without relieving you from duty of protecting the main depot for the supply of your army. You will endeavor to make the dispositions necessary to remove the inadequacy for defense of which you speak.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[23.]

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY,
July 22, 1863.

Colonel B. S. EWELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: Your communication* in reference to sending strong scouting parties in the direction of Canton is received, and will be attended to at once. It is now certain, from report of scouts and others, that the enemy commenced evacuating Jackson yesterday evening. I inclose herwith a report+ of Captain Cravens, commanding scouting party. Enemy have left Canton. I do not think they have any intention of using the Central Railroad. Prisoners taken to-day state that their army is going to Vicksburg, thence to Corinth to move down the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. I would state that I sent a party under a competent officer to-day to cross at Shallow Ford above Jackson, pass around the enemy, do them as much damage as possible, and return by Byram's Ferry, or cross the river below that point. I would pursue the enemy with my whole force, but my horses are not in condition, in view of the scarcity of forage on the other side of the river, to stand the trip.

Very respectfully, colonel, your obedient servant,

W. H. JACKSON,

Brigadier-General.

[24.]

HEADQUARTERS,
In the Field, July 22, 1863.

Colonel J. L. LOGAN,

Commanding, &c., near Monticello, Miss.:

COLONEL: You will remain in your present position or its vicinity for the present, unless compelled by absolute necessity to withdraw. Use every possible precaution to insure the safety of your command, and collect beeves, &c., from the surrounding country. The army will probably remain in the position in which it now is for some time.

Very respectfully,

By command, &c.:

BENJ. S. EWELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[26.]

OFFICE OF MISSISSIPPI CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY,

Grenada, July 23, 1863.

Honorable JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President Confederate States of America, Richmond:

DEAR SIR: I asked a few days since by telegraph if the public interest would be best subserved by the destruction of the equipments of this road, the New Orleans and Jackson, and the Mississippi and Tennesee roads. The present value of these equipments is not less than

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*See Ewell to Jackson, VOL. XXIV, Part III, p. 1021.

+Not found.

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