May 20, 1863, The New York Herald
The latest news from General Grant’s army reports that the Capitol at Jackson has been burned, but whether by the troops of General Grant, or by the rebels in retreating, or by an accident, is not stated. The official reports of General Grant’s action at Jackson and the capture of that city, forwarded by General Hurlbut from Memphis, merely mentions that Capitol was burned, but does not state by whom. General Hurlbut states that from five to ten thousand mounted men are concentrated near Okoloma, threatening an advance in the direction of the Memphis Railroad.
He also says that a citizen just up from Jackson reports that the enemy abandoned Vicksburg on Sunday, marching on the ridge northeast to Livingston, which is a post village twenty miles northwest of Jackson.
We give a map today of the city of Jackson and its surroundings – showing the Pearl river and the railroad and turnpikes leading to the city – accompanied by sketches of the localities.
The recent raid of Colonel Grierson through Mississippi has provoked a most excited proclamation from the rebel Governor Pettus, to his brother Mississippians, which we give in another column.
The rebels are making a demonstration in Kentucky. Despatches from Cincinnati dated on Monday say that the rebel force in Wayne and Clinton counties is increasing. They are said to have seventeen thousand men and fourteen pieces of artillery. Four rebel regiments of infantry have passed through Jamestown, and twenty-four more regiments are reported at Morristown, East Tennessee. General Buckner is said to be at Clinton. There are rebel pickets on the Cumberland river at every available point. A letter from Richmond, Ky., says that the rebels have crossed the Cumberland, which is rapidly falling. These movements are regarded as indications of an attempt to outflank General Rosecrans at Murfreesboro. Our latest news from the latter point represent the situation as unchanged. The positions and movements of the different rebel corps in that vicinity will be found in our despatch from Murfreesboro, dated on Monday. It is said that three brigades had reinforced Gen. Bragg, but the probability is that those troops had gone to assist General Pemberton at Vicksburg, and that they comprised those of Generals Churchill, Gist and Walker.
Our Suffolk correspondence today gives an interesting account of the late skirmish at Carrsville and the tearing up of the Seabrook and Roanoke Railroad, and the removal of the rails to Suffolk. Our correspondent was wounded in the fight.
The extracts which we give today from the Southern journals relative to the prices of provisions in the markets and the prospects of the coming crops are most curious and interesting. While the prices of the necessaries of life are still quoted at enormous rates, the Southern papers are congratulating the people upon an immense fall in the markets, and the splendid promise of an approaching harvest, which will still further reduce the price of grain, flour, and vegetables. These flattering reports of the condition of the crops come from Virginia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi and Georgia. It will be seen that the tone of the Southern press upon this question is most hopeful and boastful It is significant, however, that intelligence has been received at Washington of the sailing of a steamer from Liverpool on the 25th ult. laden with bread and bacon for the rebel army, a fact which does not look as if there was a superabundance of these essential materials in the South.