Appearance Of Vicksburg

Corresponden ce of the Argiia. ViCKSBi'RO, Miss., ) July 20, 1863. Dkar Altous : - I closcd my last with our arrival bere. Since then I have walleed about town, and seeo some of the interesting objects of the place. The abrupt hills forra the most notable feature of Vicksburg ; it is not " a city on a bilí," nor even " a city of seven hills," but one of hills innumerable. Thcy rise one after another, almost perpendicularly, as far as you can see, with scarcely a valley intervening. You mount one side of a bilí, descend the other, ecoss a glen, mount another, and so ou ad infmüun, - every hill capable of beiug made a fortress. Iu the town proper, however, this state of things is changed - for the worse as far as the picturesque is concerned. - The streets are formed by cutting down the hills and filling up the glens, so tha the buildings in many cases, remain sus pended, as it were, on square hills from ten to fifty or sixty feet above the streets The soil is rocklike, and very adhesive so that the faces of these hills stand like walls on each side. All along these walls may be soeu the strongest evidences of a bombarded city. Each individual or family had their cell or cave dug into the solid earth. They look like dog-kennels or bee-hives standing in rows on either side of the streets. Many of the;n are dug out with much taste, containing different apartments far under the hills. Here the citizens gathered when fire and thunder rained over the dcvoted towD, and the fearful shells burst bcfore their very doora. Some unhappy ones were caught running to the place of safety, and one was killed even in his retreat, the shell bursting in tho mouth of the care. Every building is perforated with shot, and some are shattered to theground; while the streets are strewn with shot and shell, broken and unbroken, sufiicient to make a battle museum for every State in the Union. " Soraething to remember Vicksburg " could be collecttd by sitting in any room or standing in any spot for miles around, by simply turning your hand to the right or to the left. -All the shops are closed except those of a few barbera and others who have special permits, the principal buildings being used as storehouaes and offices for the business of the army. Even the private residences are deserted to a great extent or occupied by officers. - Gen. Grant occupies one of these, a modest building, down tho river, as big headquarters. Many interesting facts connected with the surrender of Vicksburg have already found their way into the papers; but there is one, a very significant one in my opinión, which does not seem to have attracted sufficient attention, - the dissatisfaction of many of the rebel soldiers with the war. Many, you know crossed the river and went homo ; many more re-entered our lines and went North to take the oath. I have been assured by rebel soldiers that fully two-thirds of Pemberton's army would have taken the oath had they not feared' the consequences. We complain that we have, or had, an anti-war party at the North; but undoubtedly there is a strmger anti war party at the South, if it don't speak, which it will when the Uoion army effectually removes the gag. There was a time when it was idle to speak of Union feeling in the South, but that was when passion was rampant. The South is be coming cool by time and experience, and Las commenced to think. There is another element in our faror which has just fairly commenced to work - the negro soldier, fíe has shown that he will fight, he is acclimated, and he Is plenty. Moreover, in Uncle Sam's uniform he is not the contemptible individual we have known him - he holds bis head up, and looks you in the face not insolently, but manly. The first black soldier's face I saw at Milliken's Bend, told me as plainly as words could say, "I shall never crouch to a master again. Slavery is doomcd and the Union saved if yon arm and clothe us." ii ■■ in