Raymond Battlefield, Part 2

   The focal point of the Battle of Raymond was the bridge and a short section of Fourteen Mile Creek.  The banks of the creek were steep and one soldier reported that retreat was out of the question because the Confederataes would shoot them down as they tried to climb the steep bank.  The banks of the creek were made even more slippery by the retreat of the wounded.  Another soldier reported how the creek ran red with the blood of the combatants.

View from the bridge in the morning hours of April 28, 2012.  Note how the banks still appear much as they did on the day of the battle.

A sketch of the two forces shooting at each other across the creek.  I am unaware of the source of the sketch.  It was photographed from the interpretive sign along Fourteen Mile Creek.

   A slight ridge, south of Fourteen Mile Creek has become known as McPherson's Ridge or Artillery Ridge.  McPherson deployed his main battery along this ridge in support of the troops advancing toward the creek across a freshly plowed field.

The preservation group has obtained a number of rebuilt carriages and replica cannons.  These are deployed along the ridge line facing Fourteen Mile Creek.  The power lines in the distance are along Mississippi Highway 18, south of Raymond.

Deployment of the Union and Confederate forces at the Battle of Raymond.  Notice how the 7th Texas and 3rd Tennessee led the way. (Photo taken from interpretive sign at Raymond Military Park.)









Raymond Battlefield, part 1

  Following several failed attampts to attack Vicksburg, General Grant hit upon the idea of marching his army past Vicksburg on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi River.  After crossing the river below Port Gibson and several fierce battle against small Confederate forces Grant's army was moving to the east of Vicksburg.  Grant had sent Maj. Gen. James McPherson and his troops on the Utica -- Raymond Road toward Jackson while the rest of his force moved north, west of Bolton and Edwards.
   Confederate  Brig. Gen. John Gregg had arrived in Raymond on May 11, 1863 with orders from  Pemberton to contain the right flank of the Union army and determine where it was heading.  Gregg devised a good plan of attack that probably would have worked if the Confederates had outnumbered the Union forces, as Gregg was led to believe.  He thought he was facing about 1600 troops rather than a Corps under Maj. Gen. McPherson.
   After a fierce all-day battle, Gregg was forced to withdraw to Jackson.  Although the Confederates lost the battle, it caused Grant to change his plans and move toward Jackson before attacking Vicksburg.  Grant concluded that he was facing two armies.  One in Jackson under the direction of Joseph Johnston and the other in Vicksburg, commanded by Pemberton.
   Efforts are continuing in Raymond today to preserve the battlefield.  A short walking trail has been constructed with interpretive signs at key locations.  Because the battle occurred in a rural area, much of the battlefield still looks much like it did on May 12, 1863.  And the preservation group, Friends of Raymond, have recently added another 66 acres of the original battlefield and are working to include this in the tour area.

The park is located a few hundred yards off Highway 18, south of Raymond, Mississippi.  Highway 18 actually runs through the orginal battlefield.

Gregg's Battle Plan

(Photo was taken from the interpretive sign at the entrance to the park)

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   A view of the battlefield look south toward Fourteen Mile Creek.  The creek is located in the tree-line in the distace.  The Confederates charged across this field led by the 7th Texas and 3rd Tennessee.

   A rebuilt carriage and smoothbore replica cannon guards the bridge of the old Utica Road today.
   An illustration by artist-journalist Theodore Davis is featured on the interpretive sign at this location.  The engraved illustration was published in Harper's Weekly newspaper, and shows the same view toward the bridge as we see today.  Of course, the bridge has been rebuilt since the battle and now sports more concrete than wood.
   The interpretive sign seen in the left center is where another cannon was placed.  In all, six guns of the 8th Michigan wer "unlimbered" and "went into battery."  Confederate artillery was shelling the Union column and DeGloyer's Battery opened fire on the confederate battery about a thousand yards to the north.











Hancock Rebels

In late summer and early fall of 1861 a group of young men from Hancock County joined forces in Shieldsboro, Mississippi to fight for their state and the Confederate cause.  This group became known as the "Gainesville  Volunteers" of the 3rd Regiment Mississippi Infantry.  As this unit was marching off to war to defend Vicksburg, another unit of older men were organizing in Hobolochitto, Mississippi. On March 25, 1 862, the unit known as the "Hancock Rebels" of the 38th Regiment Mississippi Infantry was organized and sent to Jackson, Mississippi for training.  They were soon at Corinth, Iuka, and the second battle of Corinth before arriving in Vicksburg.  This coming Sunday marks the 150th anniversity of their enlistment.  By the way, Hobolochitto is now known as Picayune, home of the 2011 5A State Football Champs.  Some of the players on this football team may count some of the Hancock Rebels as family.

