True Democrat., 1863-05-27
CAMP ON BIG BLACK, 10 MILES EAST OF VIcKsBURG,

mounted cavalry and st Missouri and 3d battalion Missouri dismouned cavalry ordered advance with part his command four miles Port Gibson on the Rod ny road to meet the enemy who had landed heavy force below a hre@esbnrg, and reported advancing upon Port Gibson. The 1st 3d Mo-. and the lst Ark dis mounted cavalry, the 20th Ark half of the 2lst Ark under LtCol. Mahey, On picket duty guarding the approaches to lower Big Black and ayou Pierre leaving Gen. Green with only small portion of his brigade half of the 2st the 18th and 10th battalien Ark harhooters the 9th Miss which had temporarily attached to the brigade and the Hudson battery commanded by Capt.. Hudson With hs force he advanced four in the drec ton of the enemy and took position Cnion Church on th- Rodney road throwing 10th battalion Arkansas arpshoofers & skirmshers half me picket guard still ln advance He formed his line of battle under the brow of hill adjacent tae sie and planted his a- tllery upon eminence commandinr th front Th l;r of battle being formed earyin night the roos were ordered to bvouae and await the approach of the AL CLOCK a. m the ire of the pckets the ar rival of the enemys advance guard The pckets having
 discharged their pieces fe back according to erers and the eaemy nothing dauned, continued his advance until the
 oth battalion Aakansas sharpshooers commanded by Capt. bayne III the absence of Maj Rapey was in Arkansas on detached service greeted his arrival with shower of balls from his line of we'll directed musketry and still they miserS were compelled by overpowerng numbers to fall M oeoA uoa our me oI Datie contesng however every foot of ground as they stuDborny retired. The enemy in the mean time threw forward battery of light artillery and his advance until the Hudson battery extended to nm hearty greeting When he threw his artillery into position and opened upon lines apparently drecn his re upon the Hudson battery which he vainy aenlpf ed to silence It was past o'clock The clear full moon had iumned both the heavens and the earth with her syery shtunt the elements appeared bright at noonday. All nature it seemed was hnsbed and r posing m silence the fierce and anv batteries hurng at each other the missiles destruction and dat
 in well dispued for the mastery of inc field which
 ie" snort hours afterwards had been consecrated by the warm heasblood of valiant sodiery to the yalo and he ! rosm of tho Confederate soldier.
 The dueo fierce and raDid and SD continued r;trt or cessation Tor more than hour when enemy perceivng his inability hold an equal hand witn the eAperenced and veteran gunners the Hudson battery brought battery of heavy rfled guns and opened with rage and nry very clearly indicating his dscomhture Another hour had passed and with the same result our battery still maintaning it's postonan exhh iting prowess in hurng defiance at it's antaoons The moon had now set, the withdrew and the field was ours put piuence prevented any advance of our lines
 short hour had passed silence and it was aca dvlcbt Or csues wore ten or fifteen slightly wounded and one battery horse kled The injury inflicted upon the enemy was unknown The enenys skirm .hers and harDshoers were now ysahe deployed the field front and his long hfes ol lfantry In the rear The had risen and we were awaiting an attack. Tine soon his lnes The sArpshooters already in their work ot death The artillery opens. Gen Tracy a mile on the right, who had takon position duhg the nrbt with his brigade of Aiabamans is ready has sent one reg men over to reinforce Gen. Green It and taken position on the right of brigade lines The Jeff com posed o the 2st 10th and 10th battalion Arkansas infantry is sh rfy engaged at short range.
 The entire length Of lines are now botIv enoaoed Wne the Delchng thunder of the artillery shakes the very eartn beneath Both our artillery and musketry making fearful havoc in the ranks the enemy while our nes are protected under the brow of the hill with eep ryne in rear For four long hours the rages with fury ana desperation unsurpassed by any bloody field of srfe The ranks o the enemy literally moved down by our muskery while the artillery cuts them down by scoes
 The different charges of the enemy were as many times re-. pulsed by the veteran Arkanians occupied the left a though their weak lines were asaed fu regiments and tho dead wounded and mangled invader and it was not un the m charge of the enemy when lines were ordered o fall
 oack that they surrendered their position and up which time our loss had been almost nominal But in falling hack our lines were much exposed they suffered terribly The right of our brigade lines composed of 9th Missouri
 nm Aiaoala, lought noby, but having better protected grounds to fall back upon did so badly as the left The gallant Tracy fell early in the engagement but his gal
 ant brigade of brave Alabamans said to have fu
 With daring and characteristic of the troops of that noble State His brigade suffered seriously After having fallen back about m we were hv Row | brgad9S. he bainr in h., suit, they unexpectedly these veterans who notb standing they had double quicked it that warm day for miles made ter hated foe reco under the and fierce fire oI their nes and compelled to give back and es tblsh their lines in the rear of those occupied by in their pursuit. And lines continued drive them until late in the aernoon when they strongly reinforced that our weary and exhausted troops were unable to dis looge he and at sun set qnetly returned from field and moved beyond Bayou Pierre without pursuit or moe taton It is evident that although outnumbered us at least live to one, he had done full days and was un Wiling 10 undertake any further labors for that ceedlng day. He will doubtless proclaim the victory fu and complete notwithstanding when withdrew from the
 e ne dared not follow rod and permitted remain on his front for thirtsx hours afterwards without threat enlng us even with another battle, when withdrew from before m and retreated to the north bank Black and have since rested in quiet This did with force not exceeding from five to thousand against enemy who was fighting with divisions or thirtysix reg mens stated by prisoners with reserve force of equal strength at his command.
 This the character the fighting of the north western troops whom generally esteem good fghteys. With me is and has been doubt whether the genuine blue oy not the superior soldier of the The fights | gous duty. The other impelled as machine by the New Eng anderand fitting subjects for hewers wood and drawers of superior Yankee mas ter.
 Our casualties will probably aggregate in killed wounded and mssng thousand which evidences the Character of the engagement True in the eyac- uatlon of Grand Gulf which stragetic importance and was fortified alone with the view of protecting the mouth ot Big Black which is longer gabIetbe season Oelng closed the destruction of guns small
 quantity o ordnance and cOmmssary sores four pieces of artillery and four ordnance lost the field The loss of the enemy ln killed and wounded is unknownit is certain that was very perhaps CT than our own Two days after the battle back apove Bg Black, and are awaiting and momentarily expecting the attack the of the devoted but proud and dehan city o Vcksburg His force is large varously estimated at from SO0O0 to 100000 and necessity in pei him to attack ingorous retreat He cannot remain where he is in nglorous inactivity his com mssary boats sunk by our rowning batteries at Vicksburg fast they attempt descend the river We think perpared for the attack both avh men and All praise due to the officers and men engaged in the recent battle. Col Cravens 2st Co Rev. holds Of the 15th and Capt Bayne commanding the 10th battalion sharpshooters we'll all field and line of fcer acted with great and self possession enear ing themselves to their commands The list the killed and wounded of Arkansas believed correct though not official 1t will be that the Arkansas troops su ered severely But the loving and afflicted at home while amentng the loss of these brave defenders of their country may congratulate themselves that they without exception and that although the wounded such as could not be moved away left Gibson and fell into the hands of the the ladies have charge of hem who mothers sisters to the sick and wounded soldiers God bless the ladies of Port Gibson.