Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 3.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[315] that McPherson's guns were to give him. Finally, about eleven o'clock, the rain having stopped, this general opened fire. The Confederates occupied a semicircular hill, over which the road followed by their adversaries passed—on the right, woods; in the centre and on the left, an undulating clearing which their artillery commanded; one battery enfiladed the road. McPherson had placed Crocker's division in the front; Logan was ready to support him with two of his brigades; the third, under Stevenson, masked by a wood, formed the extreme left, and was to outflank the right of the Confederates in order to strike a road which leads into Jackson by way of the north-west, and which would have brought it upon their rear. A ravine full of thickets separated the combatants. It is here that the conflict begins. The Federal skirmishers are driven from it. Then Crocker, pushing his whole line forward, takes possession of the place, not without experiencing severe losses, and dislodges the Confederates from the position they occupy. But the latter retire into their works, situated a little over a mile in the rear. McPherson follows them, and, not daring to attack them in front, shells them from a distance in order to wait for the effect of the movement undertaken by Stevenson. It is now two o'clock. During this time Sherman, on the right, has repulsed the Confederate skirmishers, crossed a stream the passage of which has not been seriously disputed, and arrives in front of some works occupied by numerous guns, which open a sharp and well-directed fire upon him. Grant, who is with him, allows himself to be checked for more than two hours by the weak detachment with which Johnston opposes his forces. He has sent one regiment to the right, to push on as far as Pearl River and endeavor to turn the enemy's positions. Time passes without his receiving any news: at last he proceeds in person to that side and joins this regiment, which, finding no one to oppose its progress, was about to enter Jackson. The city was deserted, Johnston having evacuated it with all his troops. One hundred and fifty artillerymen had alone remained, bravely sacrificing themselves in order to save their comrades, and continued to fire upon Sherman.

The latter then had only to come forward and capture them, with the ten pieces of cannon they were serving. At the same