and listen as if waiting for death in a horrible manner would drive me insane. I don’t know what others do, but we read when I am not scribbling in this. H. borrowed somewhere a lot of Dickens’s novels, and we reread them by the dim light in the cellar. When the shelling abates H. goes to walk about a little or get the “Daily Citizen,” which is still issuing a tiny sheet at twenty-five and fifty cents a copy. It is, of course, but a rehash of speculations which amuses half an hour. To-day we heard while out that expert swimmers are crossing the Mississippi on logs at night to bring and carry news to Johnston. I am so tired of corn-bread, which I never liked, that I eat it with tears in my eyes. We are lucky to get a quart of milk daily from a family near who have a cow they hourly expect to be killed. I send five dollars to market each morning, and it buys a small piece of mule-meat. Rice and milk is my main food; I can’t eat the mule-meat. We boil the rice and eat it cold with milk for supper. Martha runs the gauntlet to buy the meat and milk once a day in a perfect terror. The shells seem to have many different names; I hear the soldiers say, “That’s a mortar-shell. There goes a Parrott. That’s a rifle-shell.” They are all equally terrible. A pair of chimney-swallows have built in the parlor chimney. The concussion of the house often sends down parts of their nest, which they patiently pick up and reascend with.

Note: To protect Mrs. Miller’s job as a teacher in post-civil war New Orleans, her diary was published anonymously, edited by G. W. Cable, names were changed and initials were generally used instead of full names—and even the initials differed from the real person’s initials. (Read Dora Richards Miller’s biographical sketch.)

Siege of Vicksburg.

Wednesday, 27th.—11 A. M. Four gunboats steamed up and commenced shelling at us, which was responded to by our siege guns, at the same time a gunboat attempted to pass the batteries from above but was sunk in about fifteen minutes under the Rebel guns. It was reported that this was the Gunboat “Cincinnati,” one of the best boats on the river; just out on its first trip. It was said that it was attempting to silence a battery that could not be turned on river or on the land. 12 M., gunboats moved out of range of siege guns. All is quiet. One man killed; two wounded.

(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

27th.—The news from Vicksburg by the morning’s papers is very delightful, if authentic. We pause for confirmation of it. The young people among the villagers and refugees have been amusing themselves, during the past two evenings, with tableaux. I am too old to enjoy such things in these troubled times, but one picture I regretted not seeing. It represented the young Confederacy. The whole bright galaxy was there—South Carolina in scarlet, restive and fiery; Virginia, grave and dignified, yet bright with hope, seemed to be beckoning Kentucky on, who stood beyond the threshold, her eyes cast down with shame and suffering; Maryland was at the threshold, but held back by a strong hand; all the rest of the fair sisters were there in their appropriate places, forming a beautiful picture.

I am amused to see how the Democrats of the North are speechifying and exciting themselves about the arrest of Vallandigham, and how Lincoln will soon make them back down.