Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-05-16
Confederates Abandon Grand Gulf.

Alarmed by the bombardment of
Grand Gulf on the Goth. the Confeder.
ates had rushed troops to the vicini-
ty and attempted to stem the advance
of McClernand's men toward Port
Gibson. Fighting took place between
the Federals and General j. s.
Bowen's Confederates. and on May
Port Gibson and Grand Gulf were in
the possession Of Grant. the Confeder-
ates having abandoned both points.
The Federals were on solid ground
in strong force. General W. T. Sher-
man reached the front with 10000 men.
and the army of 10000 strong set out
for Jackson. which is fifty miles east
of Vicksburg and connected with 1t by
railroad. The Confederates in the i'm
mediate region numbered probably 49,
600 men
On May IL McClernand with the ad-
vance guard led the march in a north
easterly course toward Jackson. At
stream known as Fourteen Mile creek
he encountered the Confederates and
drove them Off after sharp skirmish.
The same day General John A. Logan's
division of McPherson's corps encoun-
tered the Confederate brigade COM
manded by General John Gregg at Ray
mond. twenty miles from Jackson by
the roads used In advancing. Gregg
made Il stubborn fight and held off su-
perior numbers two or three hours.
Logan was REINFORCED. and Gregg beat
q retreat toward Jackson.
The Confederate defense Of Jackson
caused Grant to believe that his enemy
was strong in numbers ut that point.
In this he erred. because Gregg only
happened to be marching through the
region. having come up from Port Hud.
son. down the Mississippi. on an urgent
call to proceed to Jackson. The fact
was that the Confederate commander
Of the Vicksburg defenses. General j.
C. Pemberton. had decided to concen-
trate his forces at Edwards Station. on
the line Of the vicksburg and Jackson
railroad. The station is fifteen miles
east Of Vicksburg and thirty-five miles
west Of Jackson.
On the morning Of the 18th the divi-
sions Of Bowen. which had been at
Grand Gulf when Porter's ships bonn
barded that point. and the divisions of
General g. L. Stevenson and General
W. W. Loring were together at Ed
wards Station. At that date Grants
main force was within ten miles Of the
station and southeast of it Instead of
k,,r, To- Il,
son.
When Grant made his calculations
about the strength of the Confederates
at Jackson there was no hostile force
there worth mentioning. However. as
soon as the meaning Of Grants move
ment became known to the Confeder-
ate authorities two brigades from
South Carolina and two from Port
Hudson were rushed to that point. and
General Joseph E Johnston hurried
there to take command. These four
brigades numbered about 1900 men.
Capture Of jackson.
After night of pouring rain the
roads at some places were covered
with water to the deptE Of a foot. The
Federals under Sherman and McPher-
son advanced at 10 o'clock q. NJ. May
IA. on roads defended by the brigades
Of General w. II. T. Walker and Gen.
eral Gregg. These generals were or
dered to dispute the advance Of the
enemy long enough to enable Johnston
to remove from Jackson some valuable
army stores to a safe distance by rail
Behind some slight intrenchments
which commanded the approaches to
Jackson the men Of Walker and Gregg
offered resistance which held the Fed
erals in check for several hours. Nc
Pherson attacked along the railroad.
which runs due east and west. His
opponents. under Walker. occupied
strong position on the crest Of semi
circular ridge. On each flank Of the
line there were woods. and the ground
in front sloped toward the Federal line.
terminating about mile from the
Confederate guns in Doggy 6eld
through which coursed deep stream.
Walkers artillery had range upon a
bridge which crossed this creek. Rain
delayed McPhersons movements. but
about II o'clock his skirmishers tried
to cross the creek end failed. A charge
was at once ordered, and General NJ.
NJ. Crocker's division at one dash cross
ed the creek and started in magnificent
line up the slope. all the way under fire
Of the guns on the crest.
Seeing that the Federals were IRE.
sistible. the Confederates retreated to
the cover of another line of guns post
ed close to the town. Crocker's men
arrived at this line. on the heels of the
retreating foe. in some disorder. The
Confederates. however. did not wait
for them to reform for Il second charge.
but retired hastily northward.
Grant In the Mississippi Statehouse.
Sherman's line. moving from the
southwest and south, had an easy task
in disposing of Gregg's troops. who
We're posted in breastworks. with a
battery commanding the bridge ap-
proach. Grant was with Sherman
With little effort the passage of the
stream was forced, but both Sherman
and Grant were reluctant to order q
charge To them Gregg's line looked
formidable.
After some main maneuvering Grant
directed Sherman to send whole di.
vision far to the right of the Confed-
crate line to reconnoiter the position
This force, under General j. M. Tuttle.
disappeared from view. and. not return
ing promptly to report the results Of
the reconnaissance. Grant rode in the
same direction. The anxious command
or bod not rouo Fov hoforo ho diCooy