JACKSON, Siege of. The battle of Jack son (q.v.), 14 May 1863, was followed by the movement of General Johnston northwest, with Gregg's and Walker's brigades, to form a junc tion with Pemberton, who had been directed to join him; but early on the 19th he received word from Pemberton that he had decided to hold Vicksburg instead, upon which Johnston marched his troops to Canton. He was rein forced, and 29 June he marched west to operate in the rear of Grant, who was besieging Vicks burg. He was about to move on the morning of 5 July to the south of the Vicksburg and Jackson Railroad, when he heard that Vicks burg had fallen, whereupon he fell back to Jackson and occupied a line of works covering the town, with both flanks on Pearl River. General Sherman had been held in readiness to move back and drive the Confederates from the State, and when Vicksburg fell he moved promptly with his own corps and those of Gen eral Ord and Parke, crossed the Big Black at three different points, and by 11 July was close up to Johnston's works and shelling the city with nearly 100 guns. Ord's 13th corps was on the right, the 15th corps in the centre, and Parke's 9th corps on the left. On the 12th the fire uf the artillery was increased, reaching every 'part of the town, and 'Lauman's division of Ord's corps, moving in dense woods, too close to the Confederate works, was struck in flank and driven back in disorder, losing over 500 men killed, wounded and captured, to gether with the colors of three regiments. The
siege was prosecuted night and day, and on the morning of the 17th Jackson was found
aced, Johnston having retreated on the road to Brandon, and thence to Morton, where he ar rived on the 20th. Steele's division pursued Johnston as far as Brandon, 14 miles from Jackson ;.Sherman remained five days at Jack son, destroying much property of every descrip tion, and then returned to Vicksburg. The Union loss at Jackson, 11-16 July, was 129 killed, 762 wounded and 231 missing or cap tured. The Confederate loss, 5-25 July, was 71 killed, 504 wounded and 764 captured or missing. Consult