As the Union forces came ashore, they secured a beachhead and began marching toward Port Gibson by late afternoon on April 30. Admiral David Farragut captured the port city of New Orleans on May 18, 1862, closing down Confederate access to the Gulf. A flanking assault by Col. Francis Cockrell's Missouri brigade crumpled the Federal right flank and gave McClernand pause. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Port Gibson Battlefield Mississippi Old Rodney Rd Port Gibson, MS 39150 United States Website https://www.nps.gov/vick/learn/historyculture/battleportgibson.htm The Shaifer House was the site of the opening shots in the Battle of Port Gibson. An informative marker tells the story behind the mansion, including its demise. Hallecks departure left Major General Ulysses S. Grant in charge of operations in the Western Theater. The battle began around midnight near the Shaifer House four miles west of town. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. The site is owned, operated, and funded by R.Squared Communications, LLC. McClernand and McPherson then rendezvoused with Porter at Bruinsburg, fewer than ten miles downriver from Grand Gulf. 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. The invasion of Mississippi by roughly 23,000 Union soldiers on April 30, 1863, was the largest amphibious offensive in American history prior to the invasion of Normandy, France, during World War II. Battle of Port Gibson: May 1 Upon landing his troops in Mississippi, Union General Grant meets Confederate resistance and the first shots of the Vicksburg Campaign are f Grant's Army Pushes Inland: May 2-11 Grant marches inland to strike the railroad and cut off Vicksurg and Confederate General Pemberton. The general tried to calm their fears by telling them that the enemy could not possibly arrive before daylight. Sporadic skirmishing and artillery fire continued until 3 a.m. Tracy dispatched infantry and artillery to Greens assistance minutes before cannons began to pound his own line, signaling the advance of a new Union column under Brig. As Greens men scrambled to the rear, Brig. Built between 1859-1861, the plantation was the home of wealthy planter, Smith Coffee Daniell, II. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. In May of 1962, the Grand Gulf Military Monument Park was officially opened, dedicated to preserving the memory of both the town and the battle in which occurred there. Ohio Civil War Central is an independent encyclopedia of Ohio history. Gen. Martin E. Green was inspecting his picket line at the Shaifer House shortly after midnight when he was amused to see Mrs. Shaifer and the women of the house frantically loading a wagon with all their household items. Against this target, Grant poised his army to strike. Provided by Touchpoints Contact Info In June, the Union tightened its grip on the Mississippi, when federal forces captured the river city of Memphis, Tennessee. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. 1. Gen. Peter J. Osterhaus's 9th Division facing that direction. Port Gibson | May 1, 1863 (June 2020) American Battlefield Trust 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. Grant's first objective after crossing the Mississippi. Brought were only enough horses to pull the artillery. This FREE annual event brings together educators from all over the world for sessions, lectures, and tours from leading experts. The Union victory secured that beachhead and paved the way for the eventual fall of Vicksburg. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. The Battle of Port Gibson was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on May 1, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In December, Grant launched his first attempt to capture Vicksburg. Port Gibson was the opening battle in a successful two-month-long Union campaign to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi, and take control of the Mississippi River. McPhersons Corps marched along Bruinsburg Road. 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. 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. The first Union objective was Port Gibson, roughly ten miles east of Bruinsburg and commanding the local road network. 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. As a result, the landing was unchallenged and the only Confederates nearby were Major General John S. Bowens force of 6,000-8,000 soldiers who had marched to Port Gibson after thwarting Grants landing at Grand Gulf the previous day. 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. The land on the Louisiana side of the river, opposite Vicksburg, was rough, etched with poor roads and many streams. Federal efforts to push rapidly inland were slowed because McClernand had forgotten to issue rations to the men. 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. The absence of any Confederate cavalry would have a major impact on the campaign. [4], After a number of failed attempts to reach Vicksburg from the north and northeast, Union General Ulysses S. Grant decided to march his army down the west side of the Mississippi River, past Vicksburg, and locate a crossing area from which he could reach the city from the south. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. . Explore the known interments of Soldiers' Rest Cemetery. