e had retired into Vicksburg, and was
now completely shut up there by the victorious Grant.

General Maxey's brigade, about 5000 strong, was near Brookhaven, and was
marching east when I was there. General Loring's force, cut off from
Pemberton, was near Crystal Springs. General Johnston, with about 6000
men, was supposed to be near Canton. General Gist's troops, about 5500
strong, were close by, having arrived from South Carolina and Georgia,
just too late to defend Jackson.

The enemy, under General Grant, in vastly superior force, was pressing
Vicksburg very hard, and had now completely invested that fortress.

The great object of the Confederates must, of course, be to unite their
scattered forces under so able a general as Johnston, and then relieve
Vicksburg.

[25] Since this date, the unfortunate city of Jackson has been again
subjected to pillage by the Federals after the capture of Vicksburg.

* * * * *

_19th May_ (Tuesday).--The landlord of the Bowmont House gave a
breakfast at 7 A.M. to General Gist and his Staff, to which I also was
invited.

Shortly afterwards I was given a seat in a curious little vehicle
belonging to Lieutenant Martino, a Spaniard, in the Confederate army.
This vehicle caused considerable merriment amongst the soldiers, who
called it a chicken-waggon.

We left Jackson with the leading troops about 8 A.M., amidst a great
waving of handkerchiefs and showers of flowers, thrown by the few
remaining ladies who were still left in that dilapidated place.

The corps under General Gist consisted of three weak brigades, the
leading one composed of Georgians and South Carolinians; the next were
Texans, under General Ector; and the last were Arkansians, under General
M'Nair. General Gist had twelve good-looking Napoleon guns with him
(twelve-pounders). The horses were fine animals, and were in wonderful
good condition, considering that they had been ten days in the railroad
coming from South Carolina.

The troops were roughly but efficiently clothed; their boots were in
good order, and all were armed with Enfield rifles.

The weather was very hot, and we were halted to bivouac for the night,
at a spot about seventeen miles from Jackson, on the road towards
Vicksburg.

The straggling of the Georgians was on the grandest scale conceivable;
the men fell out by dozens, and seemed to suit their own convenience in
that respect, without interference on the part