Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-03-31

the lett The cavalry under Brig Gen Jackson was Or
oefe observe and guard The roads Of Pearl river above
and below the town
The reports that had. various times beea made TO
o: the uding officers of the troops encamped
sherman who advanced heavy order of battle from Gin
ton could not besiege, but would be compelled make
ss of his own and Ords army corps and three divisions
10 addition The spirit and confidence manifested by the
whole army under command, that rot with
standing this vast superiority of numbers ct assured
with the advantage by the entrenchmsnts as
dtu uf "''' A N''''' w "D'1 '''D'' :" H'' "'''0n'
commenced enrenching and constructing batteries. ON
theiourth, there spirited skmshing with slight
nonading Continuing throughout the day This was Ike pt
tie period Of our evacuation. Hills. commanding ard
able sites for batteries. crIs4 ire If shot and shu
rearhed ell parts OF the town. showing The posi- to
entirely uHte12ble against powerful artillery.
the eleventh telegraphed President If the DO
not be collected would make i impossible 10 stand o
II the enemy will not attack, must, at the mo-
men withdraw. We cannot attack seriously without risk
Gu the twelfth, besides the usual skrmishng there was
ney from the batteries near the Canton and
of the An assault, though MT vigorous one was
also pade General Brecknridges 1t was quickly
and Slocumbs batteries and the skrmish
of the First, Third and Fourth Florida, and Forty
seventh Georgia regiments. The enemy's loss two
hundred prisoners nearly the lumber killed. many
wounded and the coIors of the Twenty Eighth
and Fifty Third Illinois regiment.
By the thirteenth the enemy had extended his lines
til both his TANKS rested on Pearl river.
telegraphed the President the fourteenth, that
large force lately LIFT Vcksburg 'to the north.
This will compel abandon Jackson. The troops be-
fore US have been entrepchng End constructing batteries
since their ARRIVAL
On the fifteenth teegraphed the President: 1.-THE enc
ms is evidently making siege which cannot 1t
would be madness to attack him. The remainder the
army under Grant, at Vckburg, beyond Doubt Is its
way to this place."
On the sixteenth of july information received that
large train from Vcksburg, loaded with ammunition,
the euemys camp Ibis and the condition of their
batteries, made 1t probable that Sherman would the
next day. concentrate upon rs the fire of hun
ed Pearl river III rear OF their left flank The
Our whdra wal effected the night the ak
eenth. All pubhc property ard the sick and wounded
previously carried to the rear The right wing retired
wards Brandon by the Brandon road end ef wing
the bridges Pearl river and observe the enemy
The evacuation was Lot discovered by the enemy until
next day.
Our loss during the siege, estimated seveny.one
killed, tive hundred and four wounded about twenty
about niles TO Dr.
sertions during the siege and Oh the Narch
frequent. Two OF the
drove cavalry through Brandon the nineteenth re-
turning to jackson the next day Their objects seemed
| be to destroy the railroad bridges and depOts.
Col }; L. Logan, commanding mounted force around
Getachments OF the enemy.
'he twelfth of July received information from Col
Logan of the surrender of Port Hudson on the
subgeq the report Major Jackson Assistant Ad
julant General, received, informing surren
der That officer stated that provision was an
that the position of the enemy rendered Impossible
The garrison to cut its way out But two tn usand fv
hundred OF the garrison wee tit for duty at the time
The surrender.
The enemy advanced against Yazoo City both by
water, the 18th. The attack 10y the gunboats
mand OF Commander Isaac N Brown, OF the navy. The
Dekalb the ship Of the hostile squadron an non cac
moualirg thirteen guns sunk by d torpedo To The
iorce advancing by land resistance by The
garrison commanded by Col Greason OF the 18th Norti
| Carolina regiment.
