NEW YORK TIMES, Aug. 5, 1863  Certainly the most notable report takes over a full column on page 2, and is a great article of much significance to rare newspaper collectors. The heads: "The Fall of Vicksburgh" "Last Words of the Vicksburgh Citizen" "A Curious Relic of the Siege" relate to the famous newspaper "Vicksburg Daily Citizen", printed on the back of wallpaper. The report details the interesting history of the July 2 issue: "When Grant took possession of Vicksburgh, a detachment of the Fifteenth Illinois cavalry visited the office of the 'Daily Citizen". They found the number intended for July 2 in type, and the paper all ready for printing, but circumstances had prevented its issue...the paper was very poor wall-paper. The matter was wholly editorial, with the exception of a column and a half of: "Yankee News from all Points" copied from the Memphis Bulletin, a paper which the Citizen says is 'edited by a pink-nosed, slab-sided, toad-eating Yankee, who is a lineal descendant of Judas Iscariot, and a brother germain of the greatest Puritanical, sycophantic, howling scoundrel unhung--Parson Brownlow.' Yet, continues the Citizen: "with such a character, this paper cannot cloak the fact that Gen. Robert E. Lee has given Hooker, Milroy & Co. one of the best and soundest whippings on record, and that the 'galorious Union' is now exceedingly weak in the knees...".
 'The report continues to reprint the articles in the issue, then the part of interest to collectors, headed: "The Loyal Postscript". It notes: "The Illinois men who visited the office of the 'Citizen' thought that this admirable number ought not to be withheld from the subscribers. They set to work at once to print it off, but as it was now the Fourth of July and some changes had taken place since the original editor made up his sheets for the 2d, they brought up the news to date in the following postscript: 'Note - July 4, 1863 - Two days bring about great changes. The banner of the Union floats over Vicksburgh. Gen. Grant has 'caught the rabbit'; he has dined at Vicksburgh, and he did bring his dinner with him. The 'Citizen' lives to see it. For the last time it appears on wall-paper. No more will it eulogize the luxuries of mule-meat and fricasseed kitten--urge Southern warriors to such diet never more. This is the last wall-paper edition, and is, excepting this note, from the types as we found them. It will be valuable hereafter as a curiosity.' The paper is certainly a curiosity. The copy from which we print the foregoing extracts was furnished to us by Col. Jas. Grant Wilson, of the Fifteenth Illinois cavalry, according to whose request, we have presented to the New York Historical Society."
Well, never did a prophetic message prove to be more true. We have sold many of these July 2/4  issues through the years, and indeed, "...it will be valuable hereafter as a curiosity."
Also present are the front page column heads on the Civil War: "THE WAR IN VIRGINIA" "Lee's Army Believed to be Again on the Retreat" "The Rebels Aiming to Avoid Another General Engagement" Probably Reoccupation of Fredericksburg" "The Rebel Army Under Lee Massed at Culpepper".
Additionally: "A Significant Appeal from Lee for the Return of Absent Soldiers" is signed by him in type: Gen. R. E. Lee; "Traitors At Home" "An Official Rebel Account of Morgan's Raid" and much more.
Eight pages, never bound nor trimmed, some archival strengthening at the blank spine, nice condition.