NP, MAP 8/25/1863

From the Memphis Appeal
 
August 25, 1863
 
Grenada Captured -- Rolling Stock and Bridges Destroyed
From the Mississippian:
   Our telegraphic columns announce to the reader the ??? intelligence of the destruction of the two bridges over the Yallabusha, at Grenada, one leading to Memphis by the Mississippi & Tennessee railroad, and the other to Grand Junction by the {Mississippi} Central railroad.
   The rolling stock of these two roads, in connection with cars of the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern railroad, is also reported destroyed. This stock was very valuable, amounting to several millions of dollars.
   Six weeks was allowed, during the siege of Vicksburg, for the repair of the road at Jackson, and the time was frittered away by those whose duty it was to ??o dispatch in securing this rolling stock, and that vast amount of property is consequently destroyed. There were negroes enough in the vicinity of Jackson, who have since become Yankee "citizens of Vicksburg," to have accomplished successfully the repairs of the road, and secured the rolling stock; but we have never been able to learn whose duty it was to employ and direct this labor, nor why the matter was so shamefully neglected. The alignment of the road at Jackson could have been changed to Capitol street, and thence to Pearl street, and thence through the swamp in rear of Cheapside, following the road used by Johnston's army, and crossing Pearl river at the town ferry, thence south of the turnpike to the Curran place, making connection with the Southern railroad. All this distance does not exceed one and three-quarters miles, and does not involve the building of but one bridge, (over Town creek.)
   This road could have been built temporarily, with a little energy, and the stock now destroyed drown over it by mules, in two weeks' time. B?? the work of completing all the bridges destroyed by the enemy must be accomplished before a wheel could turn.

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