American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-03-27
4 Trip to yieksburg, and What We Saw.

j Canton, MarcH 18th, 1863.
A Trip to Yieksburg, and what We Saw.
Impelled thereto by business engagements,
we last week made short visit to Vicksburg,
taking in our route Calhoun, Madison, Tuga-
loo, Shotwelfs tank, Jackson, Clinton, Boil
toms, Edwards, 8oyina, "and all intermedi-
ate landings" From the route we took, as
indicated by the above names, it will be rea-
sonably inferred that we Travelled by rail"
Such was certainly our intention, but in it
we failed. "The best laid schemes of mice
aud men gang aft aglee."
Il In our peregrinations we saw but little that
was interesting or noteworthy, consequently
we took no q notes." though we did take
- note of time" as TIME-Eowever much
''tempus" may fight was not a fast fugit-
i've to US, but rather hung heavily upon our
hands while away from q the young folks at
home" In former times-before grim wars
dreadful alarums resounded throughout the
land-it was pleasure and benefit to any
man TO take short respite and recreation
from business in trip to the 60 Hill City, or
tIae 'eCrescent City, but now, in these times
worst punishment that could be inflicted
efon a man would be to compel him to leave
home and travel railroads and take lodg
ings and meals at the hotels.
The first feature that presents itself to the
mind of the way faring man is, the great num-
Der of soldiers that are continually 'sgoing to
and fro up and down in the earth, crowding
all the cars on all the railroads the next
, is, the vast number of soldiers-officers, es-
pecially-that are found at all the railroad
depots of any note, and IN all the towns along
the lines of railroads. At Jackson we tarried
a day. The city was alive with soldiers, and
it seemed to us that every third man met
was al officer, had on shoulder straps, or a
: q spangle" of some sort 10 Indicate that the
wearer was something more than a common
r soldier" The inquiry naturally arises, What
are all these officers and soldiers doing out of
camps? Why are they net with their regi-
ments, on duty, in active service7 There
were, it seemed to us, a sufficient number oil
officers and men walking about the streets oil
4 Jackson to form full regiment. How it is
that so many men, able bodied and healthy
are enabled to shirk their duty and keep out
, While thousands are thus lettering about
the cities, towns and railroad stations, all
over the Confederacy, of no benefit whatever
o to the great cause in which we are engaged
, the plea is made here IA Mississippi by oul
9 sapient Governor, that the danger at present
is so imminent that not man can be spared
from the field, and that the very salvation o.
a the country depends upon retaining the mititie
an aetire service many of whom old mer
not fit for military duty, but who ought to bt
at home, experimenting their crops and rails.
ing bread and meat to supply the demands o
1 the army and the people The Confederat,
5 authorities should at once call all straggler!
: to the field, and Gocernor Tuttus should dis
band the militia ,eithoat further delay He ha.
committed an error in keeping them in th,
field up to the present time; the longer h,
persists ia that error-to gain a reputation
as q a man of frmness and decision of char
: acter the greater will be the detrinlent t.
: the agricultural interests of the State and tt
: his own fair fame. Disband the melish,
:; Governor, disband the q melish" and let then
: raise corn, and yon'n raise yourself in tn
t estimation of every body.
to travel and had we travelled in a chaise
we would have found it much more so. TIL
j several roads from the depot to the bushes
: part of the city are the worst we have eve
: seen--an almost unfathomable mass of mud
We saw large horse in a small wagon con
Il tanning small trunk, threading his wa,
5 through this 1oblolly. lie g made the trip,
but it was by straining every nerve and sin
d ew to its greatest tension. We saw a four
: mule team, with only one box in the wagon
It come to dead stall, while only two of tn
wheels were in the mud the other two bein,
8 on hard ground. The mules had to be takel
It out and the wagon abandoned for the time
e But the mud is not al that makes Jackson
It q hard road to travel" The spirit of specu
e lation and extortion runs rampant in Jack
:, son, as, indeed, does it in almost every cfhe
g place in the Confederacy- We priced som
8 things, which will give an idea of the Who'll
n catalogue of commodities. Seed Irish pota
If toes are sac 5s bushel; mosasses, $3.50 I
> gallon sugar, Soc, butter $3.50 u ID eggs
d $3.50 5e doz.; soft hats, $50: boots, SEQ; &c
: . That is SUFFICIENT as Tom Haines sal
y when he the elephant.
: In reference to the important matter O
: something to eat. the following, told by tn
% Kinds Co Gazette, accords admirably Wit
"a our experience
ID A hungry friend of ours went into a hotel, no
" twenty miles from Raymond, one day last week
y in due time the bell announced that dinner wa
lie ready Our friend made rapid strides for the diniu
II room. On entering it official reminded hir
that 81 was to be paid. He paid it and took a sea
20 at the table The table was large aud well flle