[Here follows review Of minor points in the o.
dels, and Gen. johns ton then proceeds i
strike The with the best hope
ing VcksbuIg when he lSnding Brunsburg
Pro do this, with any prospect succeBs rapid conccn
Il alton made and an at
tack. Under this convection teegraphed General
Psmberton May LIST, from Tulluh0na if Grants
army lands TINS side OF the river, the safety
sppi depends beating him. For that object you
unle your whole force And again on MAY I'd " II
Grant Crosses whole force to beat him success
viii give back what WIS abandoned to win it,"
1hese Instructions were neglected. and time was give
>,rant to gam oothold in the STATE. AT Port Gibson
Ray Of troops defeated and
driven back by overwhelming numbers OF the enemy.
On the l3th when learned that there we're tour dVis
ions Of the enemy at Clinton distant twenty miles from
the main body OF Gen. PembertOns forces gave hm-or
ders them, and nouied HIM that could CO.
operate. THIS Gen. Penberou 0lsohuyed, &c
reported to mo IL ms letter OF tie nth Ii directed HIM u
twenty miles to the cast, 10 Cooperate with IL
attacking sherman. He moved to the SOUTH and made
operation and junction Impossible. he claims that this
order compelled hlm 10 make the advance beyond the BIG
Black, which proved so disastrous Before had reach
Jackson aud before the order given, Gen. Pember
made first advance beyond (eRst o The Big Back
Edwards depot after tho receipt OF tne order ia yo
made his second and advance from tina
point tho 1eld OF Baker Creek He urtLer claims tina
order CAUSED the suDyeIsl0n his - naturGd
know hat those plans were but staItied e
Ld plans given moveIasRt IN Violation 0
my orders, rejected the majority Of his council OF
and disappruTed (as sates) by himself. the l2
Is that he could collect force enough
depot would be The battle fed. The battle Of Baker
creek fought three four miles from Edwards depot
The the enemy was reported TO him the nigh
before There apparent Obstacle 10 prevent hi
resuming his Original poson and Carrying OUT hs uur
ed p ans.
obeys positive order OF his SUPERIOR that superior be
comes ponsble tor any measure his subordinate ma
choose substitute Tor that ordered
But had the battle of Bakers been fought
Pemharton belief VIcksburg his base rendered
us ruin inevitable. wOud still have been beseged ant
therefore captured. The larger he would have
ried ;o the lines would have added and FASTENED
catastrophe His disasters were due not merely to
tang ling hi1nseii with the advancing columns supe
and enemy but to his evident determination
be beseg ed III Vcksbug instead of naL dtuVrIrg to
vent siege
Convinced OF the mpossiblity of collecting guioien
,oroo IN break the investment VckSburg, should il h
comu tho difficulty OF cXtrlcatGg
garrison, aud convinced that vcksDurS and Port Hudson
had lost most OF Their Value ny the repeated passage
and transports ordered the evacuation
both places Gen. Gardner dd not receive ths order be
fore tue Investment OF Fort Hudson at ALL Gen. Penn
herou set this order, u4der the advice OF counc
of war ana though he had III VcksbuEg eight thousan
fresh troops uemOralzed by defeat, decided that
was impossible withdraw the army from this Position
with such morale and material as to be OF further
To the Contederacy but to hold VIcksbus long d
nossible with finn nope that the Govern may We
he able TO ping this obstruction the enc
mys tree navigation OF the mississippi river VicksDur
was greatly .mperlitd when my IuctIond from
ma To concentrate, wero negected 1t when
orders OF the l3Lh 18TH OF M~y sJbey
his loss were ADDED pIlVatloLs cap
tue of a gallant nmJ, "heh n orders lVF la eVacu~tU
, set aside.
fetn2Is sono ALmad version, upon the COZ
duct Ut Gen pelIb The pleasant task
the DINER iallul duty butH been forced uoc
by the ttfcIt report o. yea FemoertOn made IL
Wal Department instead OF ne, TO whom due
Gen. PemhertCn, direct ASSERTION aid hy duplication
puts upon The responsibility Oh the movement whic
led Ina army defeat at Bakers creek AID Big Bac