May 25, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
HIGHLY IMPORTANT FROM VICKSBURG.
JACKSON, MISS., May 22. – Heavy firing has been heard this morning in the direction of Vicksburg. It is reported, and believed in official circles, that the enemy assaulted the works at Vicksburg on Wednesday, but was badly repulsed. Snyder’s Bluff has been evacuated by our troops. A courier reports that Yazoo City was captured yesterday by the enemy. The Navy Yard there was burned by our own men.
Later. – An officer, just arrived from Vicksburg, reports that GRANT has been beaten back. The enemy made three desperate assaults upon our position, but were repulsed.
Semi-official information has been received of the capture of Helena, Ark., by PRICE.
MOBILE, May 22. – A correspondent, writing from Jackson on the 19th, says: ‘Gen. JOHNSTON this morning threw ten thousand men over the Big Black to the Vicksburg side.’
It is reported here that we have reoccupied Snyder’s Bluff. The alleged occupation of Yazoo City by the enemy is not credited here.
General GRANT entered the State of Mississippi, crossing the river five miles below Grand Gulf, from 60,000 to 100,000 strong, with a heavy force of cavalry. He has received no reinforcements from Louisiana, but receives them constantly from the west bank of the river. His transportation is all on the river, and he must cling to the river bank.
We evacuated Grand Gulf, falling back and fighting towards Jackson, followed by the enemy, who entered Jackson 50,000 strong on the 14th. Gen. JOHNSTON reached Jackson the 13th and fell back towards Canton, 23 miles north of Jackson. The Yankees were alarmed at finding JOHNSTON there. They committed the greatest excesses for two days, burning churches and private houses, tearing jewelry from the person of citizens and gutting residences, and fled towards Vicksburg on the 16th, followed by JOHNSTON, who is constantly receiving reinforcements.
Vicksburg has five months’ supplies of every kind, and can be taken only by hunger.
The Yankee report of the capture of Alexandria, La., is not credited.
(The Latest.)
JACKSON, MISS., May 23. – Our latest advices from Vicksburg are up to Tuesday night. Our losses during the recent assaults of the enemy upon the place were slight, and the injury to our batteries was but trifling. The garrison is well supplied, and confident of holding the city. The enemy failed in all his efforts; his dead strew the ground in front of our works. One estimate fixes his loss at 10,000 men. Firing has been heard at intervals last night and today. The enemy is supposed to be shelling our position.
The morning’s train from below reports the enemy to have reached Ponchartrain, having come up to that point from New Orleans.