The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-06-18
Brig. Gen. a. P. Hovey's Report
BATTLE OF CHAMPION HILLS.
HEADQUARTERS l2rH DIVISION,
18th ARMY CoRPS,
a

colonel; - IN coInpnance Win 81
order from Major Gen. McClernsnd,
herewith send you j report Of the action
of my division, from the battle Of Porl
Gibson, on the lst inst, to the date ot
my arrival st the works before Ficks
burg, on the 10th inst
The night after the battle of Port Glib
son we slept upon the field; arrived in
the town and bivouaced on the second
day, and assisted in building bridge
over Bayou Pierre. We marched for
Willow Springs on the Sd, arriving there
the same evening. On the 9th, camped
at Rock Springs; on the 7th, at Big
Sandy, where we remained until the
10th, on which day we marched TO, and
eamped upon, Five-Mile Greek. On the
18th, we marched for Fourteen-Mile
Creek, on the Edwards Station road.
Here my division, being in front, en-
countered the enemy's pickets, who were
camped at Edwards Station in consid-
erable force We had marched from
four o'clock in the morning, over rug
ged country, with little or no water, and
our only hope was to force the enemy
back beyond Fonrteen-Mile Greek. A
sharp skirmish ensued, and we drove
the enemy back and camped on both
sides of this creek for the night. Our
men enjoyed both the skirmish and the
water
On the 18th I received orders to cover
the flank and rear of the 18th Army
Corps in its march on Jackson. The
enemy lay in strong force near the line
of our march, and there was danger of
an attack as we marched by the flank,
a short distance from their encampn eut
The 9th, 10th, and l4ih divisions of the
18th Army Corps had just passed; and
when in the act of moving my division,
my pickets were again attacked by what
seemed to be strong picket guard
ordered Col. Slack, commanding Cd
brigade, to bring back the 47th Indiana,
18th Iowa. and 56th Ohio, and force the
enemy back. Another brisk skirrnish
ensued, the enemy fleeing before the
2oth Iowa-the Doth Ohio and 41th In
diana being held in reserve, faced to the
fanks of the 2Sth Iowa, to meet any
emergency. In the meantime l had
ordered my division forward, so as not
to have my column delayed in its march
on jackson Our losses in these skir-
mishes were four slightly wounded. On
the same night we camped beyond Four
teen-Mile Greek, at Dillon's CROSSROADS,
on the field Of a conflict, d few DAYS pre-
vious, by forces under the command Of
Major Gen. Sherman
On the 18th we marched through Ray
mond, in severe storm, the roads In
places having to be drained, by the labor
of my pioneers, before our wagons could
pass, and encamped near creek about
four miles distant from Clinton. Learn
ing at Raymond that jackson had fallen,
and was in possession of our forces, our
direction was again changed towards
Vicksburg, and on the 18th we marched
to a point near Bottoms Station and en-
camped for the night
On the 10th my division moved in the
direction of Midway, or Champion Hill,
on the extreme right Of the corps-Gen.
Osterhaus's, Gen. Carr's, and Gen.
Smiths divisions moving in the same
direction on other roads, still farther to
the south and left, My route lay on the
Clinton and Vicksburg road: nearest to,
and on the south of, the railroad. Dur
ing the morning., had thrown forward
a part of my escort, under lst Lieut.
James L. Cary, Ist Indiana Cavalry, to
make reconnoissances in front of the
advance guard, and skirmishers of Gen.
McGinnis's brigade. On arriving near
Champion Hill, about ten o'clock A NJ,
he discovered the enemy posted on the
crest OF the hill, with battery of four
guns in the woods near the road, and on
the highest point for many miles around.
At this time, | was marching between
the lst and I'd brigades, so as to be
ready for an attack on either flank /
Immediately rode forward and ordered
Gen McGinnis to form his brigade in
advance and two in the reserve. Before
my air val Gen. McGinnis had formed
his three advanced regiments in line-of
battle, and had thrown out skirmishers
in the front and flank of his command
The I'd brigade, Col James r. Slack
commanding, was Immediately formed
on the left of the lst brigade, two regi-
ments in advance and two in reserve.
Skirmishers were at once sent forward,
covering my entire front, and had ad-
Sanced to within sight of the enemy's
battery. They were directed not to
bring on the action until we were en-
tirely ready. At this point / attempted
to communicate with Brig. Gen. Oster-
haus, but my messengers, not knowing
the country nor his exact locality, were
unable to find his division.
In the meantime Major. General Grant
arrived, and with him Maj Gen. McPher-
son, with his command Before pro-
ceeding further, it is necessary that the
Typography of the field should be de-
scribed
Midway or Champion Hill, is equi-dis-
tant from Jackson and Vicksburg, and is
near the Midway Station on the Vieks-
burg and Jackson Railroad. 1t is high
promontory, some sixty or seventy feet
above the common level of the country
and covered with woojs-the Vicksburg
and Clinton road leading over the crest
To the right and northeast of the hill
are nndulating fields and on the left
woody tangled ravine through which
troops might pass with great difficulty.