Thoughts and comments

   With the new year a month old and Spring just around the corner my thoughts have turned to the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh.  I  began making plans to attend the events and logged on to the National Park Service Shiloh website.  Most of the events planned for April 6 and 7 are hiking events.  Anything from 1 mile to 4 -- 5 miles.  Also encouraged to bring  lunch, snacks, and water as some of the hikes are long and difficult.  My 70 year old body is very willing, however, my seemingly 90 year old legs have already begun to hurt.  Maybe if I begin to train now, by April I will be able to endure a 3 mile hike through difficult terrain. 
   Shiloh was great-grandfather James M. Polk's first battle and I am sure he got a real good look at the elephant in this bloody battle.  He managed to keep his head down and be in the right place at the right time to avoid getting shot or captured until the Battle of Franklin.  Great-grandfather was one of the many captured at Franklin and sent to prisoner of war camp until released at the end of the war.

Time to Return

It has been several months since I was able to write anything on this blog.  I have had several doctor appointments and an ear surgery but it appears that most of these are now in the past.  I plan to return to comments, etc. in the next day or so -- please stay tuned.

Enlistment Anniversaries

At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard gave the order to open fire on Fort Sumter.  Thus began the war that pitted American against American and brought destruction to many of the southern states.

   This year we are remembering the 150^th anniversaries of the events of 1861 and how our country was torn apart during the next four years.  Divisions were created and wounds opened, some of which have yet to heal.  In 1964, when this boy from St. Louis, Missouri married a beautiful girl from south Mississippi her grandmother almost disowned her.  Her grandmother’s father-in-law was a Confederate veteran of the Army of Tennessee and had fought beginning in Shiloh and ending with his capture at Franklin.  The years have been kind to this Missouri boy and the only thing that is keeping him from being considered a “native Mississippian” is that my grandfather was not born or raised in Mississippi.  August and September mark the anniversary of the organization of two companies of Confederate soldiers In South Mississippi.

   On 1 August 1861, a group of men were organized and mustered into State Militia Service in Mississippi at the small coastal town of Shieldsboro (now known as Bay St. Louis, MS). John J. Bradford (a lawyer) and some of his friends had enlisted a group of men from the Gainesville, MS area in answer to Gov. Pettus’ call to arms following Fort Sumter.  The group was known as the “Gainesville Volunteers” and became Company G of the Third Regiment Mississippi Infantry. Originally stationed on the Mississippi Coast they would later see action at Vicksburg, Jackson, and Atlanta.

   On 17 September 1861 another group of men enlisted in Covington County, Mississippi to fight the expected invasion of their homeland.  They became known as the “Covington Rangers” under the leadership of Captain John T. Fairley.  Most of the men in this group were from Mt. Carmel, Jaynesville and the surrounding area of south Mississippi.  Mustered into State Service in Shieldsboro, MS they became Company I of the Seventh Regiment Mississippi Infantry.  Originally stationed on the Coast at Camp Clark with the Third Regiment they were ordered to Tennessee and fought at Shiloh with General Albert Sidney Johnston and General Beauregard.  Following Shiloh and Corinth the Seventh went with General Braxton Bragg and served with the Army of Tennessee until its surrender in April, 1865.

   Another confederate company of interest was also enlisted from the same general area as the Gaines Volunteers.  They became Company C, 38th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry.  Since they did not muster into service until March, 1862 we'll wait untill March, 2012 to discuss their enlistment anniversary. 

Carlos F. Alexander, private

Carlos F. Alexander:

Born 1842, Died 1920 in Poplarville, MS, Buried Juniper Grove Cemetery, Poplarville

Father: Francis (Francisco) Alexander
Mother: Anna Rester
Married 1^st: Mary Elizabeth Cooper 26 May 1864

Children:
·         Lemuel (1865 – 1942)
·         Jane (1867 -- )
·         Turner (1869 --)
·         Louisa Elizabeth (1871 – 1952)
·         Mazaline (1873 --)
·         George Rayburn (1875 -- )
·         James ? (1877 -- )
Married 2^nd: Elizabeth Jarrell 21 August 1889 (1900 census shows they had been married 11 years)

Civil War Record:
          Enlisted in Gainesville Volunteers at Shieldsboro in October 1861, Present on muster roll for July/August 1862; present October/November 1862; present January/February 1863; absent without leave since May 17 1863 on July/August 1863 return.
   May 17^th is the day after the Battle of Champion Hill (Baker’s Creek).  Several members of Company G are reported absent without leave since May 17^th. Many of those absent returned, however, some did not. Family tradition holds that Carlos was wounded and came home to Gainesville never to return.  Carlos may have been one of the 72 inside Vicksburg.  However, there is no record of his being paroled after the surrender of Vicksburg.  If he had been with the main body of the Third there should be additional muster roll records.  It is entirely possible, especially since he married Mary Cooper on 26 May 1864 (in Hancock County before the end of the war), that he just walked away from the war.