The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-23
0Ie RaiGu anutnat.
From the Ricnmond, Va, Sentinel, 18th inst. :
The News from MiSSiSsiDpi.


Mississippi is to-day the principal scene
in the shifting drama of the war; The
interest now centres on jackson and on
Vicksburg On the Rappahannock,
Hooker has been gentled and quieted.
He came like a lion, and went like q
hare. At Murfreesboro, Rosecrans sticks
to his trenches like man. But in Mis-
sissippi, Grant is in motion with heavy
column, and has made advances which
necessitates speedy battle.
Until lately the Yankee infantry on
the lower Mississippi have never ventur-
ed out Of shelter of their gunboats; but
Grant, since the capture of Grand Gulf,
is showing himself more venturesome.
Some days ago, he sent a column for
ward from Grand Gulf to Rocky Spring,
about twenty miles east of the Missis-
sippi, where he fortified; and yesterday
the telegraph informed US that force
of ten thousand had penetrated twenty
three miles farther, to Raymond, q town
of about five hundred inhabitants, only
fourteen miles southwest of jackson,
the capital of the State Our own forces
have retreated through Raymond four
miles to Mississippi Springs, a point ten
miles from jackson.
The first desire of the enemy will be to
cut the railroad which leads from Jack
son to Ficksburg, and over which the
forces at Vicksburg obtain their supplies.
At Raymond they are only FIVE miles
from this road; and the passage of the
Big. Black is over long approaches of tres
tie work, rendering it very vulnerable
point
1t seems evident, therefore, that q con-
fict with the enemy cannot be long de-
layed in that quarter. We have too
much at hazard to allow delay. We do
not know what our force is as compared
to that of the enemy. But it will not do
to stop to count. We must fight, what
ever the odds, and we cannot afford to
be beaten under the circumstances we
have named We are happy to learn that
General Joseph Z. Johnston is in imme-
diate command of our troops. His
presence will inspire our men with cour-
age His name will be a tower of
strength. We are listening. any dav,
and almost any hour, for the telegraph
to announce battle; and we await the
result with faith and hope, that the for
ests of the Mississippi, and the shores of
the Black, will echo the notes of victory
which have gone out to them from the
Rappahannock.
The progress of the enemy, thus far,
in this atteapt to gain the rear of Vicks-
burg and take jackson, has not been
without Opposition, There lrvuvy
fight near Grand Gulf and Port Gibson.
in which Gen. Bowen, with FIVE thousand
men, held and severely punished great
ly outnumbering force of the enemy; but
was ultimately outhanked and forced to
fall back, with the loss of Louisiana
regiment taken prisoners, besides
heavy list of killed and wounded Sub
sequently the enemy were repulsed at
Hankinson' Ferry, near the mouth of
the Big Black. But their superior forces
has enabled them to prosecute their
march, as we have stated, along the
highway between and parallel to the
Bayou Pierre on the South and Big
Black, on the North This leads them
towards Jackson, and brings them near
to the bridge by which the railroad from
Vicksburg to Jackson crosses from the
North to the South side of the Black.
Here the two armies will probably join
battle; and may God prosper our cause
and give US the victory
Gov. Pettus, of Mississippi, has issued
spirited proclamation, calling upon the
citizens to fly to the aid of the military
in expelling the invaders from the State.
He bids "young and old to come and
join their brothers in arms, their sons
and their neighbors, until the exigeney
be past.