BATTLE OF BIG BLACK BRIDGE, MISS.
May 17, 1863.
The battle of Big Black Bridge was fought on Sunday, the 17th, the day after the battle of Champion’s Hill. In this spirited engagement only the Thirteenth army corps was engaged. In the morning, after a bivouac on the hill overlooking the village of Edwards’ Station, the column, with McClernand at its head, moved towards Black river bridge.
The country between Edwards Station and the bridge loses that hilly and broken character which distinguishes the region further east, and spreads out into a broad and fertile plain. There are no commanding hills, but there are numerous patches of forest, under the cover and from the edge of which the enemy could easily enfilade the open fields by the roadside. There was such a one a mile east of the rebel intrenchments where the main picket guard was stationed. Here determined resistance was first made.
General Carr’s division had the extreme advance of the column, and opened and ended the engagement. Hastily deploying a heavy line of skirmishers to the right of the road, backed up by the two brigades of Carr’s division in line of battle behind it, with General Osterhaus’ division on the left of the road similarly disposed, General McClernand gave the order to advance. Soon in the depths of the thick forest the skirmishers of both armies were hotly engaged, while batteries of artillery planted on the right and left of the road poured shot and shell into the fort most furiously. The guns in the intrenchments replied with vigor and spirit. Almost the first shot dropped in the caisson belonging to Foster’s Wisconsin battery, and exploded its contents, slightly wounding General Osterhaus and Captain Foster, of the battery, and very seriously injuring two gunners. General Osterhaus being thus disabled, the command of his division was temporarily given to Brigadier-General A. L. Lee.
After skirmishing had continued for an hour, during which the enemy gave way and sought the cover of his intrenchments, the order was given to the several brigade commanders on the right to advance and charge the enemy’s works. The order was received with cheers and shouts, and the Twenty-first, Twenty-second, Twenty-third Iowa and Eleventh Wisconsin, General Lawler’s brigade, were the first to announce themselves in readiness. The order “forward” was given, and steadily and splendidly the brave patriots moved up to the assault. The enemy crouched down behind the breastworks. A portion of them, stationed in a curtain on the right of the fort, whence they were able to get a cross-fire upon the column, reserved their volley until the Federals were within easy range of the intrenchments, when they swept the advancing line with their terrible fire.
The brave soldiers lost in that fearful volley one hundred and fifty men; yet they faltered not nor turned their steps backwards. They waded the bayou, delivering their fire as they reached the other bank, and rushed upon the enemy with fixed bayonets. So quickly was all this accomplished, that the rebels had not time to reload their guns, and were forced to surrender.
The battle was ended, and the fort, with three thousand prisoners, eighteen pieces of artillery, several thousand stand of arms, and a large supply of corn and commissary stores, fell into the hands of the Federals.
The enemy had, earlier in the day, out of the hulls of three steamboats, constructed a bridge, over which he had passed the main body of his army. As the charge was made, and it became evident that the Unionists would capture the position, the rebels burned this bridge, and also the railroad bridge across the river just above.
In the afternoon several attempts were made to cross the river, but the rebel sharpshooters lined the bluffs beyond, and entirely prevented it. Later, the main body of sharpshooters were dispersed by the Federal artillery. It was not, however, safe to stand upon the bank, or cross the open field east of the bridge until after dark, when the enemy withdrew altogether.
By this time, General Sherman had reached Bridgeport on the Black river, just above. The only pontoon train was with him. By the morning of the 18th he had crossed the river and was ready to march on Vicksburg. Generals McClernand and McPherson caused floating bridges to be constructed during the night, and were ready to cross their troops by eight o’clock on the next morning.
General Sherman commenced his march by the Bridgeport and Vicksburg road on the 18th, and, when within three and a half miles of Vicksburg, he turned to the right to get possession of Walnut Hills and the Yazoo river. This was successfully accomplished before night. General McPherson crossed the Black river above the road to Jackson, and came into the same road with General Sherman, but in his rear. His advance arrived after nightfall at the point where General Sherman turned to the right. General McClernand moved by the Jackson and Vicksburg road to Mount Albans, in the rear of Vicksburg, and there turned to the left to get into the Baldwin’s Ferry road. By this disposition the three army corps covered all the ground their strength would admit of, and by the morning of the 19th the investment of Vicksburg was made as complete as could be by the forces under the command of General Grant.
Communication was now opened with the fleet above Vicksburg, and General Grant’s supplies were thenceforth received from the Yazoo, instead of from Grand Gulf.