Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-28
| Battle Of Bakers Creek and Black River
BrldEe.


battles and victories, by publishing the
following details Of those at Bakers Greek
Tor Champion Hillsl and Black River
Bridge:
! CHAMPION HILLS, TwESTY-sIx MILEs East oTl
YIcKsBURG, Saturday, May l6.
Early this morning General McClern-
and's corps wal put in motion. Hovey's
division was on the main road from Jack
son to Vicksburg, but the balance Of the
corps was a few miles to the southwark, on
a parallel road, and McPherson's corps
followed Hovey's division closely.
At g o'clock Hovey discovered the enemy
in front on Champion Hill, to the left Of
the road, near Bakers Greek, apparently
in force. Skirmishers were thrown out
and the division advanced cautiously and
slowly to give MePherson's advance divi-
sion under Logan time to come within sup
porting distance. General Hovey's diVi-
sion advanced ACROSS the open field at the
foot Of Champion Hill, in line Of battle.
At II o'clock the battle commenced. The
hill itself was covered with timber, and is
in fact but an abrupt terminus Of q high
ridge running north and south, fsnked
I bsAL AAI9 " AEEP A0NAnG1 ~ bAAAAN1f eHA
in many places covered with an impene-
trabls growth Of scrubby white oak brush.
The rebels appeared deficient in artillery
throughout the battle, but opened with
rather q heavy fire from a four-gun bat
terry Of rihed 6-pounders, planted about
400 yards back from the brow Of the hill.
The woods on both sides ofthe road lead
idg up the face Of the hill, and winding
back on the ridge a mile or more, were
filled with sharpshooters, supported by in
fantry. Here the battle began, justas our
men entered the edge Of the timber, and
ragged terribly from IL till between 8 and
4 o'clock. General Hovey's division car
ried the heights in q gallant style, and,
making a dash on the first battery, drove
the gunners from their posts, and captured
the pieces. THE rebels lay thick in the
vicinity Of the guns. Their horses were
more than half killed. Gun carriages and
oaissons were broken, and knapsacks,
blankets, small arms and other debris, at
tested the deadly struggle. The colOrs Of
the Thirty-frst Alabama regiment we're
captured there. At this juncture Nit
chells Ohio battery was opened, at about
eighty yards from the brow Of the hill.
The rGels made q dash forit but the feet
ness Of the horses prevented its capture.
At the same time the rebels appeared with
fresh troops on that wing, and redoubled
their efforts to hold their position, and
dislodge u troops on the hill. HOEey was
slowly drived back to the brow; but a
brigade from General Quimby was ordered
10 his support, and the ground was speed
lily recovered, and the rebels finally re-
pulsed.
At the commencement Of the engage
ment General Logan's division marched
past the brow Of the hill, and forming in
line of battle on the right Of Hovey, ad-
vanced in grand style, sweeping every
thing before them. At the edge of the wood
in front of Logan the battle was most des-
perate. Not amsn 1inched or a line wav-
cred in this division. ALI behaved like
veterans, and moved to new positions with
a conscious tread Of victory. Two batter
les were captured by this division, and
enough bard fighting done to immOrtalize
it. They also captured a large portion os
prisoners, small arms, So.
Between three and four o'cloeL Gena-ol
0sterhaus' and General MekrfbDr5s AZ
visions oame int action en- tbea TtrsHo
left, and completed what had been = 49,
piciously carried forward. TAsv wsre
both miles away when the -asSsaemsnf
began, but were brought f2g1Ssrd with all
dispsteh possible. Tia enemy ~e-s IN
ful retreat soon after and three divisions
pursued till 9 o'clock and are noW en-
samped at Wards Station, eight miles be.
yond the battle ground.
FTomEebsl prisoners learn that Pember.
on commanded in person. Fitzhu0k lee
md Gregg, who commanded - .ho battIe
lear Raymond, aud =" -
uhordinata oa1@- -uner5 OF note nau
,rest dissSss lands. 1 also learn that
an ,sfaction exists toward Pember-
he Is accused by many Of selling out
20 Grant; also Of planning military ope-
rations for the last four weeks so as to IN
sure the latter's success.
It is impossible yet to do more than sp-
proximate our loss. 1 think it will be
about 1000 killed and wounded. 1t may
proye less, but it cannot be much more.
But few officers Of distinction are injured
The Twenty-fourth Indiana lost n hun
bred men. L~ieutensnt-C Colonel SwBin, com
handing, was killed. Not q General or
staff officer officer on our side was hurt.
This has been the hottestand most brilliant
fight in the Southwest for several months.
The men are enthusiastic whenever Gen.
eral Grant appears. His reckless expos
ure of himself on the field begets unbound
ed admiration among the privates.
WeIl-authenticated cases Of rebel bar
barity to our wounded men can be enume-
rated. Three different men, who were
shot down in the battle, were subsequent
sabred by the rebels when they tempo
rarily retook the ground. The men lived
to narrate the atrOcity, but will scarcely
recover.