Battle of Big Black River Bridge

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Grant's Operations Against Vicksburg
Grand Gulf – Snyder's Bluff – Port Gibson – Raymond – Jackson – Champion Hill – Big Black River Bridge – Milliken's Bend – Goodrich's Landing – Helena – Vicksburg

The Battle of Big Black River Bridge, or Big Black, fought May 17, 1863, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton following the Battle of Champion Hill, in the final battle before the Siege of Vicksburg.

Reeling from their defeat at Champion Hill, the Confederates reached Big Black River Bridge, the night of May 16–17. Pemberton ordered Brig. Gen. John S. Bowen, with three brigades, to man the fortifications on the east bank of the river and impede any Union pursuit. Three divisions of Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand’s XIII Corps moved out from Edwards Station on the morning of May 17. The corps encountered the Confederates behind breastworks of cotton bales fronted by a bayou and abatis. They took cover as enemy artillery began firing. Union Brig. Gen. Michael K. Lawler formed his 2nd Brigade, Eugene A. Carr’s 14th Division, which surged out of a meander scar, across the front of the Confederate forces, through waist-deep water, and into the enemy’s breastworks, held by Brig. Gen. John Vaughn’s East Tennessee Brigade.

Grant's Operations against Vicksburg

Confused and panicked, the Rebels began to withdraw across the Big Black River on two bridges: the railroad bridge and the steamboat, Dot, used as a bridge across the river. As soon as they had crossed, the Confederates set fire to the bridges, preventing close Union pursuit. The fleeing Confederates who arrived in Vicksburg later that day were disorganized. The Union forces captured approximately 1,800 troops at Big Black, a loss that the Confederates could ill-afford. Fewer than half of the Confederates who had fought at Champion Hill made it into the defenses at Vicksburg. This battle sealed Vicksburg’s fate: the Confederate force was bottled up at Vicksburg.