The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-05-22
FROM MISSISSIPPI,


unintelligible that it is exceedingly difieul, to
form anything like q correct idea Of the real
| condition OF afaiis in that department. The
light preceding the fall Of jackson commenced
at an early hour on Thursday, the li-h inst
| at point some eight miles Sou,hwest of IN a
. city, and was continued nearly the whole dav
Oar troops, numbering no: moro than 9 GOO
men, were commanded by Cen j johnston. a,
tho eremy's forcs. amounting to between
2o"o" and 10000, was commanded bv Cen.
Grant Overcome by superior numbers our
iorces fell back on Cauton, % miles due North
OF jackson, situated on the wagon road con.
hectng thence by Walden with the road run.
hing due East to the Yazoo river, AID Leading
directly to Vicksburg, some 10 miles from
jackson by this route.
den Johnston's arrival at jackson (Which
occurred on the day previous to the fight left
him no time to organize and prepare for the
hight, 80 early precipitated upon him, and his
stubborn and weli-eontested re sistancs Was
doubtless made under many and serious disad-
vantages. On Friday, the day subsequent to
the fight, the enemy's cavalry advanced as far
the Southern railroad, near which point official
statements represent we had a force for it's pro.
lection.
Another. aud perhaps more obstinate, en-.
gagement took place on Saturday Gen John
ston in his dispatch says Friday,) near Ed.
wardss Depot, in which, to use the language of
the dispatch, ''We Whipped the enemy badly
u infn
Pemoeron then fell back to Big Black bridge"
1t Will be remembered that Gen. Johns,on's
dispatch stated that Gen. Pemberton. after nine
hours hard lighting, was compelled to fall back
over the Big Black, hut the statement above.
from the Aolutant Of regiment engaged in
the battle, jusiiies the inference that he did
not cross the river, but halted his forces a: The
bridge, where it is possible he may bs able to
make successful stand
From this Information We should tbe~efJre
conclude that Gen. Pembe1ton is still on the
east side of the Big Black, with the bridge
undestroyed, over which. if compelled to do
SO, he can cross to the west side of tie river
and destroy the bridge after him. This would
seem to place him in no very hazardous posi-
ton, particularly IS We are assured that Viaks-
burg is well supplied with provisions
The dispatch of Gen. Johnston is dated Mon.
day, May 18th, at camp between Brownsville
and Livingston. Brownsville is a village in
Kinds county, twenty miles northwest Of
Jackson, and Livingston is q village in NJ .di-
son county, twenty miles north by west from
jackson. Edwards's Depot where the battle
of Saturday was fought, is on the Vicksburg
and Jackson Railroad from twenty-five to
twenty five miles west of Jackson, and nearly
midway between the latter point and Vicks-
burg
The mention made of Gen Loring 8 position
in the dispatch published yesterday is difficult
to understand. IL says he was con the left,
(which We understand to be in the line Of
battle of Saturday, was cat OF, but cut his
way through to Crystal Springs, tw snty five
miles south Of Jackson Whst his loss was
is unknown, or what damage he inflicted upon
the enemy in forcing their lines is not etatsd
Fully to understand the exact position, We
must be content to wait further accounts.
which may reach US at any moment. Ia the
meantime, as we have before stated we &c
nothing to encourage the belief that our for
tunes are at ali desperate in that quarter, and
under the sklliful direction Of Gen. Johnston,
we have abundant reason to hope that the de-
fence of Vicksburg will not only bs success
fol but triumphant.