Wary of Tracy's Brigade to the north, McClernand posted Brig. Against this target, Grant poised his army to strike. In late April, Grant finally struck gold. Although most of the Port Gibson battlefield is still privately owned, the Civil War Trust (a division of the American Battlefield Trust) and its partners have acquired and preserved 644 acres (2.61km2) of the Port Gibson battlefield. Begin or dive deeper into researching your family tree, Learn about the spaces, places, & unique story of your community, The largest North American Heritage collection after the Library of Congress. The battle of Port Gibson cost Grant 131 killed, 719 wounded, and 25 missing out of 23,000 men engaged. Grant launched his campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the spring of 1863, starting his army south from Milliken's Bend on the . On the night of April 16, seven gunboats and three supply ships under the command of Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter ran the gauntlet of Confederate batteries along the river. Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, commander of Confederate troops near Vicksburg, had roughly 30,000 soldiers under his authority. We are open 9am-4pm. By mid-April, his men had carved a path through the Louisiana wilderness that would enable Grant to march the Army of the Tennessee past Vicksburg, cross the river, and then attack the city from the south. At the time of the battle in 1863, the terraces of the area would have been in agriculture, with the ravines filled with dense jungle-like growth. https://www.nps.gov/vick/learn/historyculture/battleportgibson.htm. The Federal landing at Bruinsburg, Mississippi, on April 30, 1863, and the ensuing victory at the Battle of Port Gibson the next day, cemented a Union presence in western Mississippi that led to the eventual downfall of the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River. Port Gibson, MS 39150 Ohio Civil War Centralis a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, a program designed to allowsites to generate revenue by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. . Grant understood the nature of the explosion and rode to Grand Gulf with a small escort, enjoying his first bath in weeks, and celebrating the capture of what would become his central supply depot as he moved inland. With 20,000 men crowded into a 1.5-mile (2.4km) front, McClernand's plan appeared to be to force his way past the Confederate line. The action intensified on both roads at dawn as the Federals resumed their push toward Port Gibson. McPherson's Corps marched along Bruinsburg Road. At dawn the battle was renewed in fury as Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand threw most of his XIII Corps toward Greens thin gray line. The city was known as "The Gibraltar of the Confederacy," because it is situated on a high bluff overlooking a horseshoe-shaped bend in the river. On April 22, six more boats made it through, bringing Grant the supplies he needed to launch his assault on Vicksburg. Confederate forces were entrenched at nearby Magnolia Church. If the Union could gain control of the Mississippi, the Confederacy would be denied easy access to supplies from the Gulf of Mexico and territories in the American West. The Battle of Port Gibson was a resounding Union victory which secured Grants beachhead east of the Mississippi River and cleared the way to the Southern Railroad supplying Vicksburg. Windsor Plantation. This strategic battle was fought eight miles west of Bethel Church on May 1, 1863. Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! McClernand stopped to reorganize, then launched into a series of grandiose speeches until Grant pointed out that the Confederates had simply withdrawn to a more defendable position. First Sergeant Charles Hobbs of the 99th Illinois recorded of his experience that night: As we pass along an old darkey gives us his blessings, but fears there will be few of us ever to return. Map of the Mississippi River, 1863 . An informative marker tells the story behind the mansion, including its demise. Supplies were piled on all sorts of wagons and carriages for the surprise march on the Confederates. [Wikimedia Commons]. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. When reinforcements arrived from Brigadier General William E. Baldwin's and Colonel Francis M. Cockrell's brigades, the Rebels established a succession of new lines while being forced back steadily. Vicksburg sits on a high bluff on the eastern side of the Mississippi River, south of the mouth of the Yazoo River. On May 2, Grant quickly maneuvered Bowen out of position by sending McPherson to cross the Bayou Pierre at a ford several miles upstream. The women were terrified and, screaming with fright, leaped into the wagon and whipped the animals toward Port Gibson. The Shaifer House was the site of the opening shots in the Battle of Port Gibson. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. Port Gibson, ten miles east of Bruinsburg on the Little Bayou Pierre River, commanded the road network between Grand Gulf and Jackson and was Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grants first objective after crossing the Mississippi. The ragtag army that had fought so well at Port Gibson would not rest until they had entered the Warrenton fortifications nearly ten miles away. Fighting erupted shortly after midnight on May 1 as Union soldiers encountered Bowen's men in the dense undergrowth near Magnolia Church and continued into the next day. Nevertheless, the South still controlled traffic on much of the river because of its strong fortifications at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Defending that border was difficult for the Confederacy because three major rivers (the Mississippi, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, which flow north to the Ohio River) provided relatively easy access to the South. Unaware that Grant had pulled back, Sherman attacked and was defeated at the Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs (December 29, 1862). The stillness of the night was shattered as a volley of musketry came in reply. If Union forces could gain control of the Mississippi, they could deny the Confederacy easy access to supplies from the Gulf of Mexico and territories in the American West. Gen. Alvin P. Hovey's 12th Division arrived and surged forward just as Carr's men were storming the Confederate position. Gen. John Bowen clashed with elements of two Union corps commanded by Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant. The Confederate right did not last long. