Battle of Champion Hill

Dates:

May 16, 1863

Other Names:

Bakers Creek

Location:

Champion Hill, Mississippi

Key Individuals Involved in the Battle of Champion Hill:

Union: Major General Ulysses S. Grant
Confederate:lieutenant General John C. Pemberton

Outcome:

UnionVictory. 6,757 casualties of which 4,300 were Confederate soldiers.

Signficance:

With the Confederate troops retreating to Vicksburg, the Union had an opportunity. If they could catch up with the fleeing Confederates, they would destroy them.

Overview of the Battle :

Following the Union occupation of Jackson, Mississippi, both Confederate and Federal forces made plans. Gen. Joseph Johnston retreated up Canton Road, commanding Lt. Gen. John Pemberton with about 23,000 men to leave Edwards Station and attack the Federals at Clinton. Pemberton and his generals felt that this plan was dangerous and decided instead to attack the Union supply trains moving from Grand Gulf to Raymond. On May 16 Pemberton received another order from Johnston repeating his former directions. Pemberton had already started after the supply trains and was on the Raymond-Edwards Road with his rear at the crossroads one-third mile south of the crest of Champion Hill. When he ordered a countermarch, his rear, including his supply wagons, became the advance of his force. On May 16, 1863, about 7 am, the Union forces engaged the Confederates and the battle began. Pemberton’s force drew up into a defensive line along a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. He was unaware that a Union column was moving on Jackson Road against his unprotected left flank. For protection, he posted Brig. Gen. Stephen Lee's men atop Champion Hill to watch for the reported Union column moving to the crossroads. Lee spotted the Union troops who soon saw him. If not stopped, this force would cut them off from Vicksburg. Pemberton received warning and sent troops to his left flank. Union forces at the Champion House moved into action to place artillery and begin firing. When Grant arrived at Champion Hill, around 10 am, he ordered the attack. By 11:30 am, Union forces had reached the Confederate main line. About 1 pm, they took the crest while the Rebels retired in disorder. The Federals swept forward, capturing the crossroads and closing the Jackson Road escape route. One of Pemberton's divisions (Bowen’s) counterattacked, pushing the Federals back beyond the Champion Hill crest before their surge came to a halt. Grant then counterattacked, committing forces that had just arrived from Clinton. Pemberton could not stand up to this assault, so he ordered his men from the field to the one escape route still open: the Raymond Road crossing of Bakers Creek. Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman’s brigade formed the rearguard, and they held at all costs, including the loss of Tilghman. In the late afternoon, Union troops seized the Bakers Creek Bridge, and by midnight, they occupied Edwards. The Confederates were in full retreat towards Vicksburg.
Source: CWSAC Battle Summaries