May 19, 1863, Peoria Morning Mail (Illinois)
Cairo, May 18th.
By arrival of the steamer Luminary we have news from Grant’s advance to the 11th and Milliken’s Bend the 14th.
It is reported that Generals Logan and Osterhaus are marching towards Jackson, driving Bowen before them, while Grant is marching up the Black River expecting to engage Pemberton near the bridge over that stream.
A letter dated Jackson the 12th ins., says, Bowen has been compelled to fall back from Raymond, and was hourly expecting that the federals would take possession of the town. The women and children and valuable stores had been sent to Meridian, and all the men had been forced into the rebel army. It is further said that Osterhaus had made large captures of men, artillery, ammunition and commissary stores a few miles from Raymond. Bowen’s forces are estimated at 15,000 and Pembertons at 50,000. The latter is reported strongly entrenched near the bridge, and a great battle there is eminent.