Caching in Jackson 4/10/2008

This morning we traveled into Jackson, MS to do some caching. Well believe me we did see any historic sites, except one, and we are probably lucky to come away with our lives as some of the locations we visited are some of the dirtiest neighborhoods we have yet to see. You talk about slums, these were the slumiest. We did start out with a very nice multi-cache in a local Clinton Park that had a least 20-25 soccer fields, 8 baseball fields and 6 softball fields which were the nicest best kept fields we have seen yet. By the looks of all the signs they had as you drove into the park the fields are a tell tale sign of their excellent baseball program. They had 11 State Champion signs ranging in age from 6 year olds to 13 year olds. They won championships in Dizzy Dean Baseball, Cal Ripken Baseball and United States Specialty Sports Association Baseball. They really must have quite a youth baseball program here in this small town of Clinton.
Next it was on into Jackson and 3 or 4 caches that were recommended that you do them during they day, and now we know why. The first was at a small park named Livingston Lake that the city of Jackson closed in the 1960's because of forced integration as they didn't want whites and blacks swimming in the same lake. Next it was a cache near the local airport in a tree where Mom stepped on a fire ant hill and had to quickly remove her shoes and socks. She got bit a couple of times and was lucky it wasn't more, boy those things are nasty. Next was a cache in a cemetery that was not well kept at all. These 3 caches were in the most awful neighborhood that had vacant houses, burned out houses, and wrecked houses of all kinds and some of the homes that were being lived in we wouldn't put a dog in them.
Then it was on to the complete opposite, Fondren, a fine dining and shopping area, then a cache in a small park, then a cache at Bailey Magnet School (a magnet school is a school which attracts a voluntary enrollment of students of all races and backgrounds by offering special curricular and instructional approaches not found in traditional neighborhood schools), next cache was at the headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America in Jackson, which by the way was our 1300 th find,and next were 2 caches in parking lot light poles.
Then it was on to Battleground Park where a Civil War action took place in Jackson on May 14, 1863 and July 9-17, 1863. The engagement at Raymond led Grant to change the direction of his army's march and move on Jackson, the state capital. It was Grant's intention to destroy Jackson as a rail and communications center and scatter any Confederate reinforcements which might be on the way to Vicksburg. McPherson's Corps moved north through Raymond to Clinton on May 13, while Major General William T. Sherman pushed northeast through Raymond to Mississippi Springs. To cover the march on Jackson, Major General John A. McClernand's Corps was placed in a defensive posture on a line from Raymond to Clinton. Late in the afternoon of May 13, as the Federals were poised to strike at Jackson, a train arrived in the capital city carrying Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston. Ordered to Jackson by President Jefferson Davis, Johnston was to salvage the rapidly deteriorating situation in Mississippi. Establishing his headquarters at the Bowman House, General Johnston was appraised of troop strength and the condition of the fortifications around Jackson. He immediately wired authorities in Richmond, "I am too late." Instead of fighting for Jackson, Johnston ordered the city evacuated. Gregg was ordered to fight a delaying action to cover the evacuation. A heavy rain fell during the night which turned the roads into mud. Advancing slowly through a torrential rain, the corps of Sherman and McPherson converged on Jackson by mid-morning of May 14. Around 9 o'clock, the lead elements of McPherson's corps were fired upon by Confederate artillery posted on the O. P. Wright farm. Quickly deploying his men into line of battle, the Union corps commander prepared to attack. Suddenly, the rain fell in sheets and threatened to ruin the ammunition of his men by soaking the powder in their cartridge-boxes. The attack was postponed until the rain stopped around 11:00 a.m. The Federals then advanced with bayonets fixed and banners unfurled. Clashing with the Confederates in a bitter hand-to-hand struggle, McPherson's men forced the Southerners back into the fortifications of Jackson. Sherman's corps meanwhile reached Lynch Creek southwest of Jackson at 11 o'clock and was immediately fired upon by Confederate artillery posted in the open fields north of the stream. Union cannon were hurried into position and in short order drove the Confederates back into the city's defenses. The stream was bank full and Sherman's men crossed on a narrow wooden bridge. Reforming their lines, the Federals advanced at 2:00 p.m. until they were stopped by canister fire. Not wishing to expose his men to the deadly fire, Sherman sent one regiment to the right (east) in search of a weak spot in the defense line. These men reached the works and found them deserted, only a handful of state troops and civilian volunteers were left to man the guns in Sherman's front. At 2:00 p.m., Gregg was notified that the army's supply train had left Jackson and decided to withdraw his command. The Confederates moved quickly to evacuate the city and were well out the Canton Road to the north when Union troops entered Jackson around 3 o'clock. The "Stars and Stripes" were unfurled atop the capitol by McPherson's men, symbolic of Union victory. Confederate casualties in the battle of Jackson were not accurately reported, but estimated at 845 killed, wounded, and missing. In addition, 17 artillery pieces were taken by the Federals. Union casualties totaled 300 men of whom 42 were killed, 251 wounded, and 7 missing. Not wishing to waste combat troops on occupation, Grant ordered Jackson neutralized militarily. The torch was applied to machine shops and factories, telegraph lines were cut, and railroad tracks destroyed. With Jackson neutralized and Johnston's force scattered to the winds, Grant turned his army west with confidence toward his objective--Vicksburg.
Next we were off to 3 caches located in small parks in Jackson all micros and nice caches. Then it was back to the RV and we had lunch. Mom did the logs and decided to wash some clothes and I finished the blog from yesterday by adding the rest of the pictures. It was time for dinner by then and we ate and Mom chatted with Judy as she just got back from a trip to China. I am doing today's blog and will be adding the pictures from the U S S Cairo today as we didn't have many from today. Well time to say until tomorrow and we love you all.


Picture list:1-U.S.S. Cairo museum, 2-Rear of the Cairo, 3-The Paddle Wheel, 4-The Rudders, 5,6-The Guns, 7-The Capstan, 8-The Boilers, 9-The Armor, 10-The Officer's Quarters, 11,12-The Bow, 13-The Chimneys, 14-The Paddle Wheel, 15-The Engines, 16-Our 1300th find, 18,19,20,21-Battleground Park, 22,23,24-Championship Baseball.