American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-05-22

cavalry came dasbnR .nt1 tavn Their
infantry soon loIlorgi. and de Is1srr
ensign raa displayed from Che csp..o.
amid The shouts Of Che enemy
Their forces camped In and around
the city to the number Of At least ten
thousand. The officers assured the ca
liens that their persons and all private
property should be protected that moth
ing but government property would be
destroyed. etc; but that their army was
greatly excited, and, they feared, would
be hard to control A provost guard
was soon posted throughout the city.
and for time matters proceeded quietly
enough, under the circumstances. But
no sooner had their troops arranged their
encampments than the soldiers came
pouring into the city BY hundreds. Then
commenced scene Of pillaging and
wholesale robbery, the parallel Of which
has probably not been known, in n city
so small as Jackson. since the war com
menced The guards could not prevent
il even had they been inclined
Stores were first entered. and soon the
effects Of liquor we're evident. Bands
Of drunken rufiians then began their
rounds and continued rowing from d well
ing to dwelling. FIRST, generally, demand.
ing something to eat, and then approprl
sting everything conceivable. Safes,
drawers desks, beaursus, wardrobes, etc,
we're broken open and their contents
either carried off, destroyed. or scattered
around the premises. This continued
nearly or quite all the night. Some few
families called for guards for their dwell
ings, which in no case was refused, so
far as we have learned, and, to give
The devil his DUE" all such dwellings
escaped.
But on the next friday morning
destruction on The grandest scale com
rnenced by orders. The railroad tracks
were utterly demolished for between Two
and three miles in all directions, incud-
Ing Pearl river bridge. and the depot
buildings and platforms burnt. Then
The torch was applied to the government
shops and fsctbties--Phiiip's wagon
mandatory, Green's cotton factory.
Stephens iron foundry. the government
storehouses. BsiIey's cotton shed. which
contained An immense quantity of cotton
bugar and molasses; all toe sugar and
moasses deposited In the vicinity Of the
depots, both public and private, shared
in the general destruction.
All the flour. meal, and provisions OF
all kinds that could be found anywhere,
land we think they found it all J save
what was in the hands of families. and
some Of these did not escape, we're con
sumed or scattered ID The streets. Ey
cry grist mill in town was burnt.
West and South Jackson were literal
torn up--nearly every house pillaget-
all provisions deStroyed-gardcns and
fences torn down. Gen. Steele took bis
headquarters at Col. Mabry's, bat hi,
presence was no protection. Every
room was pilaged and every mouthfui
Of provisions taken from him. At The
house Of Mr.. G N. Bains they simply
contented themselves with taking away
the provisions. breaking up marble Slabs
and defacing furniture and stealing BOOKS,
Brig, Gen. futile made his hsaiquar.
ters at the residence of Mr. +. T. Cooper.
editor of the MIsSissippian. where they
destroyed the lencs, despoled the smoke.
house. burnt up all the papers and
books and when they we're about to de
part set FIRE to the house in three places.
but through the opportunities and STRAIT
egic representations Of two faithful old
slaves, the fire was put out and The build
ing saved. The negroes pleaded that
it was the only home they had. an they'd
were too old 10 move away. For yossr
sake" said the Yankee General. "lhe
house is spared but if we yet hold of
the damned rebel editor, it will be very
different with him."
All residences left by families at the
west of town, in the vicinity of where the
last skirmishihg took place were "gutted,'
in all cases :he furniture and clothing
were destroyed. Bishop Green, Mrs.
Clifton, Judge Sharkey, and all in that
vicinity, where the bulk Of the army
encainped, were literally ruined, as It
regards household effects, provisions and
wearing apparel,
The State and city public buildings
were spared. except the peoi,ert;o,y