The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-16

The Occupat101 OE JacAs MaSss
The Selma kss,lsay4scs he's the Iesu,ass o.
the third occupatan af mo CApitai u oftpalssppi
by the Fcdcruls They brought with hsm A. r.
Merrill, formerly casaieroI he Agricnjnrai Bank
at Nasche., who was ia % iasusurseod "a Gov
srnor Of the stais on tic 6sa iHs.. e account
Of the Occupation ssys:
On Friday morning at 0'clacK, 0t1elkl inforIna-
ton WAS received at Jackson that the 4ssmy were
advancing on Clinton, In Two coisHn, 2o'oct'
strong, by t.e Quern's Hill and CiiHtfs roads--
Owing TO such immense superiority 81 Hambers,
Gen. Lee declined to give them f1stbeeh1ttle, and
retired towards Canton, 10 effect JaNstt0n with
Gen. Lo1ing, who had reached AadfSnn station
with his command thai morning. AhdsE the time
that Gen. Lee left Clinton an immense ssneke was
observed In that vicinity. At IL o'ci0ck sae order
was given 10 eyacuatc Jackson. as tile @seny were
then reported within sIx miles 81 .ns tfaee. al
soldiers once lef the place, the cifeas retired
10 their houses, and painful stiffness f4hed oer
the thrice doomed city. But II was tlie cain That
preceded the Storm About o'ciock N tue even
Ing, the enemy entered the city, dSiyiRg safai
detachment Of our cavalry before them. Their
demoniae yeils Were heard on the casa bank OF
Pearl river. One Of the party left to lismanlle
the pontoon bridge, was moda!y w"aaped- The
bridge was effactuaiy destroyed.
Cen. French's division was under osaess and in
readiness 10 retreat Friday evening. Hss now at
Morton. The division had besn iadd ia yeserys
the east baak Of Pearl river Neither IL nor l.or-
ing's division took part In any Of the ensasems,ts
The latter was held II Canton 10 watcEl lhe Rove
ments of the column which had startsA ireM the
HazoO. Gen. Lees cavalry did aahijs but they
were not able TO contend against tweatf To one.--
The conduct of Gen. Adams's brigade, and por-
tiga of the brigade commanded by Gs. Sssst:kt, is
beyond all praise. On Friday ;iisy grfmikesl the
enemy to advance only four miles. In Gen. Adams
old regiment alone, ten were reported killed end
sixty wounded. Maj Bridges, of Gen. Lees Staff,
was MORALLY wounded.
Our army fell back to Pearl river by way OF
Giants Ferry, which is about twelve miles above
Jackson.
Large cunhagratiOns were visible in the vicinity
of jackson and Madison Station at 10 O'Clock Sat
urday night. Before Geuerai French retired he
CAUSED large lot of cotton 1t the depot TO be de
strOyed. a few ears were ,ft at the depot. Tie
railroad between Brandon and jackson was iefs wit-
injured by our troops.
s In addition to the two columns which moved out
on Canton and jackson, another was reported as
advancing On Chrysiai Springs but tii:s needs fur
ther confirmation before Ii is enlied 10 tu.i ere
dencc. Sherman III chiei command. We
learn that stand will be- made al Morton. All
teisgtaphc communications, except fer military
purposes, have been interdc;ed by Gen, Folk,
which fact accounts for cur failure receive in
teiligence Of these important movements several
days ago.
We see nothing particularly Giseousaging In all
this. The occupation of Jackson aud the with
drawai OF the main body OF infantry force east
oi the Pearl, is 10 naie than we all expected
Indeed, Indications for several months past 20 to
show ttlai our Generals did not expect 10 hold the
country west of Pearl river. Everything which
could be serviceable to the enemy has beea
Withdrawn, preparatory to the con iGp.aed evae-
uatiOn OF thai portion q! the State by our Ofcrs -
The policy of the Government is concentration,
and glad it adopted. In The recap
ture of Jackson, the enemy has only increased the
task before him. lie has hada substantial gain
by it, but only multiplied his difficulties wiiile,,
perhaps he has accelerated those movements on
our part which necessary to our ultimate deiiv