Battle of Chickasaw Bayou

Dates:

December 26-29, 1862

Other Names:

Chickasaw Bluffs, Walnut Hills

Location:

Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi

Key Individuals Involved in the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou:

Union: Major General William T. Sherman
Confederate: Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton

Outcome:

Confederate Victory. 1,983 casualties of which 1,776 were Union soldiers.

Overview of the Battle :

On December 26, 1862, three Union divisions, under Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, disembarked at Johnson's Plantation on the Yazoo River to approach the Vicksburg defenses from the northeast while a fourth landed farther upstream on the 27th. On the 27th, the Federals pushed their lines forward through the swamps toward Walnut Hills, which were strongly defended. On the 28th, several futile attempts were made to get around these defenses. On December 29, Sherman ordered a frontal assault which was repulsed with heavy casualties. Sherman then withdrew. This Confederate victory frustrated Grant's attempts to take Vicksburg by direct approach.
Source: CWSAC Battle Summaries