Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 105

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020

USA > Mississippi > Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II > Part 105

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talion (Martin's), 15th regiment, Lieut .- Col. J. R. Binford, and Hudson's battery, Lieut. J. R. Sweany (the latter was in the siege of Vicksburg) ; also Buford's brigade, mainly Alabamians and Kentuckians. Later in April Gregg's brigade followed-mainly Tennesseans.

After Admiral Porter first ran the batteries with part of his fleet, April 16, Pemberton sent the 6th Mississippi, Martin's bat- talion, and Sweany's battery from Jackson, and Green's brigade from Vicksburg to support Bowen's brigade at Grand Gulf. With the Confederate commander of the department menaced by move- ments north, south and west, from Port Hudson to Corinth and Memphis, Grant landed 20,000 men at Bruinsburg. Bowen at Grand Gulf had been bombarded by the fleet, with a show of land- ing troops north of him as well as south. He provided for possi- bilities as best he could, and had posted Lowry's regiment on the roads from Bruinsburg, to Grand Gulf, and Green's brigade on the Bayou Pierre road. Reinforced at the last moment by Tracy's and Baldwin's brigades, which came up jaded by a long march, Bowen had 5,164 men and 13 guns. Grant's advance, under Mc- Clernand, pushed on in the night, and at 1 a. m., May 1st, near Port Gibson, was repulsed by Green, but the latter was soon flanked and compelled to retreat. Lowry made a brave stand, in- cluding a gallant charge upon a Federal battery. Tracy and Bald- win came up and formed lines to which the Confederates withdrew. The Third and Fifth Missouri, by a desperate fight for the Nat- chez road, saved Bowen's entire command from being surrounded. It was a very bold defense and well carried out, in Grant's judg- ment, and held the Federals in check until evening. Besides the Sixth, the Fourth regiment was actively engaged. Bowen's com- mand lost 60 killed, among them Gen. E. D. Tracy, 340 wounded and 387 captured. The Federal loss was 131 killed, 719 wounded and 25 captured. This was called the battle of Port Gibson, and ended in the Confederates taking a position back of Bayou Pierre and burning the bridges.

Generals Pemberton and Tilghman arrived the following night and decided that the position could not be held. Bowen was or- dered to evacuate Grand Gulf and fall back across the Big Black river at Hankinson's Ferry. McPherson's corps followed, and was stoutly resisted on the way, but encamped at the ferry May 3. Grant had, at his first blow, unexpected by Pemberton, skilfully begun the isolation of Vicksburg from Jackson, the great railroad and manufacturing center, base of supplies and gate for reinforce- ments. He immediately occupied points along the Big Black, made Grand Gulf his base of supply, abandoned an idea he had entertained of first marching to unite with Banks from New Or- leans against Port Hudson, and brought part of Sherman's corps down from opposite Vicksburg, increasing his movable army in Mississippi to 33,000, and leaving a force opposite Vicksburg and in the delta sufficient to continually menace the Confederate posi- tion on the Yazoo, and compelling Pemberton to keep about 7,000

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men constantly at Vicksburg, Warranton, and Snyder's bluff. Un- der the impression that Grant would try to cross the Big Black first, and besiege Vicksburg, Pemberton ordered Loring's division from Yazoo City and Jackson to Vicksburg, called back the bri- gades he had ordered to Tennessee, and ordered Gardner at Port Hudson to send 5,000 men to Jackson. Gardner could not do this. as he was soon besieged by Banks. Pemberton was confirmed in his understanding of the situation by a telegram from President Davis, telling him "to hold Vicksburg at all hazards, and if be- sieged he would be relieved." The advice of Gen. Johnston, on the other hand, was to risk the loss of Vicksburg rather than to permit himself to be besieged and cut off from reinforcements. Pemberton believed that so long as he held the Big Black. Grant would not move to Jackson for fear of being cut off from his base of supplies. Consequently he massed his troops along the Big Black, mainly at the Jackson railroad bridge, expecting to give battle near Edwards. But Grant defeated all surmises by cutting loose from his base of supplies, and marching on Jackson with three days' rations of hardtack, coffee and salt, otherwise subsist- ing his army of 33,000 from the country. He found an abundance of beef, mutton and poultry, quite a quantity of molasses and bacon, and all the plantation mills were kept running day and night within reach of his columns, grinding grain for his army.

