The Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1876-1890, 1890-05-30

inbO tne enemy Killing one man. III
killing Of this Federal soldier is no
mentioned in the official reports, but i
is here related on the authority Of Rev
w. Gossett, Of Honey creek, Ind, VIII
was present as a private in Benton'l
brigade.
Thus at halfpast one on the morning
Of May LIST the Federal vanguard ha(
met the Confederate outpost at Shaifer'i
gate, and both sides knew that com
bat was at hand The enemy in from
Of the Federals numbered about 8O(
men Gncluding a battery Of light artil
lery) encamped at Magnolia church on
the roadside. Their commander, brig.
adier-general Martin K. Green, had
taken this position late the day before
to watch any Federal demonstration
from Bruinsburg.
Before following the Federal move
ments further it viii be necessary
to acquaint the reader with Bowens
plans and the disposition Of his forces.
BOWEN PREPARES TO MEET GRANT.
After the feet had passed his bat
teries at Grand Gulf on the 10Th, Gen.
Bowen seems to have anticipated land
ing somewhere below. Early ON the
3Oth he ordered brigadier-general M. Z.
Green to take command Of the Confed-
crate troops in and around Port Gibson
and TO picket the various roads. Green
had 450 men Of his own command, with
a section Of the Hudson battery and the
9th Mississippi regiment (Col. Robert
Lowry).--in all 775 men (ofIicial
reports). This force he marched
out and stationed on the Rodney
road one mile from town, and thon.
went in person as far as the strong
position at Widows creek previous
ly described. In his report he says
that his reconnaissance was for the
purpose Of selecting a spot To give
battle TO the Federals, should they
advance by that road: yet, strange
to say, instead Of seizing at once on
the Widows creek heights, he chose
in preference the neighbOrhOod of
Magnolia church which was half a
mile nearer to Port Gibson, and was
immensely inferior 10 the other To-
cality in defensive strength. This
decision on the part Of a military
commander who had ample time to
examine the country at leisure is
hard to understand.
The same afternoon Bowen. who
was still at Grand Gulf, got definite
intelligence about Grants move
ments, as the following dispatch TO
PembertOn, the commander at
Vicksburg, will show:
GRASD GULF, April 80, 1868.
Three thousand Federals we're at Bethel
church, 10 miles from Port Gibson, at p. m,
advancing They are still landing at Bruins-
burg. JSo. 8. BowKS.
Later in the afternoon Bowen, rode /
up to Port Gibson, and Green took him
over the ground he had chosen for de-
tense. Green's forces we're now moved
up to Magnolia church, Bowen approx
ing the selection Of that spot Thus
both generals concurTed in the fatal |
error Of leaving the Widows creek |
heights undefended. Not a single piece
IF artillery, not a single man was sta-
toned there though the creek was only
lalf a mile to the front. Being salts
led with Green's disposition Of his
iroops, Bowen returned to Grand Gulf.
Meanwhile reinforcements were on
he march. About sunset on the 29th
5en. Edw. ID. Tracy with a small Ala
lbama brigade Garter L. Stevenson's
livision) left camp near Warrenton and
hurried towards Grand Gulf, crossing
Big Black at Hankinson's ferry that 1
night. The next afternoon, when with
n A miles Of Grand Gulf, they received
,rders to turn left, cross Bayou Pierre
)y the suspension bridge 2 miles below
Port Gibson, and then move towards
hat town. The brigade crossed the
Bayou and prepared to cook their raw
-ations, having been all day without
God; but they we're Immediately inter-
upted BY another order from Bowen
commanding them 10 advance through \
Port Gibson and support Green, who
vas expecting an attack. The brigade
reached the field at 10 p m. on the
)0th, utterly broken down by their
march Of 40 miles in 27 hours. They
ormed the right wing Of the Confeder-
lte line Of battle, being stationed at the
Andrews farm house, which was not on
he Rodney road but on another road
hat diyerged therefrom at the Shaifer
Just in front Of Green. In
Dther words, the road that Tracy occu-
lied connected the Rodney road with
he old disused Bruinsburg road that
ay along Bayou Pierre. From Shaft
RS house to Andrews house the dis
ance is ! miles. The brigade had
nominal strength Of 200 men, but de-
lucting the sick and furloughed and
he large number who had broken down
~ route, only about 1900 men reached
he field, where they lay down at 10 p.
n. for a few hours rest.
On the night Of the 10Th Pemberton
lad also dispatched 10 Bowen's support
he brigade Of Gen. w. K. Baldwin
Smiths division), composed Of Louis
ana and Mississi, .yasz;;mepts. Afell
living at Hankig LAya57..v.. sSstE.V useI
" 1ne oO'h, Ated 70 await. y
n sent orders al kf;oa "'5as,5ll bl,5 80
lasten to Green's FE e;s;os & D9lqNin sqNin