The sun came up bright and warm this morning, which was a welcomed change. The road was still in terrible condition, but it followed close to the western bank of Lake St. Joseph for a long distance. It was a beautiful lake that used to be the bed of the Mississippi River. It was a pleasant distraction for the soldiers.
Along the lake they marched past many fine residences. One of the most prominent was a home owned by a Dr. Bowie. The grounds were beautiful, and the house was richly furnished. The walls were adorned with mirrors and engravings, while an expensive piano and a large library of choice books were seen in the front parlor. Unfortunately, this magnificent home was burned several weeks later by Union troops passing through the region.
The soldiers could see across the lake, where the eastern shore was thickly forested, with thick moss hanging from the branches. Many of the flowers, shrubs and trees were unfamiliar to the soldiers from the North. The area took on a tropical appearance to the soldiers, given the warm, balmy air filled with the fragrance of flowers. Birds were singing and everywhere they looked they saw Spring blooming.
The region was fairly isolated, and the low lands had to be protected from high river water by the levees. Given the season was noted for high water, the region was considered safe from invasion. But General Grant thought otherwise, and long columns of Northerners were making their way through the country.
In fact, the area was considered so impenetrable by the Confederates that General Pemberton believed the Union movement was not an invasion force, but only a feint, intended to be a diversion from a serious attack on Vicksburg from some other direction.