Pemberton was confirmed in his expectation of a battle at Ed- wards by the advance in that direction of McClernand's corps. On the 11th Tilghman was skirmishing with a Federal column at Baldwin's Ferry, and Pemberton ordered Gen. W. H. T. Walker, who had just brought his brigade and Colquitt's from South Caro- lina to Jackson, to join Gregg and march to attack the Federal army in the rear during the anticipated battle at Edwards. But while the McClernand movement caused this disposition of Pem- berton's troops, Sherman's corps was marching to Clinton and McPherson's to Raymond. Gregg, starting out to obey Pember- ton's order, was informed by his cavalry pickets, when he reached Raymond, that a Federal column was approaching, but he inferred. from Pemberton's order, that it could not be a large force. At 10 o'clock, May 12, artillery opened fire on his picket line, and he moved forward, disposing his brigade to flank and capture the enemy. But his men soon discovered that they were attacking overwhelming numbers. Yet for three hours they made a stub- born fight against John A. Logan's division, supported by part of the remainder of McPherson's corps, after which Gregg withdrew through Raymond. The Confederate loss in this battle of Ray- mond was 43 killed, 251 wounded and 190 missing, including a number of gallant officers. McPherson's loss was 66 killed, 339 wounded and 37 captured.

In the evening of that day Gen. J. E. Johnston arrived at Jack- son and assumed chief command in the State. He heard not only of the battle of Raymond, but that Sherman was at Clinton, and he sent an order to Pemberton to move against Sherman with all

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his strength and as quickly as possible. Pemberton was disin- clined to separate himself from Vicksburg so far. In a council of war the majority of his generals favored Johnston's plan, but Pem- berton decided to advance with 16,000 men from Edwards toward Raymond, stating as his object "to cut the enemy's communica- tion and force him to attack me, as I do not consider my force suf- ficient to justify an attack on the enemy in position or to attempt to cut my way to Jackson. (Letter to Johnston.) But he did not move from Edwards until the 15th.

Meanwhile Grant had adroitly drawn McClernand from Pem- berton's front toward Raymond, and Sherman marched on Jack- son by the Clinton road and McPherson by the Raymond road. May 14, Gregg resisted the advance on the Clinton road and Col- quitt and Walker on the Raymond road, until Jackson could be evacuated. There was stubborn fighting along the line of advance of the two columns until 2 o'clock p. m., when, Gen. John Adams having got away the trains with stores that could be hurriedly moved, the Confederate force defending Jackson, about 6,000 strong, withdrew a few miles toward Canton. In this battle of Jackson, the Confederate loss was 17 killed, 64 wounded, 118 miss- ing ; the Federal loss 42 killed, 241 wounded, 7 missing. The State capital was occupied by Grant that evening. He had been rein- forced by Blair's division, and now had 43,000 men in the field. Johnston's order to Pemberton, above mentioned, was sent in triplicate, and one copy was brought by its carrier to Grant, who was thus informed of Johnston's desire to have Pemberton unite with him. It was, however, obvious that such should be John- ston's desire, and Grant's rapid movements had all been calculated to draw Pemberton out and attack him before he could unite with Johnston. Next day, leaving Sherman to destroy the remaining stores and railroad and manufacturing property, he started Mc- Pherson back to Bolton to prevent a union of Pemberton and Johnston, and ordered McClernand to join him.

Pemberton started out from Edwards toward Raymond on the morning of the 15th with about 17,500 men. Featherston's Mis- sissippi brigade and Buford's in the lead. Heavy rains delayed Pemberton or he would have got in a position in which he would not only have been cut off from Johnston, but from Vicksburg. High water compelled the troops to take the Clinton road across Baker's creek, and then, at Champion's hill, to cross back to the direct Raymond road. The advance had reached the latter road when night came on, and the troops went into bivouac. At the same time Grant had seven divisions, marching on three converg- ing roads towards Edward, and directly toward Pemberton's posi- tion. Hovey was at Bolton, with Logan and Crocker near at hand; Smith and Blair were approaching Loring's position on the main Raymond road, and Osterhouse and Carr were coming up on a road between them. On the morning of the 16th Pemberton received an order from Johnston that finally induced him to aban- don his march toward Raymond and order his men back north of

