In consequence of this information, an immediate retreat
toward Jackson was ordered. The Thirtieth Georgia regi-
ment, under command of Col. Thomas W. Mangham, was
ordered to march in the rear and keep up stragglers and aid
the sick and disabled. These duties rendered a longi hot and
disagreeable march riiore onerous. We started just after
midnight on the 4th and marched twenty-four hours. There
was no rest except a stop ten minutes every hour. The day
was extremely warm and the sun shone brilliantly ; the roads
were dusty, and we had no water, which caused intense suf-
fering and great fatigue. The march on the sixth was a
repetition of the previous day, only we were not in the rear,
which was some relief. When we reached Clinton the good
citizens of that place manifested their patriotism by open-
ing their water cisterns to the thirsty ooldierri. Many of the
men drank too much water and suffered in consequence.
