Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-03-21

GsasFag JsAHstOz's Report Of OssTGfiOzs is
AississipPi GEd East LOsisiGaa.

MERIDIAN, MISS, November ], lS6a
GsneraI g. Cooper, Adiutant and Inspector General
sIR The following report Of my operations IN the
Department Of Mississippi and EsEt LOuihiana- Is re-
spsetfuy offered substitute for the imperfect one
forwarded By ne fr~m Jackson May q, 1si3
presence had bscorns nscsSaary received IN Mobile
on March 18th ths following telegram from the Sscre-
tsry Of Wsr, dEtsd March 9th
aOrder Gen Bragg to report 70 the War Department
for conference. Assume yourself direct eharEs Of the
army Of Middle Tennessee"
In obedience 70 this order proceeded 10 Tul
Iahona. On my arrival, informed the Secretary Of
war. by telegram Of Msreh l2th, that Gen Bragg
could then be sent to Richmond a. be has ordsred
on account OF the critical condition Of his family.
On the 10th Of April repeated this 70 the President
and added: Being uRWen then, Afterwards became
sick, and not now able 20 serve IN the field. Gen.
BragE is hsrsfore nessasSry here On the 2eth my
unnssa for service In the fsd was reported to the
Secretary Of War.
lowing dispatch Of the same date from the seerstAy Of
War;
proceed at once to Mississippi and take chief
msnd Of ths forces thersgving 10 those In the hed ss
far praetiesos, the encouragement ard 0snsht OF
your personal direction"
It is thus that neither my orders nor my health
permitted visit Mississippi Efter the y Of March,
until the time when too1 direct charge Of that depart
ment.
Frorn the time CT nv srrival at Tullah0ma until the
l4th Of April Gen Penn ,ertons reports, all By tele
graph, indicated that the efforts ef the enemy would
Be against Gen Bragg rather than himself and locked
20 ths abandonment Of his attempts en- VieEsbus In
| that OF April I3th, he says
Il satisfied kOgscrauH viii 13 retul0Tcaa Mom
Grants army. Shall order troops TO Tullahoma7"
On the 18th Of april, Gen. PembsrtOn telsgr raphed
he return Of Grant and the resumption Of the opera
lions against Vicksburg.
On the 18th Of April be tslsgrsphsd: The enemy is
at Hard Iimes in largo force, with bsrges and trans
ports, indicating purpose to attack Grand 0Hf With
a view Vicksburg. He also ported heavy hring al
Grand Gull. The ensmy shelliug our batteries both
shove snd below"
on the Isl of May be egrsphed: "a furious bAtte
has been going sincs daylight uHt below Port Glib
son. Enemy can cross all bis army from
Hard Times to 9ruinEhurg Ishouid have large reia
forcemsntS. Ensmy's movements threaten JACKSON
and 4 successful, cut of VicksbDrg and Port Hudson
At once urged him 70 concentrate and to attack Grant
immediately on landingi and on the next dsy ssnt
the following dispatch him; III Grant ercsses u1s
all your troops beat hin. Success will give back
what was Abandoned TO wiz IL"
calls for large rsinfcrcenoas They cannot be seat
from here without giving up Tsnnessee. Cen one OF
two brigades be sent from he East 2
On the In agalI asked Tor Re sIeresnaenss Iof ls
siEsip3i. -
son and on the b asked seacral Pembsrton; What
Il the result, and where Is Grants srmyT"
received Suswer and gained no additional infof
nation in relation to either subject utl reached the
Department Of Mississippi in obedsuee to my orders
Than. On May I2th. received a dispatch from Gen
Pemberton dated VcksburE Way l3th, aHkng for rein
fsrcsments a. the enemy, IN large fores was moving
from the MssEsppi south Of the Big Black sppsrsniiy
towards Eewar s. depot, which will be the battle Geld
II forward sufficient force, leaving troops enough
to secure tbs safety Of this place.
Before my srriva a. jackson, Grant had beaten Gen
Bowen PORT Gibson made good the landing Of his ar
my, occupied Grand Gulf, and was marching upon the
Jackson and YicssbuTg raiIoEd.
f5uEd there the brigsdss ef Gregg snd walker, report
ed six thousand learned from General Gregg that
Maxsys brigade was expected % arrive from Pert Hus
TIE next day that Genera Pembertons forces ex
eept the garrison Of Port ve thousand) and Of
Vicksbu x were 81 Edwards depotthe generals head
quarters st B0vina that four divizons Of the enemy
under Sherman, occupied Clinton, ten miles west OF
jackson, between Edwards depotanG ourselves IWas
that rsnf0rcemsuts were on ther way from the
East and that the advances Of those under Gener GEt
would probably srVe the mex day, and, with Aa1eys
brigade, swell my forcs 10 abOut eleven Thousand.
Upon this inform alton; IseRt to General Psmberton
the night Q3th), dispatch informing him Of
my sIrivs and Of the occupation OF Clinton by p0r-
t0n Of Grants army, urging the tmportsnce OF re-eg-
up II practicable, cn Shermzns rear at once, and add
IL q to beat such detachment would be OF immense
vars The troops here could cooperate. All the
Etrsngh you quickly sESembs should be brought.
Time IL al important.
On Thurudsy, Nay l4tb the enemy advanced BY the
Raymond and Clinton rusas upon Jackson. The TO
Eistiaucs made by the brgades Of Gregg and Walker
gave sufficient time for the removal OF the public
stores; and at r., rstreated BY the Canton read
from which Rloas could form junction with Gen.