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the railroad toward Brownsville, to unite with the forces from Jackson. But hardly had he given this order when he was aware of the presence of Grant's army by the opening of artillery fire on the main Raymond road. He ordered his wagon trains back and formed a line of battle on the cross-road, at right angles to the two Raymond roads, on which the skirmish line of four Federal divi- sions were appearing. Stevenson's division was on the left, toward Bolton, Loring on the right, and Bowen between them. Stephen D. Lee's brigade was on the extreme left, where the Bolton road came in, on which three Federal divisions were approaching. It soon became apparent that the real battle was to be where Lee was stationed. Pemberton was forced to change his line of battle to face toward Bolton, whence he was assailed by the divisions of Hovey, Logan and Croker. He "found himself, with a force out- numbering him in his front, compelled to change his line of battle at right angles to meet the movement on his left of another force, also outnumbering his entire force." (S. D. Lee.) He had in all 15,000 with which to make battle, after sending Reynolds' brigade back with his wagon trains. But the battle on the left was fought by Stevenson's division, unsupported by Bowen until late in the evening, and with no help from Loring except that four Federal divisions lay inactive before him. The battle against Stevenson was fought by Hovey, Logan and Crocker, who had 15,000 to put in the field, according to Grant. They were pushing forward toward Edwards, which would have cut off Pemberton from both Vicksburg and Johnston. Before noon part of McPherson's corps had turned Lee's left and was practically between him and the bridge over Baker's creek. The battle opened in greatest fury against Lee's Alabama and Cumming's Georgia brigade at noon. The carrying of the high point of the hill by McGinnis' Indiana brigade, and the forcing back of Lee and Cumming, occupied most of two hours, "and was marked by the most desperate fighting on both sides, ground being taken and retaken several times." (S. D. Lee.) Waddell's battery, which had done splendid service, was captured by an Iowa regiment at 1:30. Barton's brigade attempted to form on Lee's left and was driven across Baker's creek to the rear. Then came up Bowen's little division of about 3,500 Mis- sourians and Arkansans, and made their famous charge against Hovey's division at 2:30 p. m. This fight lasted about two hours, and though two other brigades got in Bowen's way, "the Union troops were driven over a mile and beyond the crest of the hill originally held by the Confederate troops. The Union troops made a desperate stand on the slope of the hills toward Cham- pion's house, and sixteen guns were put in battery so as to enfilade Bowen's line." Then about 3:30 o'clock, two Federal divisions from one of the Raymond roads began to move down upon the field. Bowen and Stevenson were forced to retreat across Baker's Creek. Featherston's Mississippi brigade, with the artillery under Col. Withers, then came to the rescue and held the ford, supported by the rest of Loring's division, until Stevenson could cross. Lor-

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ing was cut off. Under cover of darkness his division marched around west and south of Grant's army to Crystal Springs, and finally joined Gen. Johnston.

In the defense of the ford Gen. Tilghman, a gallant Marylander, was killed. Fighting with Stevenson's division, Maj. Joseph W. Anderson, chief of his artillery, was killed. The gallant Capt. Samuel J. Ridley, of Withers' artillery, fought his guns until he fell, pierced with six shots. A section of his battery, under Lieut. Frank Johnston, did effective service, until all the horses were killed and the guns had to be abandoned. Cowan's battery also lost their guns. Stevenson's division lost 233 killed, 527 wounded, 2.103 captured; also 11 cannon and 2.834 small arms. Bowen's division lost 65 killed, 293 wounded, 242 missing, and saved its artillery. Loring's division, only slightly engaged, lost 16 killed. 61 wounded, 43 captured. The total Confederate loss was 324 killed, 3,269 wounded and captured, besides artillery and small arms; the Federal loss was 410 killed, 1,844 wounded, 187 missing. This battle of Baker's Creek, or Champion's Hill, May 16, 1863, was the decisive event of the campaign. Pemberton withdrew most of the remainder of his army across the Big Black, but tried to hold the tete-du-pont, of fortifications protecting the bridge, until he could hear from Loring, whom he expected to rejoin him. Vaughn's brigade and the remnant of Bowen's division were left in these works, but Bowen was exposed by a panic in Vaughn's command. "The Confederate troops were very much demoralized, and soon broke in their efforts to cross the bridge." (S. D. Lee.) In this affair at the Big Black bridge, May 17, the Federals lost 276 killed and wounded, and captured 18 guns and 1,751 prisoners. Pemberton concentrated all his remaining forces in the intrenched line around Vicksburg, abandoning Warrenton, Snyder's mill and the Chickasaw bayou line. See Vicksburg, Siege of.

