The Grenada sentinel., 1899-08-05
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS
BY J. L. POWER.
BY J. L. POWER.
-, A.aseMsean;aseA

When the editor Of this department
rode into the eastern suburbs OF jack
son from the seige Of vicksburg on the
afternoon OF July n, 1858, he found his
family, with nearly the entire popula-
ton of the city, camped near Bailey
lake" And they were not even then
beyond the reach Of the heavy cannon
aiding from the enemy's lines, extend-
ing from the lunatic asylum to the
woods just south of the city. When
later we returned to the city and rode
up State street, we appreciated the new
name by which Jackson had come to be
known, "Chimncyville." Here are
some of the pen pictures Of newspaper
correspondents transferred to our scrap
book at the time. jackson was worse
wrecked than any other city IL the
South, except Atlanta, and the Fedsral
soldiers were not the only ones who
contributed to her desolation:
jackson has deplorable appearance
The block or square in which the Appeal
office used to be situated, and the one south
of it on the other side Of Capitol, and
fronting on State and Pascagoula streets,
comprising, since the last conhagration,
the main business houses Of the city, are In
ashes. These two blocks include the Epis'
copal church and the buildings from there
to Concert Hall, on State street, the post
office, Julienne's bookstore, sweeping round
to Spengler's row, and down to Mrs.
McMaster's, including the post surgeons
Office, medical directors office, and the
office of commander Of the post. On the
opposite side of the street the fiery destruc-
tion began with McMurry's livery stable,
consuming the whole mass Of buildings to
Strauss store, thence to Angello's saloon,
Griffith's clearinghouse, thence to Cleary's
store, thence down Pascagoula street, eat
ing out the entire block.
"The next block, running along Stats
and South, in succession Of the one just
named, being already pile Of ruins, hav.
ing been burned by the enemy during the
first visit, the house-burners ceased their
destruction in that part of tho city. Mrs.
Clifton's house is said to have been burned.
The capitol was not injured, nor was the
governors mansion. No act of wanton
insult to ladies is reported, but houses were
freely entered and sacked. The beautiful
suburbs Of jackson are all scorched, with
cred and destroyed ..,e
MRS. Masters corner, above referred to,
is where the Harding building now stands,
and McMurry's stable was on Clarion
Ledger corner.
Another correspondent: "Dr. Bailey ar.
rived here from jackson yesterday. Tho
half has not been told touching the vandal.
ism of the enemy while in occupation Of
that ill-fated city. Every unoccupied house,
and nearly all of those whose owners re-
mained to protect them, was sacked and
gutted. Officers as high as colonels were
seen to enter and steal articles Of value and
carry them away. Mahogany and rose.
wood bedsteads, with mattresses, mosquito
bars, and all the appendages Of a complete
and elegant couch, with bedsteads set up,
and the whole standing as If in bed
chamber, together with rosewood marble
stabbed dressing cases, beaureaus, chairs,
sofas, fine tables, pianos, ottomans, mir.
rors, and all the costly furniture Of the
citizens, were scattered all along the en-
trenchments from the southern bend oi
Pearl river to the extreme northern line oi
the works. On these beds the Yankees
slept, and carried on their vile debauch
cries, played cards and gambled, ate and
drank on the tables, and on their departure
broke the stolen plunder into fragments
One general carried off two fine parlol
chairs from Mr.. Helms residence. They
hauled of wagon loads Of books from thu
State library, took what books they pre-
ferred. and destroyed the rest This library
, was one of the most select and costly ir
the Confederacy. In Mr.. Hobsons resi-
dence they cut his family portraits, mutt
lated everything they could not carry of
cut large square pieces from the center o.
bis carpets, ana wrote obscene sentences
upon the walls"
Another correspondent: Zone must visi
Jackson to realize the extent of its de
struction. 1t is wreck Of its former self
From the Bowman House, including tina
fine hotel, to the freight depot Of tn
Vicksburg railroad, there are not exceed
ing ten buildings standing upon both side
Of State street. The same is the case OF
the streets leading from State street to tn,
New Orleans railroad. Look whore 70,
will, ruin meets the eye. The numerou
chimneys still standing upon the burnt dis
tricts, and the undisturbed debris o
charred walls and destroyed wares will re
main until the end of the war, silent bu
. terrible monuments of the devastating in
road OF the banded horde. They did no
burn the State house, but nearly destroye,
the State library, the geological cabinet
etc., pillaged the Masonic and Odd Fellows
halls, burnt the Catholic and Episcopa
> churches, the penitentiary, the institution
Of the dumb and blind, and every shop an,
factory in the place. They burned all th
railroad depots, cars, etc., and many pri
D vate residences. 80 nearly complete di,
they consider their nefarious work tha
they now call the former capital Of th
L proud State Of Mississippi Chimney VILE,
not an inappropriate name in its rrssen
: garb."
!, The grasshoppers have done mucl
= damage in Bolivar county, especial,
on the Dahomey plantation, where on
. cotton patch Of 800 acres was destroye,
and 1900 acres much damaged.