Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-27
The BaftIS Of RaymOnd-.nIarrh from Port
Gibson.

ne gave yesterday some Qetallb OF TIC
Of the battle of Port Gibson, the
hrst Of the series of five battles which
preceded the investment Of Vicksburg
in each Of which Grant was victorious.
We give below, from the correspondence of
the Cincinnati Commercial, more p~articu-
lars Of the second battle, which vas
fought at Raymond:
RAYMOND, Miss, May 18th, 1868.
My last letter was written from our
camp on Black River, Immediately after
the conclusion Of our pursuit Of Bowen
and his crowd Of fugitive rebels. The
pursuit was vigorously continued for two
days and a hall, but the enemy reaching
Big Black River before the arrival Of our
sdVancing-gusrd, we we're obliged to
abandon the undertaking. Since then
we have heard nothing Of Bowen or his
defeated command.
The abandonment Of the pursuit of
Bowen involved a change Of General
Grants programme. After 8 two days
bivouac, the army was again put in mo-
ton. The aim was to march on Jackson,
at the same time threatening several
points on the Jackson and Vicksburg
Railroad. A heavy force was marched in
the direction Of Edwards Station, the
most important point on the road, being
within a few miles of the crossing Of Big
Black. The Rebels have taken the pre-
caution to fortify this place, and are said
TO have an army Of 10000 men at it.
We left Big Black on the morning of
the 9Th, and marched to Rocky Springs
a distance Of seven miles on the road to
| jackson. From here General McClernand's
/ corps moved forward on the day oil the ar
/ rival of General McPherson's command
the 18th Corps. General Sher- ms corps
came up in cur e at this point. We
remained at Rocky Springs one day. The
three different army corps marched in diff
| ferent directions from this point or rather
on three different roads leading in the
same direction. It cannot be expected Of
an army correspondent to be omni-
present, and l can only speak in detail,
therefore of the doings Of the corps &C.
companied-the 18th, commanded by Ma
jor General Mcpherson. OF this COM
mand two divisions are on the march to-
ward Jackson-one under General Crock
er, and one under General John A. Logan.
1 can say of the movements Of the armies
Of Generals Sherman and McClernand
that they have accomplished no results Of
consequence, sinOe they left Rocky
Springs. We heard yesterday that Sehr-
man had been engaged in the vicinity Of
Edwards Station; but 1 can trace moth
ing more serious than a skirmish out Of it.
On the evening Of the 10th we arrived
at Utica, a town on the Jackson road, near
ly equi-distant from Jackson and Vicks-
burg. Our advance cavalry had a slight
skirmish with the Rebels at shis point.
The 9Th Missouri under Colonel Wright,
drove a force reported to be Writ Adams
regiment Of cavalry, after a very slight
engagement. The inhabitsntsiof the town,
or those of them that remained to witness
our arrival, were very uncommunieative,
and would give US no information as to
the strength or whereabouts Of the Rebel
forces. The following interrogatioAs, put
to one Of the oldest citizens of the place,
by one of our officers, and his reply to
them will illustrate this:
ado you live here?"
ayes, Sir"
show long have you lived here ?"
"Thirty years, I reckon"
chow many Rebels werei il this town ~
81 couldn't tell you, Sir-there was
right smart lot of EN-"
Where did they go from here2"
81 don'tknow, Sir"
(which direction did they take?"
al didn't notice which way they WENT
allow far is it to jackson ?"
"Don't know, SirI"
"HoW far is it to Vicksburg?"
"WeI, it's a right smart piece"
"Right smart hell. You have livedhere
thirty years, and don't know how far it is
to the nearest city. If you don't answer
my questions, I'll arrest you and put you
under guard"
This brought the old fellow to his senses
a little, and he answered every question
put to him afterwards, as to the distance
from point to point, the direction Rebels
had taken, and the number Of men engaged
against our cavalry.
The defiant spirit evinced by the citizens
Of Utica, caused General Grants Provost.
Marshal to arrest every one Of them and
exact from them 8 parole not to give in
formation to the enemy as to the strength
or efficiency of the Union troops that pass
ed through their town.
On the night Of the 10th, we camped a
few miles from Utica on the road leading
directly to jackson.
On the 18th we marched six miles only,
owing to 9 delay in the arrival of supplies
from Grand Gulf. At 81 o'clock, on the
morning of the 18th, we we're again on the
road. We knew there was a rebel cavalry
force ahead of us, but did not anticipate
such a bloody contest as closed with tkC
setting Of the sun.
1 will state the leading facts of the en-.
gsgement Of yesterday very briefly, tC
avail myself Of an opportunity to sendm ~
letter North by q special messenger this
morning.
The cavalry advance, consisting Of threl
companies-General McPherson's escor
under Captain Foster (the senior captain
commanding the adVance), General Lo
gan's escort under Captain Coutaling, anG
General Crockers escort under Captain
TOtten-left the infantry camp at about
o'clock in the morning, the county seat o
Kinds County, Miss, eleven miles ahead
Of us, and about Is miles from Jackson
When they had proceed about six miles
they came across the enemy's pickets
The rebel csvalrymen fell back, fighting
our skirmishers as they retreated. Captain
Foster followed them q distance Of twt
miles exchanging shots with them at shor
intervals.
Finally the rebels effected a hasty re
treat, thinking NJ doubt that our mel
would follow and attempt to capture them
in which event they would have succeeded
in turning the tables upon them, and lead
ing them into a trap which would havu
killed or taken prisoners every n o
them. At about seven o'clock Captain
Foster returned on the road and met Gen
erals Mcpherson and Logan advancing a
the head Of the infantry column. On hear
ing the news from the front General Nc