The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 24, In Three Parts. Part 3, Correspondence, etc. Page: 64
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MISSISSIPPI, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC.
U. S. GUNBOAT FAIRPLAY, February 22, 1863.
Brig. Gen. GRENVILLE M. DODGE, Corinth, Miss.:
GENERAL : I have just received your letter of the 21st instant. I am
sorry to say that Van Dorn has already crossed the river; most of his
force crossed above Big Muscle Shoals, where we could not reach him
with gunboats. He has about 5,000 cavalry, and is now with Wheeler
and Forrest at Columbia. There are some guerrillas on the opposite
side of the river from Florence, back from the river about 2 or 3 miles.
I have destroyed all flats or ferries as high up as I could get-about 6
miles above Florence.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
LE ROY FITCH,
Commanding Gunboats.
CORINTH, MISS., February 23, 1863.
Maj. Gen. U. S. GRANT,
Opposite Vicksburg :
SIR: There are some matters south of this that may be of interest to
you, and perhaps I may be excused for communicating them direct.
They have been sent, part of them, to my immediate commanders. The
scouts posted at Mobile, Meridian, and Jackson have sent in long re-
ports, and the substance of those that can be relied upon are about as
follows:
1. No troops have come to Pemberton's army since Smith's 10,000
joined him about Christmas.
2. All troops from Mobile up the road. and from Grenada, have gone
to Vicksburg and Port Hudson, leaving a few thousand at Mobile,
some 600 at Meridian, and two regiments at Jackson, and about three
regiments of militia at Grenada. A portion that left Grenada are posted
on Black River. Everything in the shape of cavalry, even to the parti-
san.rangers as low down as Port Hudson, joined Van Dorn in his move
to Tennessee, leaving perhaps a regiment or two north of Grenada, a
few at Okolona, and a few companies just south of me. Everything in
the shape of Government property has been taken away from the coun-
try bordering the Yazoo and adjacent streams, and all prominent points,
such as Jackson, Grenada, Columbus, &c. At Jackson the founderies
are running and a cotton-mill or two, and perhaps a Government shoe
and clothing shop, but every preparation is being made to take them
away. West Mississippi is being entirely stripped of stock, provisions,
forage, &c., and everything indicates that they are getting ready for
a quick move.
In the last ten days some 3,000 negroes have been pressed and put
to work at Columbus, Miss., and one or two points near Meridian, while
the great stock of cars and engines at Meridian are being taken east
and south. It appears to be the opinion of the scouts that the enemy
are making preparations to take up the line of the Tombigbee for the
next position, and say that it is openly talked there that gunboats will
go up Big Black, when their army will have to take position to save
Selma and Mobile.
The trains go loaded from Vicksburg daily with sick and discharged
soldiers. They say that they average 12 cars a day. Last week two
heavy steamboat engines and the prow to a ram went up the road to
Jackson; said to be placed in some boat in the Yazoo.
Deserters and conscripts are flocking into my lines daily, and, so far64
[CAP. XXXVI.
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The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Additions and Corrections to Series 1, Volume 24. (Pamphlet)
Errata sheets for the Records of the War of the Rebellion include additions and corrections to the text and the index for Series 1, Volume 24.
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 24, In Three Parts. Part 3, Correspondence, etc., book, 1889; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154593/m1/64/?q=Thrall: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.