, 1863-05-23

are on the way to interrupt communication.
Il Murfreesboro dispatch, dated May 2lst,
says:
Gen. Sheridan's scouts report that the reb-
els admit that Grant has defeated Johnston,
and secured the railroad bridge ac ross the Big
Black River, thus cutting Vicksburg cT from
supplies and 1einforcements. This bridge Is
the largest in the South.
WASHINGTON, May ooaa.-Thc Richmond En-
quirtr Of the 2lst has o Mobile dispatch,
dated the 10Th, with advices from Jackson Of
the 18th, Of Saturdays battle, fought at Bak-
er's creeE, twenty miles west Of Jackson,
s::!,ng:
We whipped the enemy badly until he was
reinforced from jackson. Pemberton then
retreite5 to Black River Bridge. Pe,uberton
estimates his loss at LOCO, mud the cnemy's at
three times that. Gen. Loring on the left
was cut off, but cut his way through to Crys-
tai Springs, twenty-five miles south Of
jackson.
quarters we're in jackson on Sunday last.
This news came to Memphis By dispatch
messenger, and is deemed perfectly reliable.
No disaster has happened as get to Logan
or any other part Of our army.
The impression is growing that Gen. Grant
is master Of the situation. WarseDton re-
mains in our possession, and teams ore con-
| tinually employed in hauling stores thithcr.
SKETCH OF JACKSON, MISS AND VICINITY.
Jackson is city Of Mississippi, Of which
State it is the capital. It is situatcd in Kinds
/ county, and has heretofore been very tiriy-
ing place. 1t is located on the right or west.
ern bank of the Pearl River, at the terminus
Of the Ficksburg and Jackson Railroad. In
| the city are the stations of the Southern Mis-.
sippi, New Orleans and Jackson, tic Great
| Northern and The Vicksburg and Jackson
Railroads, ard is thereby great centre OF
| business. The site Of tho town is leycl and
| the plan regular. It contained. previous to
| the rebellion, i number Of churches, several
newspaper Offices; the State and county build
iDgs, executive mansion, the State lunatic
| asylum, an institution for the deaf and dumb,
another for the blind, the penitentiary or State
prison, q United States land Office and several
other prominent buildings. The Statc prison Is
large and handsome cdifce, and the State
uousc (Which is reported as having been
burned by the United States forces under
Gen. Grant) was an elegant building, and cost
for its erection the SUM Of $GOO, 600. The
Pearl River is nuyigable for cotton and small
boa'e from jackson to the Mississippi Sound
leading into the Gulf Of Mexico, and in '*oldcu
,imes'' from $1,000 to 10000 blles Of cotton
were annually shipped from the Mississippi
capital. To show the progress made in tho
prospective rise and progress Of Jackson, il
is but NECESSARY to glance at the census re
turns. In 1850 the population numbered
1851; in 1855 it had increased to about :, 600
and in 1860 the returns showed . further in
crease, numbering 3,506. 1t is distant By raj
from Vicksburg forty-four and a lalf miles
from Meridian, ninc,y-five and half miles
from New Orleans, 1888 miles; from Grant
Junction, al3 miles; from Corinth, via Grans
Junction, a54 miles; from Corinth, via Ne
ridian, 22s91ss miles; from Memphis, via Crane
Junction, 1G5 miles; from luka, via Grlnt
Junction, 276 miles, and via Meridian. thre
hundred and eleven and half miles; iron
Chattanooga, via Grand Junction, four hun
; dred and seventy miles, and via Meridian, fiy
hundred and five and q half miles; from Mo
bile, via Meridian, two hundred and twenty
nine and a half miles from Port Gibson, b.
J the turnpike road, about sixty miles; frou
Raymond, about fifteen miles, aud from Au
burn, about thirty miles. As each station be
tween Jackson and Vicksburg may become c
prominent interest during the forthcomin
, operations, it may be as well to point thei
r out individually, with their respective di:
tauces from each place.