North Mississippi remains unmolested, and affairs are moving on there about as usual.
Trains are running on the roads from
Water Valley to
Grenada, and from
Grenada to
Panola.
The telegraph will soon be in operation in that region.
Natchez is, consequent on the
fall of Vicksburg and
Port Hudson, at last in the forcible and positive possession of the
Yankee.
The vandals, its mediately on the landing from their war fleet, the broadsides of which commanded the city, seized the palatial residences of
Messrs. David Stanton,
A. L. Wilson, and others, and that of the
widow Fred, Stapton, and converted them into their head quarters, barracks, hospitals, guard houses, etc. They also seized over 2,000 negroes in
Natchez and vicinity, and have converted the large warehouses of the city into quarters for them.--There negroes they at once put to work erecting fortifications around the city, as a provision against an inland attack and recapture by land.
The farms in the country for miles around have been robbed of negroes, stock, etc., and pickets and strong lines of seminole stationed on every road, batteries planted on the bluff and adjoining heights commanding the interior and the lowlands of
Louisiana opposite; commissary stores, provisions, and supplies of all kinds, have been impressed, all communication between the city and country interdicted and the rich and poor place on a common level, and the loyal people of that city and district left to starve or be the recipients of Yankee charity.
A gentleman who left
Vicksburg lately states that a large portion of the
Yankee army has left that place, some going up and others down the river.
Gen. McPherson is now in command of the department,
Gens. Grant and
Sherman having left.
The Federals are running trains of cars from the city to Big Black, and say they will have a bridge across that stream in thirty days, when they intend running to
Jackson, and finally to
Meridian.
They have a large negro force at work cleaning and repairing the streets, and they allow no goods to be sold except by their sutlers, at stipulated prices.
If a citizen wishes to buy an article from a sutler he gets an order from the commandant of the post, who stipulates the price he has to pay for it. A number of persons are returning to the city and receiving rations from the
Yankees, on a certificate that they are in a destitute condition, and quite a number of persons from town and country are going up voluntarily and taking the oath of allegiance to the
Yankee Government.
There is no difficulty in getting in or out of
Vicksburg at the present time.
The Mobile
Register says that
Alabama and
Mississippi alone can, within the space of two weeks, reinforce
Gen. Johnston to the extent of fifty thousand men. Such a force will enable him to drive
Grant back to the
Mississippi river and hold him there.
