We marched about
fifteen miles today and arrived at La Grange, three miles west of Grand
Junction. It is dry and very dusty. Sometimes the dust was so thick we could
not see the ground. That and the smoke and heat from the burning fences was
almost intolerable. We passed miles and miles of burnt and burning fences,
fired by troops in advance. Large and fine farms and plantations were laid
waste. We met fully forty teams of four and six mules each, loaded with wenches
and young woolly heads, and all their personal effects, and in fact all they
could smuggle from their masters. Ask them where they are going and they will
tell you, "You folks sent's to Bolivar, don't know where wes goin' from
thar." I blistered my feet badly on the march. We hear that Hollow Springs
is evacuated. We have very stringent orders in regard to stealing. Everything
has to be paid for by the division when it cannot be traced to the company,
regiment or brigade of the persons committing the theft. I hope they will be
enforced.
SOURCE: Seth James
Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the
Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After
the Surrender, p. 12
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