Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
NEW YORK, July 11,—Admiral Porter’s official report of his operations during the siege of Vicksburg has been received by Secretary Welles. The Admiral say one steamer only has been barely disabled since our operations commenced, and six or seven men killed or wounded. While the army had a troublesome enemy in front and behind them, the gunboat marine brigade, under Gen. Ellet, and a small force of troops under Gen. Dennis and Gen. Dowry have kept at bay a large force of rebels, over 12,000 strong, accompanied by a large quantity of artillery; and though offered battle several times, and engaged, they inevitably fled, and satisfied themselves by assaulting half disciplined and unarmed blacks.
Cairo, July 7.
The surrender of Vicksburg is said to be unconditional. Three divisions commanded by Stevenson, Smith and Forney, numbering about 24,000, comprised the garrison. It is thought their ammunition and a part of their supplies gave out.
[Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.]
Cairo, June 7, 10 p. m.
The steamer Alice Dean, Capt. Pepper, bringing Vicksburg dates to Thursday, and Memphis dates to yesterday afternoon, arrived this evening.
An officer of the Alice Dean reports everything progressing as usual in the rear of Vicksburg. Sappers and miners are still burrowing in the hillside, gunboats and mortar boats are still operating, and new siege guns had opened fire on Thursday as had been anticipated, but with what result is not ascertained.
Sharpshooters still command the rebel works in the rear, and the Confederates are not allowed to show their heads without becoming the targets for hundreds of rifles.
The Cincinnati Gazette’s diapatch trom Memphis announces the capture by Gen. GRANT’s forces of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson and Willard’a Valley. Port Gibson is six miles in the rear of Grand Gulf. The capture of these places has given Grant possession of the Big Black river. The distance from the mouth of that river to the bridge of the Vicksburg and Jackson railroad is thirty-two miles. The Big Black is navigable for gunboats twenty-two miles.
The following is the dispatch in the Richmond Whig from the commander of the rebel gunboat Arkansas:
Vicksburg, July 15, 1862.
We engaged today, from six to eight a. m., with the enemy’s fleet above Vicksburg, consisting of four or more iron clad vessels and two heavy sloops-of-war, and four gunboats and seven or eight rams. We drove an iron-clad ashore, with colors down and disabled, blew up a ram, burned one vessel and damaged several others. Our smokestack was so shot to pieces that we lost steam, and could not use our vessel as a ram. We were otherwise cut up as we engaged at close quarters. Lost ten killed and fifteen wounded others with slight wounds.