The latest papers that we have received from
Jackson are of last Monday evening. They contain nothing of importance.
The last news from
Vicksburg is given by the correspondent of the
Appeal, writing on the 19th inst. The following extracts are interesting:
It is now reliably ascertained that the late movement of
Gen. Grant was a feint, for the purpose of inducing the
Confederates to reduce their forces here by sending the troops to points threatened with more imminent danger.
I have it also from reliable authority that the reported arrival at
Memphis of the greater part of
Grant's army was all a ruse, got up for the same purpose of misleading and deceiving our authorities here.
Instead of going to
Memphis and on up the river, the troops were simply removed from the peninsula opposite
Vicksburg to
Milliken's bond, a distance of not more than twenty miles, and from above the reinforcements are on the way down instead of up the river.
The officers at this point did wisely in preparing themselves with the means of securing the most accurate information of the enemy's movements, and the result proves that their suspicions were well founded.
How this knowledge was obtained it is not purulent for me to state, but that none of
Grant's army is more than twenty-five miles above
Vicksburg is well established.
The inference, therefore, is that his forces are now being concentrated and organized into working order to make the attack at an early day. The affair on the night of the 16th was but the precursor of what was to follow, and if that adventurous expedition had got through safe, there is no doubt but that before this time the struggle for the possession of
Vicksburg would have commenced.
It is full believed here that the enemy intends to carry troops across the river below, and to make a demonstration up Big Black to circumvent
Vicksburg.
Their movements seem to indicate this, but still it is not definitely known whether this is their design, and we cannot rely with any degree of safety upon conjectures until we are sufficiently posted.
But the supposition is, that the troops will be marched across the peninsula to a place opposite
Warrenton, and the transports were being sent down to bring them over to this side, which may be probable, but still is not certainly known.
Since the enemy opened on the city with guns from the battery inside of the leves, on the peninsula, on Friday morning, they have kept up a continues shelling at intervals up to the present writing.
Commencing about nine o'clock. A. M., the firing is continued all day, sometime with great rapidity, and than again stacking off, and only a shot after a long interval.
No damage has yet been done to the city, for the simple reason that the shots all fall short; but they must frighten the catfish mortally, as the shells all drop in the river.
Their guns must be of heavy calibre, but not of sufficient range to reach the city from the present point.
Some few have come into the city, but the greater portion.
and particularly the heavy ones, fail into the river, sometimes not half-way across.
The raids making by the enemy is
North Mississippi, it is supposed, have two objects; first, to plunder and prevent planting, and, secondly, to produce alarm and tempt off troops from the army defending
Vicksburg.
The ruse, however, seems to be understood by our commanders, and will fall of its purpose.