June 10, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
FROM THE RAPPAHANNOCK LINES.
RICHMOND, June 9. Our advices from the Rappahannock state that the enemy still holds his entrenched position at Deep Run, about a mile below Fredericksburg, and is extending his fortifications. Yesterday afternoon the Yankee batteries on the opposite side of the river opened on our pickets, and kept up the shelling for a short time, but without doing any damage. Fredericksburg will be held by our troops.
LATEST FROM VICKSBURG.
JACKSON, June 6. One Yankee gunboat has left Red River in consequence of the low water.
Gen. PEMBERTON has sent word that he can hold Vicksburg, and that Gen. JOHNSTON may take his time to organize and discipline his forces.
A despatch from Panola says that the Yankees and Unionists were celebrating the anniversary of the occupation of Memphis yesterday.
The Chicago Times of June 2d says that GRANT admits a heavy loss, and has fallen back to the Big Black to await reinforcements from BANKS’ army. The Memphis and Charleston Railroad has been stripped of troops. ROSECRANS is reinforcing GRANT via Louisville. All the steamboats at Louisville and Memphis have been pressed into service. Four thousand five hundred Confederate prisoners had reached Memphis. The officers were to go to Sandusky, and the men to Indianapolis. General HURLBUT had been ordered to prepare hospitals at Memphis for 30,000 wounded. GRANT asks HURLBUT for 30,000 men. HURLBUT replied that he did not know where they were to come from. The Yankees’ own figures foot up a loss of 50,000.
WOODVILLE, MISS., June 4. GRIERSON’S cavalry, 1000 strong, with eight pieces of artillery, attacked Col. LOGAN at Clinton, La., yesterday afternoon. Col. LOGAN’S force, 400 strong, with several pieces of artillery, drove them back six miles, capturing two pieces of artillery, and killing or capturing 35 of the enemy. Our loss was two killed and several wounded. The enemy threw several shells into the town, killing one man named COLEMAN.
JACKSON, June 8. A scout just come in from Vicksburg reports that all is working well. The men are somewhat weary of lying in the trenches exposed to the sun, but are in good spirits. They hailed the arrival of the scout when he reached Vicksburg with loud cheers for JOE JOHNSTON, declaring their confidence in his making all right. GRANT is slowly advancing by parallel approaches, which are 400 yards from our outer works. No general assault has taken place for ten days past. The garrison have plenty of ammunition and provisions. The soldiers and the citizens are both perfectly confident of the result. Our entire loss during the whole series of assaults does not exceed 600. Heavy firing of musketry and artillery was going on all day yesterday.
We have a trustworthy statement that KIRBY SMITH, instead of being at Port Hudson, has occupied Milliken’s Bend with 10,000 men, in order to cut off GRANT’S supplies. It is reported that JACKSON’S cavalry had cut their way through to Vicksburg.
Among our other casualties at Vicksburg Col. MARKS, of Louisiana, was mortally wounded. WADDILL’S Battery, of Columbus, Ga., lost twelve killed and twenty-two wounded. Among the latter Lieut. BELLAMY badly, and Lieut. O’NEIL slightly. Nine trains of troops, believed to be from ROSECRANS’ army, arrived at Memphis on Saturday. Only a small garrison is left at Memphis.
MOBILE, June 9. A private despatch from Jackson, dated yesterday, says that Vicksburg is all right, and that KIRBY SMITH is in possession of Milliken’s Bend.
The Latest.
JACKSON, June 9. Our scouts report the enemy’s pickets to be ten miles deep between the Big Black and Vicksburg. Every means of approach is closely guarded, and the greatest courage and care are necessary in order to reach Vicksburg. GRANT communicates with the fleet by signal lights, which were seen last night constantly. The signalling, it is thought, betokens a movement or a renewal of the assault. The roar of the enemy’s mortars, at intervals of two seconds, has been heard all night, and is continuous this morning.
An officer captured by GRANT’S pickets, but who subsequently escaped, arrived here this morning. He reports that the Yankee army is much depressed by the knowledge that General JOHNSTON is massing a heavy force in their rear, while certain death stands before them in front. Their officers say that certain defeat or annihilation awaits them.