by John Beauchamp Jones
APRIL 25TH.—We have bad news from the West. The enemy (cavalry, I suppose) have penetrated Mississippi some 200 miles, down to the railroad between Vicksburg and Meridian. This is in the rear and east of Vicksburg, and intercepts supplies. They destroyed two trains. This dispatch was sent to the Secretary of War by the President without remark. The Enquirer this morning contained a paragraph stating that Gen. Pemberton was exchanging civilities with Gen. Sherman, and had sent him a beautiful bouquet! Did he have any conception of the surprise the enemy was executing at the moment? Well, Mississippi is the President’s State, and if he is satisfied with Northern generals to defend it, he is as likely to be benefited as any one else.
Gen. Beauregard is urging the government to send more heavy guns to Savannah.
I saw an officer to-day just from Charleston. He says none of the enemy’s vessels came nearer than 900 yards of our batteries, and that the Northern statements about the monitors becoming entangled with obstructions are utterly false, for there were no obstructions in the water to impede them. But he says one of the monitors was directly over a torpedo, containing 4000 pounds of powder, which we essayed in vain to ignite.
April 25.—A fight took place at Duck River Shoals,on the Tennessee River, between the United States gunboat Lexington and ram Monarch, and the rebel shore batteries, resulting in a defeat of the latter, with a loss of twenty-five rebels killed and wounded.—(Doc. 175.)
—Two schooners from New-York, with cargoes of clothing and medicines, were captured in Mobjack Bay, Va., by the Union steamers Samuel Rotan and Western World.—The ship Dictator was captured and burnt by the rebel steamer Georgia, in latitude 25° north, longitude 21° 40′ west.—Captain Phillips’s Statement.
—A fight took place at Greenland Gap, Va., between a detachment of Union troops, under the command of Captain Wallace, of the Twenty-third Illinois, and a numerically superior body of rebels, under General William E. Jones. The contest lasted nearly two hours, the rebels making three desperate charges, but were repulsed on each occasion with heavy loss. The rebel killed and wounded outnumbered the whole Union force.— (Doc. 176.)
—An important debate took place in the English Parliament, in reference to the seizure of British vessels by American cruisers, and other subjects growing out of the rebellion in America. In the House of Lords, an elaborate speech was made by Earl Russell, and in the House of Commons, Mr. Roebuck made a very defamatory one.
Richmond, La., Saturday, April 25. Awoke early and at 6 A. M. we filed off after the 5th [Iowa]. Travelled up the levee about two miles, then turned to the west and passed through level country. Very pretty, the roads lined with growing hedges of creeping roses, etc. which were in full bloom, filling the air with their fragrance. And the flower gardens were truly beautiful, notwithstanding their former admirers were engaged in a far different object.
After travelling about five miles we entered a heavy timber, the road running beside a bayou, through which we continued except when in cleared openings all day. The day was excessively warm, equal to a harvest time in Wisconsin. The men were all soft after nearly two months’ packing on the boat, and notwithstanding they were often rested, the infantry fell back very many. At about 2 P. M. we crossed the bayou (which is very deep) on a pontoon of pine boards, and came into camp at Richmond, having come twelve miles. Many of the footsore and weary did not arrive until late. On guard. I need all the rest possible for to-morrow, but no grumbling, do the best I can.
Saturday, April 25th. Left Shreveport at 4 o’clock a. m. in a hack; had a fine pair of horses, and the day being cloudy, had quite a pleasant ride; got a good breakfast at Mr. Allen’s; reached the Widow Gamble’s about 1 o’clock. This is the most beautiful place I have seen since I left home; every tree has either a rose or a honeysuckle clambering over it, all fragrant and blooming; there is a Cherokee rose hedge all round the farm. This place is within six miles of poor Burney Means’ home; he has gone to his rest, and my thoughts were all day of him and our dear old college days. We were fellow students in the South Carolina college; he was my closest and most confidential friend and his smiling face is photographed on my heart forever; I cannot yet fully realize that I shall never see him again.
Reached Mansfield about dark; a neat little village full of pretty girls.
