Champion Hill
Other Names: Bakers Creek
Location: Hinds County
Campaign: Grant’s Operations against Vicksburg (1863)
May 16, 1863

May 1863 -- The Vicksburg Campaign.
Union General Ulysses S. Grant won several victories around Vicksburg, Mississippi, the fortified city considered essential to the Union's plans to regain control of the Mississippi River. On May 22, Grant began a siege of the city. After six weeks, Confederate General John Pemberton surrendered, giving up the city and 30,000 men. The capture of Port Hudson, Louisiana, shortly thereafter placed the entire Mississippi River in Union hands. The Confederacy was split in two. .

After a long, strenuous campaign to capture Vicksburg, General U. S. Grant had finally come upon the city that held the Mississippi River for the Confederacy. He had tried to bypass the city from upriver four times and failed. After contemplating his alternatives for the campaign, Grant finally decided to merge his army with the Army of the Gulf to attack Port Hudson and march overland to Vicksburg.

Grant ordered numerous diversions to confuse Lt. General John C. Pemberton, stretching the outnumbered Confederate forces into dangerously thin gray lines. After bitter struggles at Port Gibson, Raymond, and later at Champion Hill, U.S. Grant was within site of his goal.

Champion Hill, the decision battle of the Vicksburg Campaign, began about 7:00 a.m. Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, the Confederate commander, deployed his three divisions in a three mile-long battle line that ran from southwest to northeast along a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. His position was suited for defense and was especially formidable against attacks along the Middle and Raymond roads. He was, however, unaware that one of the three Union columns was pushing down the Jackson Road toward his unprotected left flank on Champion Hill. If unchecked, this Union force could capture Edwards and cut the Confederates off from their base of operation - Vicksburg. Shortly aft 9:00 a.m. a courier brought warning of the Federal advance along the jackson Road. Confederate troops were shifted to the left to cover Champion Hill and protect the vital crossroads. Federal soldiers arrived near the Champion house, swung from column into double line of battle and unlimbered their artillery. The battle roared into action.

Major General Grant established his headquarters at the Champion house. He ordered his 10,000 men on the Jackson Road to move forward in magnificent style with flags flying. The long blue lines extended westward beyond the Confederate flank. To meet this threat, Confederate troops shifted farther to the west creating a gap between the forces defending the crossroads and those defending the Raymond Road.

Following the Union occupation of Jackson, Mississippi, both Confederate and Federal forces made plans for future operations. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston retreated, with most of his army, up the Canton Road, but he ordered Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, commanding 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, though, 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, 1863, about 7:00 am, the Union forces engaged the Confederates and the Battle of Champion Hill began. Pemberton’s force drew up into a defensive line along a crest of a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. Pemberton was unaware that one Union column was moving along the Jackson Road against his unprotected left flank. For protection, Pemberton posted Brig. Gen. Stephen D. Lee's men 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 am, he ordered the attack to begin. By 11:30 am, the Federals closed in on the Confederate main line of resistance. With a cheer they stormed the position. The fighting was intense as the battle raged on Champion Hill. The lines swayed back and forth as charge and countercharge were made. Shortly after 1:00 p.m. the strength of numbers prevailed. The blue tide swept over the crest of Champion Hill. Union forces had reached the Confederate main line and about 1:00 pm, they took the crest while the Rebels retired in disorder. The Federals swept forward, capturing the crossroads and closing the Jackson Road escape route. One of Pemberton's divisions (Bowen’s) then counterattacked, pushing the Federals back beyond the Champion Hill crest before their surge came to a halt. 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. Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman’s brigade formed the rearguard, and they held at all costs, including the loss of Tilghman. In the late afternoon, Union troops seized the Bakers Creek Bridge, and by midnight, they occupied Edwards. The Confederates fell back in disorder to the Jackson Road followed closely by the hard-driving Federals. The powerful Union drive captured the crossroads and severed the jackson Road escape route. Confronted by disaster, Pemberton ordered his two remaining divisions to counterattack. Leaving one brigade to guard the Raymond Road, the Confederates moved from their right along the Ratliff Road toward the crossroads. Brigadier General John S. Bowen's 4,500 men attacked the Federals near the crossroads. Using bayonets they drove the Federals back and gained control of Champion Hill. Outnumbered, the Confederate attack faltered short of the Champion house. The Confederates were in full retreat towards Vicksburg. If the Union forces caught these Rebels, they would destroy them.

Grant ordered up fresh troops to drive back the Confederates and moved the Federals forward along the Middle and Raymond roads. Confederate resistance was shattered and Pemberton ordered his army from the field.