Wednesday, 15th.—We hobbled on; Elrod somewhat improved, but I was not. When in about three miles of Pearl River, which we must cross to-night or be cut off, we saw a man coming on horseback. Elrod begged me to try to get the man to let me ride behind him to the river. I at first refused, but after his urging, saying he could make it to the river before dark, and for me to wait on this side until he came, I consented to try the man. He agreed to take me, and by hard work they got me on behind without anything under me. He turned out to be drinking heavily, but took me to the river as hard as his horse could run, for which I paid him $4.00 and found myself badly skinned from the hard ride bareback. As it was getting dark, my friend, Elrod, made his appearance, and though he was very tired, we crossed over Pearl River near Byram’s Station, on New Orleans Railroad. Saw Yankee foragers. Got over river just in time; skirmishing towards Jackson.