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. The Confederate defeat resulted in their losing the ability to hold Mississippi and defend against an amphibious attack . Mine Run - Union Off. 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. McClernand and McPherson then rendezvoused with Porter at Bruinsburg, fewer than ten miles downriver from Grand Gulf. He intended to storm Grand Gulf, while his subordinate Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman and the XV Corps deceived the main army in Vicksburg by feigning an assault on the Yazoo Bluffs. Restoration of the site is in progress and the majority of the battlefield is privately owned. After a prolonged siege, Grant eventually forced Pemberton to surrender on July 4, 1863. Green quickly mounted and raced back to Magnolia Church to alert his brigade. 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. Rather than form on Garrotts endangered right, Green assumed position on his left and, thus, provided little support. The initial landing was unopposed, and Grant moved quickly to secure the beachhead, moving troops up the road toward Port Gibson. As the situation deteriorated, Bowen wired his superiors: "We have been engaged in a furious battle ever since daylight; losses very heavy. The battle of Port Gibson cost Grant 131 killed, 719 wounded, and 25 missing out of 23,000 men engaged. Gen. John Bowen, in overall Confederate command on the field, worked feverishly to restore his line. Join us July 13-16! Gen. Peter Osterhaus. The Battle of Port Gibson was one of the turning points of the War between the States, since this defeat of the Confederates led to the capture of Vicksburg. Join us July 13-16! Navys. of Ms. & E. The battle secured a Union beachhead east of the Mississippi River and enabled Grant to move northeastward unopposed. As the situation deteriorated, Bowen wired his superiors: We have been engaged in a furious battle ever since daylight; losses very heavy. Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, the commander of Confederate troops in and around Vicksburg, had roughly 30,000 soldiers at his disposal. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. [Source: Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields (Washington, 1993); Estabrook, C. Records and Sketches of Military Organizations (Madison, 1914); Love, W. Wisconsin in the War of the Rebellion (Madison, 1866)], Sign up for the Wisconsin Historical Society Newsletter, 1996-2023 Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706, Port Gibson, Battle of | Wisconsin Historical Society, Read About the Experiences of Wisconsin Troops. While in Port Gibson, a visit to Windsor Ruins is a must. 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. The Union victory at the Battle of Port Gibson cost Grant 875 casualties (131 killed, 719 wounded, and 25 missing). Fighting in the scattered fields and forest around the Shaifer House intensified as more Union regiments and batteries came into action. The Federals divided their forces and moved along two roughly parallel roads that converged near their objective, about ten miles to the east. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. As an Amazon Associate, the owner of Ohio Civil War Central can earn from qualifying purchases. McPherson's Corps marched along Bruinsburg Road. When spring arrived, he set a new plan into motion. [Wikimedia Commons]. Canals were dug and abandoned. The women were terrified and, screaming with fright, leaped into the wagon and whipped the animals toward Port Gibson. This was the first battle for the 29th Wisconsin Infantry, which fought for more than an hour against the Confederates. General Carr scouted the ground before him and realized that a frontal assault through the canebrakes would be fruitless. 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. 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. . The remaining garrison at Grand Gulf was evacuated the next day. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 644 acres at Port Gibson Battlefield. The creators behind Ohio Civil War Central are historians, developers, and website specialists. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. The stillness of the night was shattered as a volley of musketry came in reply. The road over which the blue soldiers now marched led to the Shaifer House, roughly 1.5 miles from Port Gibson. The first Union objective was Port Gibson, roughly ten miles east of Bruinsburgand commanding the local road network. 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. The moon is shining above us and the road is romantic in the extreme. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The high bluff upon which the city sits made it nearly impossible to assault from the river. After landing at Bruinsburg, Ulysses S. Grant . [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. As a result, the landing was unchallenged and the only Confederates nearby were Major General John S. Bowen's force of 6,000-8,000 soldiers who had marched to Port Gibson after thwarting Grant's landing at Grand Gulf the previous day. quadrangle map, only one small, intensive level survey was performed within the battlefield area. Grant also ordered Colonel Benjamin Garrison to stage a daring cavalry raid through central Mississippi, which forced Confederate Commander of the Army of Mississippi, John C. Pemberton, to divert troops away from Vicksburg. 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