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. Provided by Touchpoints Contact Info Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. Gen. Edward Tracy, who anchored the Confederate right flank roughly a mile and half to the northwest. American Battlefield Trust's Map Reprint Permission Policy, Gettysburg | Picketts Charge | July 3, 1863 | 3:45 - 4:00 pm, Antietam | West Woods | Sep 17, 1862 | 9:00 - 11:30 am. The site is also known as the Grindstone Ford. Grant launched his campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the spring of 1863, starting his army south from Milliken's Bend on the . The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and was victorious. On April 29, 1863, Grant put his grand scheme into action. When Confederate reinforcements arrived from Brigadier General William E. Baldwins and Colonel Francis M. Cockrells brigades, the Rebels established a succession of new lines while being forced back steadily. At roughly 8 a.m., a Union musket ball pierced General Tracy's breast, killing him instantly, but his men held on until about 10 a.m. when their lines began to crumble. Every purchase supports the mission. [5] In 2011, the Civil War Preservation Trust was renamed the Civil War Trust, which in 2018 became a division of the American Battlefield Trust. This strategic battle was fought eight miles west of Bethel Church on May 1, 1863. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The brigades of Brig. Located eight miles northwest of Port Gibson, Mississippi off Highway 61, this 450 acre landmark is listed on . Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. In the Battle of Port Gibsons aftermath, Major General Ulysses S. Grant turned his army east and drove General Joseph E. Johnstons forces away from the state capital at Jackson, Mississippi, on May 14, 1863. The bluff upon which the city sits made it nearly impossible to assault from the river. Fortunately for Grant, Pemberton took his orders to defend Vicksburg at all costs literally. With two of the three main rivers connecting the North and South under Union control, the Federals turned their attention to the Mississippi River. Join us July 13-16! Only Champion's Hill, the biggest battle of the campaign, saw more Union losses. The battlefield covers about 3,400 acres (1,400 ha) of land west of the city, astride Rodney Road, where Union Army forces were establishing a beachhead after crossing the Mississippi River in a bid to take the Confederate fortress of Vicksburg. The terrain is a tangle of ravines and terraces, caused by the soil type (sedimentary loess) and a history of intensive agricultural use up to the 20th century. That night Grant's men camped two miles north of Port Gibson. Bowen lost 787 soldiers (60 killed, 340 wounded, and 387 missing). This FREE annual event brings together educators from all over the world for sessions, lectures, and tours from leading experts. His men fell back to the next ridge where early in the afternoon they were reinforced by what remained of Greens brigade. The house was used by Maj. Gen. John A McClernand for his headquarters and later used as a hospital. The Trust and its partners have acquired and preserved 644 acres (2.61km2) of the Port Gibson battlefield. Battle of Port Gibson Grants March Marker, Former U.S. Presidents: #18 Ulysses S. Grant, Alcorn Agricultural And Mechanical College. A counterattack by Col. Francis Cockrells Missouri regiments was repulsed in the late afternoon and the Southerners were forced from the field. The Union forces were brought across by Read Admiral D.D. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and they were victorious. A few miles to the south, McClernands Corps traveled along Rodney Road. Official Records. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. As the Union forces came ashore, they secured a beachhead and began marching toward Port Gibson by late afternoon on April 30. The site is owned, operated, and funded by R.Squared Communications, LLC. Soon after, Tracy was killed by a snipers bullet. Battle of Raymond: May 12 The Mississippi served as a highway to move men and materials from places as far as way as Pittsburgh to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico, and in early 1863, only two Confederate strong points stood between the Federals and dominance of the mighty river. Restoration of the sit is in progress and the majority of the battlefield is privately owned. William T. Shermanattempted to storm the city but came up short at Chickasaw Bayou. The house was used by Maj. Gen. John A McClernand for his headquarters and later used as a hospital. No An official form of the United States government. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, An Unparalleled Preservation Opportunity at Gettysburg Battlefield, For Sale: Three Battlefield Tracts Spanning Three Wars, Preserve 128 Sacred Acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown. Meanwhile, Grant approached the city with the bulk of his army from the east, but Rebel cavalry cut his supply lines, forcing him to retreat before launching an assault. 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