From the Southwest.
For the past few days public attention has been withdrawn in a measure from their rations around
Vicksburg by the brilliant achievements of our army under
Gen. Lee on the
Northern border of
Virginia and in
Pennsylvania and
Maryland.
It is gratifying to know, however, that our successes on the
Mississippi rival those of our arms on the
Potomac.
A dispatch was yesterday received by
President Davis from
Gen. Johnston stating that
Gen. Kirby Smith, with his corps, had taken possession of
Milliken's Bend, above
Vicksburg, cutting off the supplies and communication of the enemy.
This is, in effect, raising the
siege of Vicksburg, and in a few days we may expect the most cheerful tidings from that important and beleaguered point.