The returns of March 31 showed at Vicksburg, Jackson, and points of support, an "aggregate present" of 41,107, of which there were 30,000 "present for duty." At Port Hudson, also under the command of Gen. Pemberton, from which he could draw at will, were 16,277 "present for duty." Three brigades of these were brought up to Jackson before the campaign began, and two small Georgia brigades arrived there from the east before Grant reached Jackson. A part of the force collected at Jackson was sent to Grand Gulf, 400 were killed and captured before Jackson, and 235 were wounded, after which Johnston estimated he had 6,000 in the field. In the main part of the army, collected about Vicksburg and along the Big Black, 5,147 were reported killed and captured in the campaign, and 1,221 wounded, and Loring's division, 7,000 present for duty, was cut off at Baker's Creek. After these losses, Pemberton was able to put in the trenches on the land side of Vicksburg, and in a supporting column, 18,500, besides the men in the long line of river batteries. An estimate on the basis of these figures, would indicate 40,000 effective troops on the Vicks- burg and Jackson line to begin with, and the number of these that

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could be put in a compact and movable force with which to meet Grant in the open depended upon the vigor and daring of Pember- ton. These troops were nearly all veterans of the armies of Ten- nessee and Virginia and the West ; as good fighters as there were on earth. It would appear then, that though the Confederate government could not put at Vicksburg and Jackson a force equal to all the troops in Grant's department, it did provide an effective force to meet such a movable column as Grant could put in south- ern Mississippi and subsist. At the same time all that could be done to divert the Federal strength from Mississippi was being done by the armies of Lee and Bragg. The left flank of the battle line, of which Vicksburg was the center, was in Louisiana, and the right flank was in Virginia. In his able description of the cam- paign (Miss. Hist. Publ., vol 3) Gen. S. D. Lee writes: "When we consider the odds during the campaign in favor of the Federal army the result could not well have been other than it was. It must be considered, however, that the campaign of Gen- eral Grant from the time he conceived it, was bold and masterly and has but few equals in this or any other war. It is true he had great odds and resources, but he used them as only a great gen- eral could have used them."

Vicksburg, First Defense. When Gen. Martin L. Smith was as- signed to command at Vicksburg, May 12, 1862, three batteries had been completed, by Col. J. L. Autry, commandant, and Chief Engineer D. B. Harris. The United States fleets were then ap- proaching the city. On the South they were at Natchez, and nothing to prevent their advance. On the north they had yet to overcome the resistance of Fort Pillow, from which little was ex- pected. The work was pushed feverishly, and six batteries were ready when the first division of the Federal fleet arrived, May 18. The only troops at hand were parts of two Louisiana regiments. Commodore Lee demanded the surrender of the town and its defenses, to which Mayor Lindsay, Col. Autry and Gen. Smith each sent an answer of refusal and defiance. The citizens "had with great unanimity made up their minds that its possession ought to be maintained at all hazards, even though total demoli- tion should be the result," said Smith. On his advice, many left the town when the smoke of the approaching fleet was first seen, but others remained to take their chances, a few of whom remained during the whole bombardment. Lee gave notice on the 21st that women and children should be removed, as he could not attack with- out injury to the town. He waited until the 26th before opening fire. Meanwhile, more warships had come up, in all nine ocean vessels, under Admiral Farragut, and transports carrying 3,000 troops, under Gen. T. H. Williams. Smith had been reinforced by two Louisiana regiments, five companies of Starke's cavalry, Ridley's battery, and four companies of Balfour's battalion, which were stationed at Warrenton to resist land attack. Two more Louisiana regiments arrived later. From May 26 until the middle of June the bombardment from the boats was kept up at intervals, some-

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times quite heavily. June 14 to 18 there was a lull, after which 18 mortar boats, brought up from New Orleans, joined in the at- tack. Meanwhile, Fort Pillow fell, the little Confederate fleet at Memphis was destroyed, and a fleet of 40 vessels came down from . Memphis, under Flag-Officer Davis. The bombardment was quite heavy, often lasting late into the night, June 20-27. Gen. Earl VanDorn, who had been assigned to command of the river district. arrived June 28. and with him the advance of Breckin- ridge's division. Guns were brought up from Mobile, Richmond and Columbus, and put in the batteries which then mounted 29 heavy guns. When VanDorn had brought all his troops, the Mis- sissippi commands at and around Vicksburg were, in Statham's brigade, the 15th and 22d regiments : the 6th regiment and 2d bat- talion. in Bowen's brigade; the 3d and 31st regiments, Balfour's battalion, Wither's regiment of artillery, Starke's cavalry regiment, Company I, 39th regiment. With them were troops from Ken- tucky. Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri- not a large army in all, but ample, as the Federals did not attempt an attack by land.

