May 31, 1863, The New York Herald
There appears to be no later reliable news from Vicksburg than that of Monday last, the 25th inst., which we published yesterday. Despatches from various points – Cincinnati, St. Louis and elsewhere – give many vague reports, out of which may be gathered the fact that no news is known of any fighting later than Monday. General Grant is still represented as prepared for any attack in his rear, and that his army is full of confidence, &c. Our base of supplies on the Yazoo river was not only secure but reinforcements were arriving there rapidly. It is said that the attack on the rebel fortifications on Friday week was not made by the entire line, as reported, but by a force under General Blair, which assaulted the big battery and failed. Whenever the rebels attempted to plant guns, however, they were foiled by our sharpshooters.
We give a map today illustrating all the leading points in the progressing siege of Vicksburg, together with copious accounts of fresh interest, relative to the operations there for some time past, contained both in our correspondence and the rebel statements.
Rumors of a movement of the Army of Cumberland from the vicinity of Murfreesboro find circulation from some sources; but there appears to be no confirmation for them.
There is little doubt, from all the intelligence which reaches us, that the army of General Lee is very actively in motion, and that an attack on General Hooker’s lines is not at all an improbable event. Large masses of the enemy’s troops were traced yesterday on the road to Culpepper and Kelly’s Ford by the clouds of dust which rose in the rear of the river front of the army. Stuart’s and Mosby’s cavalry are evidently on the move with their usual dash and suddenness of action.
A detachment of the First Vermont cavalry had a skirmish on Friday near Thoroughfare Gap with a scouting party of Stuart cavalry consisting of forty men, commanded by Captain Farley, of General Stuart’s staff. The rebels fled precipitately, with the loss of one killed, two wounded and one man taken prisoner. They were then being pursued.
Yesterday morning the rebels attacked a train of sixteen cars from Alexandria, loaded with forage, about a mile and a half from Kettle run, towards Warrenton Junction. The Third brigade, under Colonel De Forrest, was stationed at Kettle run, and the pickets were first notified of the enemy’s presence by hearing heavy firing. A force was immediately sent in the direction of the firing, but too late to save the train, which was utterly demolished, the locomotive being pierced by two six pound cannon balls. The train was then fired, but fortunately the men upon it escaped without injury. The attacking party was a detachment of Mosby’s cavalry, four of whom were captured. They had two small six-pounder brass pieces with them. Our forces were closely on their heels, but unfortunately reached the spot just fifteen minutes after the mischief was done. Fears are entertained that this bold feat of the rebels is intended as a snare to draw our forces into an ambuscade. Later news from Fairfax Court House last evening says that Colonel Warren had come up with and engaged Mosby troops, capturing their guns and cutting them up badly.
Late intelligence from Arkansas would seem to indicate the advance of Price’s rebel army. A despatch from Leavenworth on the 20th says that the enemy crossed the river on the 20th, and were driven back by Colonel Phillips with a small loss. The rebels were then massed in our front, to the number of eleven thousand men, and considerable artillery, commanded by Generals Steele, Cooper and McIntosh. A battle was, therefore, hourly expected. The Union forces only amount to three thousand men and one battery, but their fortifications are strong. A large rebel force of Texans and Indians from the Southwest were reported as advancing to intercept the trains on their route to New Mexico.
We have news from Europe five days later, by the Jura off Cape Race, from Liverpool and Londonderry on the 21st and 22d of May respectively. Contradictions which reached England by the Glasgow relative to rumors of an armistice in this country had created great buoyancy in the cotton market. The emigration from Ireland was creating considerable excitement. The idea there still prevails that the young men who are flying from approaching famine to a country where abundance awaits them, are recruits for the United States Army. The Cork Examiner says that many districts in the south of Ireland have been visited by several American gentlemen [….] military aspect,” who publicly offered to give passage to any number of young men willing to accept it, to New York, for three pence each, with the certainty of continuous remuneration and work when they arrived there. The police were present on several occasions, which obviously discommoded the strangers; but as there was nothing illegal in the proposition made, no proceedings could be taken.