From the Memphis Appeal |
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August 25, 1863 |
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Grenada Captured -- Rolling Stock and
Bridges Destroyed |
From the Mississippian: |
Our telegraphic columns
announce to the reader the ??? intelligence of the destruction of the
two bridges over the Yallabusha, at Grenada, one leading to Memphis by
the Mississippi & Tennessee railroad, and the other to Grand
Junction by the {Mississippi} Central
railroad. |
The rolling stock of these two
roads, in connection with cars of the New Orleans, Jackson & Great
Northern railroad, is also reported destroyed. This stock was very
valuable, amounting to several millions of dollars. |
Six weeks was allowed, during
the siege of Vicksburg, for the repair of the road at Jackson, and the
time was frittered away by those whose duty it was to ??o dispatch in
securing this rolling stock, and that vast amount of property is
consequently destroyed. There were negroes enough in the vicinity of
Jackson, who have since become Yankee "citizens of
Vicksburg," to have accomplished successfully the repairs of the
road, and secured the rolling stock; but we have never been able to
learn whose duty it was to employ and direct this labor, nor why the
matter was so shamefully neglected. The alignment of the road at
Jackson could have been changed to Capitol street, and thence to Pearl
street, and thence through the swamp in rear of Cheapside, following
the road used by Johnston's army, and crossing Pearl river at the town
ferry, thence south of the turnpike to the Curran place, making
connection with the Southern railroad. All this distance does not
exceed one and three-quarters miles, and does not involve the building
of but one bridge, (over Town creek.) |
This road could have been
built temporarily, with a little energy, and the stock now destroyed
drown over it by mules, in two weeks' time. B?? the work of completing
all the bridges destroyed by the enemy must be accomplished before a
wheel could turn. |
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