The bombardment of June 28 was furious, 35 gunboats moving up in front of the city and directing their fire on the batteries, while the mortars, from a distance, were dropping shells in the batteries and streets. The batteries replied, and the roar of can- non was deafening. Amid the crash of falling houses, the remain- ing inhabitants began a hasty flight to the country. Among these, Mrs. Gamble, who had been a devoted worker in the hospitals, was killed by a fragment of shell. The bombardment made no impression on the batteries. Not a gun was disabled and few sol- diers or citizens were killed. It was evident that Vicksburg could not be reduced except by a campaign by land. But it was also proved during this engagement, that the boats could run past the batteries without serious loss. Farragut took position behind the neck of land opposite Vicksburg, with nine of his ships, and under his protection the infantry command of Gen. Williams was landed there, on Louisiana soil. They began the digging of a canal across the neck, but never succeeded in making it a complete success. The bombardment went on, but with less vigor. Those of the inhabitants remaining became accustomed to life in caves dug in the upper bluffs, and as the firing was not continuous, it was pos- sible to carry on business to some extent. About the middle of July occurred the famous battle of the Confederate ironclad, Ar- kansas (q. v.). The bombardment ceased July 27 and both fleets withdrew. During 67 days they had thrown 20,000 to 25,000 shot and shell into the town and the batteries, yet the casualties in the batteries were only 7 killed and 15 wounded, and in the town 2 killed. Two Confederate guns were temporarily disabled. (Conf. Military History, Vol. VII.)

Vicksburg Harbor. "On April 27. 1876, the river broke through a long peninsula jutting out from the Louisiana shore in front of Vicksburg. This cut off changed the channel, and its damaging

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effects may be traced for two hundred miles. The harbor of Vicks- burg, once the finest on the river, began at once to silt up, and the changes were so rapid and alarming that a board of engineer offi- cers was convened, who recommended revetments and dikes, fol- lowed by dredging out of the harbor, and, if these prove insuffi- ficient, that the Yazoo river be diverted, to assist in keeping open the lake that is forming. Congress has already expended $229,000 on these works; but before they had progressed sufficiently to arrest the filling process, the lower part of the harbor received so much deposit that it goes dry at twenty feet above low water. Though the upper end is still open, the channel is so circuitous that at low stage the wharf boats are moved down below the bar two miles from the old landing. The dredging and revetment now needed will cost $436,000." (Annual Cyclopedia, 1881.)

An act of congress, 1890, provided for another survey of the sit- uation, resulting in approval of the project to bring the Yazoo river by way of Old river through "Lake Centennial" down by the old river front of Vicksburg, and work was begun on this canal in 1894. In 1895 the amount that had been appropriated for survey, etc., was $345,000, and the estimate to complete the canal by 1898 was $905,000. The canal was completed January 28, 1903.

Vicksburg Hospital. The Freedmen's Bureau turned over to the State during the provisional administration of Gen. Ames, the Marine hospital at Vicksburg, with its building (originally a resi- dence) and seven acres of ground, and this was used as a State asylum, to accommodate the incurable from the Lunatic asylum, and some destitute, disabled and blind. Gen. Swift was in charge. In 1870 Governor Alcorn said the property could be purchased from the United States government at the price fixed, $20,000, or might be obtained as a free gift. It had been maintained at the expense of the United States. The Vicksburg hospital was made a State institution by act of legislature, March, 1871, an appropria- tion of $25,000 made, and Dr. John R. Hicks appointed as super- intendent. In nine months, 1,723 patients were treated.

As described in "Picturesque Vicksburg," 1895, the hospital had an annual endowment of $10,000 from the city, county and State, besides aid from the U. S. Marine hospital ; and was supplied with a capable staff of physicians and surgeons, headed by Chief Sur- geon S. D. Robbins and his assistant, Dr. John H. Purnell. The hospital is a handsome brick building with spacious and elevated grounds. It now has the title of the State Charity Hospital and is supported by annual appropriations of the legislature, aggregat- ing in the years 1904-5, $35,000.

Vicksburg Riots, 1874. The white citizens of Warren county, early in 1874, formed a taxpayers' league to redeem the city from corrupt negro government. There were then only three white offi- cers in the county. In 1869 the city and county debt together had amounted to $13,000; in 1874 the city debt was $1,400,000. The county tax rate was 14 mills on the dollar, and the municipal rate 211% mills, in addition to the State and school rate of 14 mills,

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Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 105

Author: Dunbar Rowland Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020