“Underground and Fresh Fish alike confirm our assurance that Vicksburg is NOT fallen! There is a rumour that provisions are becoming exhausted and that in Vicksburg, too, rats are speared. The Editors of THE PEN heartily wish that we might send a grapevine to the beleaguered city, ‘Nothing is, but only thinking makes it so.’ Think of your rat in terms of grace and you will find him good as squirrel.” “The above items exhaust the news of the outer world. THE PEN turns to the world around which runs the Dead Line. Incense first to the Muses! Lieutenant Lamar, ——th Georgia, favours us as follows:— “Oh, were I a boy in Georgia, As now I am a man in Hell, I would haste to the old school-house With the ringing of the bell! “Oh, were I a boy in Georgia As now I am a man in jail, To go to church on Sunday, Be sure I would not fail! “Oh, were I a boy in Georgia, As now I am a man in chains, I’d not take the eggs from the bird-nests, Nor apples from old man Haines! “Oh, were I a boy in Georgia, As now I am a man in quod, I’d be a better son to my mother, Ere she lay beneath the sod!” “In another vein Colonel Brown, ——th Kentucky, contributes:— Air. _Within a mile of Edinboro’ Town._ “’Twas a mile within the Wilderness green, In the rosy time of the year; Artillery boomed and the fight was keen, And many men found their bier. There Marse Robert, grey and great, Struck Joe Hooker, sure as fate! The Yankee blenched and answering cried, ‘No, no, it will not do! I cannot, cannot, winnot, winnot, munnot lose this battle too!‘ “Stonewall had a way of falling from the blue, From the blue and on the blue as well! Their right he crumpled up and many he slew, And came on their centre like—! Stonewall Jackson, great and grey, Fought Joe Hooker on this day! Yet Hooker, fighting, frowned and cried, ‘No, no, it will not do! I cannot, cannot, winnot, winnot, munnot lose this battle too!‘ “Stuart shook his feather and hummed a merry tune, Then swung the A.N.V. with might! He struck Joe Hooker the crown aboon, And put the blue army to flight! Oh, Jeb Stuart, blithe and gay, Beat Joe Hooker night and day! And Hooker, fleeing, no more frowned and cried, ‘No, no, it will not do! I cannot, cannot, winnot, winnot, munnot lose this battle too!’”