The Battle of Champion Hill -
16 May 1863
Mississippi
Map by [HWK]Stone
The Battle
Following the Union occupation of Jackson,
Mississippi, on May 14, both
Confederate and Federal forces made plans for future operations. General
Joseph E. Johnston, commanding all Confederate forces in Mississippi, retreated,
with most of his army, up the Canton Road, but he ordered Lt. Gen. John C.
Pemberton, commanding three divisions (about 23,000 men), to leave Edwards
Station and attack the Federals at Clinton. Pemberton and his generals felt that
Johnston’s plan was dangerous and decided instead to attack the Union
supply trains moving from Grand Gulf to Raymond. On May 16, however,
Pemberton received another order from
Johnston
repeating his former directions. Pemberton had already started after the supply
trains and was on the
Raymond-Edwards Road with his rear at the crossroads
one-third mile south of the crest of Champion Hill. Thus, when he ordered a
countermarch, his rear, including his many supply wagons, became the advance of
his force.
On May 16, at about 7:00 a.m.,
the Union forces engaged the Confederates and the Battle of Champion Hill began.
Pemberton's force drew up into a three mile-long defensive line that ran from
southwest to northeast along a crest of a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. Grant observed in his Personal
Memoirs, "... where Pemberton had chosen his position to receive us, whether
taken by accident or design, was well selected. It is one of the highest points
in that section, and commanded all the ground in the range."
Pemberton was unaware that one
of the three Union columns was moving along the Jackson Road against his unprotected left
flank on Champion Hill. For protection, Pemberton posted Brig. Gen. Stephen D.
Lee's Alabama
brigade atop Champion Hill where they could watch for the reported Union column
moving to the crossroads. Lee spotted the Union troops and they soon saw him. If
this force was not stopped, it would cut the Rebels off from their Vicksburg base. Pemberton
received warning of the Union movement and sent troops to his left flank. Union
forces at the Champion House moved into action and emplaced artillery to begin
firing.
When Grant arrived at Champion Hill around 10:00
a.m., he ordered the attack to begin. John A. McClernand's
corps attacked on the left, James B. McPherson's on the right; William T.
Sherman's corps was well behind the others, departing Jackson. By 11:30 a.m., Union forces had
reached the Confederate main line and at about 1:00 p.m., they took the crest
while the troops from Carter L. Stevenson's division retired in disorder.
McPherson's corps swept forward, capturing the crossroads and closing the Jackson Road escape
route. The division of John S. Bowen then counterattacked in support of
Stevenson, pushing the Federals back beyond the Champion Hill crest before their
surge came to a halt. They had insufficient troops to hold that position,
however. Pemberton directed William W. Loring to send
forces from the southern area of the line (where they were only lightly engaged
with McClernand's ineffective attack) to reinforce the
Hill, but Loring refused, citing a strong Union
presence to his front.
Grant then counterattacked, committing forces that
had just arrived from Clinton by way of Bolton. Pemberton’s men could not stand up to this
assault, so he ordered his men from the field to the one escape route still
open: the Raymond Road
crossing of Bakers Creek. By now, Loring had acceded
to Pemberton's direction and marched toward the fighting, but by a circuitous
route that kept them out of action. Brig. Gen. Lloyd
Tilghman's
brigade formed the rearguard, and they held at all costs, including the loss of
Tilghman, a victim of artillery fire. In the late
afternoon, Union troops seized the
Bakers
Creek Bridge,
and by midnight, they occupied Edwards. The Confederates fell back to a
defensive position at the Big Black River in front of Vicksburg. The Battle of Big Black River
Bridge there the next day would be the final chance for Pemberton to escape.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Champion_Hill
The
Map (See Tile Map)
The map shows the initial deployment at about 6
am on 16 May 1863. The Confederates (Red) must prevent Union forces (Blue) under Grant from
crossing Baker’s Creek. To achieve this they must prevent the capture and/or
destruction of the Confederate HQ tent, which is situated to the left of the
road bridge over the creek, for one hour of game play, or by capturing and
destroying the Union HQ tent.
Conversely, the Union
forces can only win by destroying the Confederate HQ tent within one hour of
game play.