Friday, 3d–We received orders to be ready to march at a moment’s warning. Getting the orders we started about 10 o’clock at night for Messenger’s ford on the lower Big Black river, about four miles from our bivouac, and reached the ford at midnight. We are to stop Johnston from crossing the river, as it is thought he is making an effort to cross at the ford to strike Sherman’s right flank.
Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.
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