Psnberton. After marching six miles the troops en-
eAmPed.
patch OF &Ry l4h, of which the followir is copy
GENERAL: Tbs body Of troops mentioned Ia my note
Of lass night compelled Brig Gen Gregg aad bis COM
mAnd TO svacuats Jackson sbsut 10 day. TAe
csssify Of taking the Canton rosd a. right angles to
thst upon which the enemy spproaehsd prevented az
obstrsts defense body Of troops reported thz
ing to hsve reached Raymond lsst night, advanced 81
the same time from that direction Prisoners say that
it McPhersou's corps (our dVous) viii b marched
from Clinton. I have no certain Information OF The
other; both skirmished very cautiously kilograms
were dispatched when the enemy was nesr, directing
Gen Gis to assemble the approaching troops at point
forty or fity miles from Jsckson, and Gen Msxsy to
return 70 rs wagons, and provide for the security Of
his brissde-for tnsaaee by joining Gen. Gis& That
body Of troops will be able hope to prevent ths
in Jackson from drawing prOvsons from the east
and this may be able to kesp him from the country
toward Psuo,s Gan be supply himself from the Mis-
sssippif Can you not cut him Of rol II And, above
all should be be compelled to fall back for want Of sup
Piles be at him. AS the Teinforcements
up, they must be united the rest Of the army an
anxious to force assembled that may be able %
inflet heavy blew unpen the enemy.
Would not be better place tbs forces to sup
port YicksbuFg between General Lorng and that place
snd merely observe The ferries that you ght unite
II opportunity 70 fight presented itsehl
General Gregg will move toUsrd Canton to.mor-
row. prisoners tell the truth the forces at Jackson
must be half Of Grants army. 1t would decide the
campaign 10 beat It, which can be done only by
esnrsting especially when the remainder Of the east
err troops arrive they are 10 be twelve or thirteen
thousand"
This dispatch was not answered Gen. Pembsrton
stated In his official report that it reesivsd at p
on the 18th whilst on the retreat from the battle
On the psxt day, May 18th ridsy) ths troops under
me marched ten and half miles further 10 Calhoun |
La1oa On tne morning of that day received litter
IIom Gen Penbsrton, dated Edwards depot, AIay "A, /
CIhursdsy) 40 ,. n:
shall move as early tomorrow morning as prae-
Eeablel column OF seventeen thousand DHlons
The object Is of the eneIny's commune atoms
and force him 20 attack do not consider my
force sufficient to Justify attack On the enemy po-
sitisn, to attempt to cut my way &C Jackson"
This the first eommunG Won received from Gen.
Pemeerron alter KY arrival az Jackson; AID from it
Lar ed Jhas he had rot moved towards Clinton ten
hours after the receipt 81 order 10 q aad that
Junction Of he forces which could have been eoeted
by the 15Eh desired and that, In Ohedisres 70 nv
Oders and ia oppoEtion 20 he Views Of majority Of
the council Of war composed o. ali the generals pres
snt bsfors whom he placed ths fube0t be had decided
ta rake q movement by Which the union would be I'm
possible Gen. Pem5ertOn was imne diRtey instructed
that there was but enc mode ~ which could mite
W: by Ais moving cfeetly 70 Uhnfoh The urgader-
generals reprsB ntug that their troops required rest
after the fatigue they had undergone In the kkrshes
and marches preceding he retreat from jackson aud
aSvng Yet certain n'eigencs Of Gen. Pemberon's
route or Gen. Gss position did not move sn Satar.
lay. In The evening" resolved reply % my last dis
patch, dated four miles south Of Edwards depot Nay
10th stating It had reached hm at xix hiry that
ng that il fosud tas army he middle read to Ray
nond. 1he order OF ccuntarmarch has been sEued. !
Diving to the destruction Of bridge Bakers creek
which, runs for some distance parallel With the rareAd
nd sou th Of Il, CIR march VIII Dc the rosd leading
rom Edwards cePor, ia the direction Of Brownsville
This read rams nearly parallel Ei.h the raiiroaj. Ia
oing Clinton shall leave Bottoms depot four .
allies the right thus particular that yon msy
he able 70 make junction with this army" n post
erPt he reports heavy Ekrnishing new g9sg On in
ly frOnt"
e bsrOns first reply to the order sent him from Jack
on, to attack Shermsn, Gated Boyins, Nay l4.h,9
clock u minutes A = IS fOlloVa. !,
a. move at once, with my Whole available force, =
rom Edwards depot In directing this vs, DO net
hnk you fully comprehend the condition Vick burg !
Ill be left IN bat comply At once with your or
eTs."
On Nay l7th Sunday marched fifteen miles N the
ireeion Indicated in Gen Pembertons note received
os previous evening. In the sfterneon a letter Was
70 ught from him, dated BOyins, May l7th ecpy Of
Thieh has been Forwarded TO the War Department Ia
his referring to my dispatch Of hay l3h from Jack
on Gen. Pemberton wrote j notified you on the n
lOrng of the l4h Of the receipt OF your nstruc
o move and attack the enemy towards Cji7top I IN
semed the movonent very hazardous preferring to G
sman 10 position behind the Big Black and near 70 g
ieksburg called council OF war, composed OF ali q
be general officers
majority Of tho officers expressed themselves "a N
ors0ie TO NE movement indiesled by you The Ctr. n
rs including Major GensT ais LOipR ana stevepso1 Ia
novemeni by Which rha army might sndeavor to cut s