June 8, 1863, The New York Herald
The government received despatches from Vicksburg last night dated up to Wednesday, the 3d inst. The siege was then still going on; but not a word of the particulars of the operations there appears to have been received, or, at least, not promulgated. Despatches from Cairo yesterday say that the fire seen in Vicksburg on Monday last was caused by the explosion of our shells, and that one side of Washington square was burned down. Our lines have advanced so close that the armies are now within speaking distance. The siege guns were all planted, and were expected to open fire on Wednesday. On Friday every gun in position threw shells into Vicksburg to the number of “[…..] within one hour.” So says a despatch from Memphis; and if it be true it is a matter worthy of conjecture how long the city could stand this kind of bombardment.
The intercepted despatches from the rebel General Pemberton to General Johnston state that the forage at Vicksburg was all gone, the ammunition nearly exhausted, and that he could hold out ten days more.
A despatch from Murfreesboro, dated the 7th, says that Col. Wilder, of the mounted infantry, has broken up a band of guerillas near Liberty, taking all their horses and sixty-two prisoners. It is said that the troops from Mississippi in Gen. Bragg’s army are mutinous, and that a Col Sucker has been under arrest for some days past. This news comes from deserters.
The reports from the Army of the Potomac last night represent matters as very quiet there yesterday. The rebel forces were seen on Saturday in large numbers returning to the fortifications in the rear of and below Fredericksburg. It is reported that there was a review of the forces of Fitzhugh Lee and Wade Hampton by General Stuart at Culpepper on that day, numbering from twelve to fifteen thousand.
Our correspondence today gives full particulars of the late reconnoissance across the Rappahannock at Deep Run, which we announced by telegraph yesterday. It was conducted by the Second division of the Sixth army corps, under command of General A.P. Howe. The regiments engaged were the second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Vermont and the Twenty-sixth New Jersey. The troops conducted themselves admirably under a severe fire from the rifle pits of the enemy. We give a list of the killed and wounded today.
General Foster has forwarded to the War Department an official report of the battle of Gum Swamp, North Caroline, which we publish in another column. The main facts of this fight, including the death of Colonel Jones, who commanded, we have given to the public long in advance of the official statement, which has just been received by General Halleck.
The British screw steamer Snake, four guns, Commander John Moresby, R.N., which sailed from Hong King on the 26th January, arriving at Plymouth, England, May 20, reports that at the Cape de Verdes was the federal American corvette Mohican, and at the Azores the federal American gunboat Kersage, both vessels on the lookout for the Alabama. They at first mistook the Snake for the Alabama and prepared accordingly.