While this was going on Sherman was confronting a rebel battery which enfiladed the road on which he was marching—­the Mississippi Springs road—­and commanded a bridge spanning a stream over which he had to pass.  By detaching right and left the stream was forced and the enemy flanked and speedily driven within the main line.  This brought our whole line in front of the enemy’s line of works, which was continuous on the north, west and south sides from the Pearl River north of the city to the same river south.  I was with Sherman.  He was confronted by a force sufficient to hold us back.  Appearances did not justify an assault where we were.  I had directed Sherman to send a force to the right, and to reconnoitre as far as to the Pearl River.  This force, Tuttle’s division, not returning I rode to the right with my staff, and soon found that the enemy had left that part of the line.  Tuttle’s movement or McPherson’s pressure had no doubt led Johnston to order a retreat, leaving only the men at the guns to retard us while he was getting away.  Tuttle had seen this and, passing through the lines without resistance, came up in the rear of the artillerists confronting Sherman and captured them with ten pieces of artillery.  I rode immediately to the State House, where I was soon followed by Sherman.  About the same time McPherson discovered that the enemy was leaving his front, and advanced Crocker, who was so close upon the enemy that they could not move their guns or destroy them.  He captured seven guns and, moving on, hoisted the National flag over the rebel capital of Mississippi.  Stevenson’s brigade was sent to cut off the rebel retreat, but was too late or not expeditious enough.

Our loss in this engagement was:  McPherson, 37 killed, 228 wounded; Sherman, 4 killed and 21 wounded and missing.  The enemy lost 845 killed, wounded and captured.  Seventeen guns fell into our hands, and the enemy destroyed by fire their store-houses, containing a large amount of commissary stores.

On this day Blair reached New Auburn and joined McClernand’s 4th division.  He had with him two hundred wagons loaded with rations, the only commissary supplies received during the entire campaign.

I slept that night in the room that Johnston was said to have occupied the night before.

About four in the afternoon I sent for the corps commanders and directed the dispositions to be made of their troops.  Sherman was to remain in Jackson until he destroyed that place as a railroad centre, and manufacturing city of military supplies.  He did the work most effectually.  Sherman and I went together into a manufactory which had not ceased work on account of the battle nor for the entrance of Yankee troops.  Our presence did not seem to attract the attention of either the manager or the operatives, most of whom were girls.  We looked on for a while to see the tent cloth which they were making roll out of the looms, with “C.  S. A.”