| From the Richmond Daily Dispatch |
| |
| August 3, 1863 |
| |
| The situation in Mississippi -- Grant gone back to
Vicksburg |
| A correspondent of the Atlanta Appeal,
writing from Meridian, on the 19th, says: |
| From Jackson we have interesting news. Two
lads, just from there, bring the intelligence that the whole of
Grant's army, excepting one brigade, had left Jackson, going toward
Vicksburg. *** In Jackson nearly all of Main street, the Governor's
mansion, and many other houses, were burned to the ground. The
railroad {the Southern of Mississippi RR} from
Brandon to Jackson {14 miles on the east side of
Jackson} was effectually destroyed, not a rail
reported to have been left in its place, and that portion of the road
from the river to the site of the Confederate house, which we had
rebuilt, was torn up. The rails, in many places, were carried to the
river and thrown in. |
| *** On the line of their march from
Jackson to Brandon, on the 18th, 19th, and 20th instant, they, in
addition to the destruction of the railroad, laid waste the whole
country. In Brandon they burned the whole of the south side of the
public square, two large blocks of buildings, the railroad depot, and
pillaged every house in town, stealing from, and robbing in open day,
even the poor negroes of the town. *** |
| The railroad from Jackson to Canton {the
New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern RR} is destroyed {23
miles}. They also burned a train of forty cars and two engines
between Canton and Jackson. We will loss heavily in rolling stock by
their depredations north of Jackson. There are from ninety to one
hundred locomotives belonging to the New Orleans and Jackson Railroad
and the Mississippi Central Railroad, which the destruction of Pearl
river bridge prevented us from bringing off, which will fall into
their bands, and of course nearly all the rolling stock will share the
same late.--From everything we can learn the enemy don't intend
occupying Jackson, nor does he intend leaving it in a position to be
of any use to us. He never would have destroyed the railroads if he
contemplated permanent occupation. Jackson, he knows as well as Gen.
Johnston knew, is no point of strategic importance, and he will simply
make it impossible for its being of any service to us. *** |
|