The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-03-17


succeeded in the night in landing large
] force, near Port Gibson, which were met by
a small force Rnder Brigadier General Bow
en-, amounting to less than five thousand
men. Immediately upon disembarking his
troops, Gen Grant pushed forward his col
umns after night and soon encountered the
advanced guard of Confederates, about 800
men, deployed as sRirmishers in front of
Bowen's line of battle. Neither party at
first seemed to know the relative strength
and position of his opponent Desperate
efforts were made TO break our line of skir-
mishers, but In these brave Missourians they
met foe not easily frightened or routed
Bravely they contested every inch Of ground
for eight hours, until I o'clock the next
morning, when the main battle commenced.
Ib-is not our province to enter into a minute
account of this battle, and only mention it
ia this connection, because. of its. bearing
upon subsequent events directly leading to
the siege Of Yicksburg. Suffice it here to
state that the battle. of Port Gibson was
fought on the 1st Of May, 1868, between
about, 5000 Confederates and 10000 Federal
troops, as was reported at the time. With
such disparity of numbers, It is only won
derful that the whole Of our little army was
not captured. Not so, however, for they
held their ground throughout the whole day,
and drew off at night in perfect order, AT
ter burning. the bridges over Bayou Pierre,
so as to. protect his retreat, General Bowen,
with MS division, moved rapidly north to
Grand Gulf, and having previously deter,
mined to evacuate that place, the guns were
destroyed, what provisions were unncecs-
sary, he ordered to be burned, and thus sue
cessfully accomplished his retreat beyond
the Big Black river without molestation.
Then came q resting spell for two weeks,
during which time he employed his troops
! in constructing fortifcation on the Big
! Black river, at a point where the Jackson
and Vicksburg Railroad crosses that stream.
! This fortiication deserves particular notice.
being the scene of a subsequent battle and
disaster to the Confederate arms, which lead
/ Immediately to an attack upon Vicksburg in
the rear of the city During this short
lapse of time the FederaIs were not idle, but
moved slowly toward our lines, It must be
confessed that IN this maneuvring General
Grant displayed much military tact and
! strategy Directing his movements toward
jackson, the capital Of Mississippi, he so
threatened that place as to cause its tempo
rary evacuation by the Confederates, and al
lure the forces in and around Yicksburg to
dispute his march. In this he succeeded,
for following up the line of their retreat he
] approached the railroad between these two
places, at a point near Edwards Depot II
miles from Vicksburg thus threatening to
cut off the principal line of communication
and supplies to the Confederate army. This
required prompt measures to intercept his
army One division of Federals, under
General Osterhaus, encamped about five
miles from this depot, for several days while
another, and probably the larger portion Of
the army, moved rapidly toward Jackson,
encountering a small force Of Confederate
troops at Raymond. On the night Of the
10Th of May, the troops at Big Black bridge
and Vieksburg were marched forth to in
tereept and attack Osterhaus. Positions
were selected and line Of battle established
preparatory to the attack near Edwards
Depot. This position was maintained for
two days on account of heavy rains which.
prevented military operations. Nothing of
interest transpiring in the meantime, save
little skirmishing, when on the night of the
18th inst, it was disooEered that the enemy
had retreated-the bird had flown.
Immediate pursuit was now determined
to commence the next morning, but during
the night heavy rains had swollen the
streams which separated the two armies so
that pursuit became impracteable. This de-
j Iayed movements another day. However, on
the night of the 18th of May, our troops
were ordered forward on different route,
! and at 10 o'clock our columns halted in sight
of the Federal camp fires. Here tempo
rarv line of battle was established and the
troops ordered to rest upon their arms, till
the morning, when occurred the famous bat
tie of Baker Creek called by the Federals
Champion Hill This was on the 10th day
of Nav, 1868 An accurate account of this
battle viii occupy more space than can be
allowed in this brief history, yet to fail in
afording the reader some faint conception
Of it, will be less just than the subject de-
mands. At early dawn operations had com
menced-lines formed-batteries located
skirmishers. thrown to the front-aud soon
that sharp, rapid firing so familiar to an old
/ soldier, told that the day of fight had surely
come.
Then came the hurrying to and fro" of
flying horsemen, and the rumbling of wag-
gons going to new and safer positions or
2 conveying dispatches from point to point.
e Now might be seen the gay artillerymen
G that wear a scarlet coat, directing the va
s rious movements of their pieces, whose pom
. derous voices with the distant echoes, peal
t on peal afar, rung out over the hills, the
: toesin Of war, and all prepared for the com
= ing fray. Before the hostile lines became
T engaged, there was evidently some uncer