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information of Johnston's orders to Pemberton, of the night before, to attack his rear.1 Accordingly, that afternoon, McPherson was directed to retrace his steps, marching early in the morning, on the Clinton road, towards Bolton, about twenty miles west of Jackson, and the nearest point where Johnston could strike the railroad.
Grant also informed McClernand of the capture of Jackson, and of Johnston's line of retreat, and ordered him to face all his troops towards Bolton.
‘It is evidently the design of the enemy to get north of us and cross the Black river, and beat us into Vicksburg.
We must not allow them to do this.
Turn all your forces towards Bolton station, and make all dispatch in getting there.
Move troops by the most direct road from wherever they may be on the receipt of this order.’
General Frank Blair had, by this time, got up near Auburn, with his division of the Fifteenth corps, and he also was instructed to move in the direction of the enemy.
‘Their design is evidently to cross the Big Black, and pass down the peninsula between the ’
1 Johnston sent the order to Pemberton in triplicate, and one of the originals reached Grant. Some months before these events, a loyal man in Memphis, anxious to serve the national cause, had been drummed out of that place by Hurlbut with a great show of disgrace, for uttering seditious language and communicating with the enemy. He was furnished with papers indicating the cause of his expulsion, and went south beyond the national lines. With such evidence of his fealty to the rebellion, he had been able to obtain accurate information, and on several occasions furnished it opportunely to Hurlbut. This man was in Jackson when Grant came up from Raymond; he offered to carry the dispatch from Johnston to Pemberton; a dangerous task, as the national army lay between the two rebel commanders. One so noisy in his professions was of course regarded as safe; the dispatch was intrusted to the national spy, who brought it direct to Mc-Pherson, and McPherson forwarded both dispatch and messenger to Grant.
New York Appleton 1885.
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