Sherman's
First division commander was Maj. Gen Frederick Steele, with now Maj Gen Frank P. Blair leading his Second, and Maj Gen James M. Tuttle leading the Third. Blair's Second division consisted of First
brigade commander Col Giles A. Smith, Second brigade by Col Thomas Kilby Smith, and the Third by Brig Gen Hugh Ewing. Steele's escorts were led by Companies A and
B of Capt Milo Thielemann's (Illinois) Battalion of
cavalry, and Blair's were led by Capt Daniel W. Ballou
and Lt Benjamin Joel, of Company C of Cornyn's 10th
Missouri Cavalry. Company C would not rejoin the regiment until October.
At Corinth,
Gen Dodge's Chief of Cavalry Cornyn's own 10th
Missouri Cavalry, and
especially Major Benteen, were commended for their
gallant performance of duty during the expedition. From that day on, the 10th Missouri
was known as the "Fighting Tenth" across northern Mississippi
and Alabama. Cornyn's
battalion stayed at Camp Sweeney
for three weeks, building cabins and getting mail from home that had finally
caught up with them. The men from the 10th were especially concerned with
events back in Missouri with guerrilla bands with the likes of William Quantrill, Jesse James, and Bloody Bill Anderson
proliferating across the state, most times only being confronted with Union
Enrolled Missouri Militia troops, with most regular and volunteer troops being
east of the Mississippi. The men of the 10th Missouri
were made a little
harder than the average Union soldier. They were fighting in other states, knowing
their families back at home were threatened by the lawless activity.
While Cornyn's
brigade were encamped at Camp Sweeney, Maj Gen Frank
P. Blair's division (and Company C) followed up the rear of Sherman's
Corps, protecting the supply trains and
reaching Raymond on May 12th, the battle there having been fought earlier that
same day. McPherson's Corps had taken
the lead from McClernand, with Maj. Gen John Logan's
third division first making contact with the Confederates near Fourteen Mile
Creek, just outside Raymond. McPherson took Raymond in a matter of two hours,
with the Confederates retreating towards the Capital of the state, Jackson,
Mississippi. After receiving reports that
the Confederate Commander of
Vicksburg,
Gen. Pemberton, was at Jackson,
Grant moves in that direction from Raymond, hoping to cut off that portion of
the Confederate army that was accompanying the Confederate general. He sent McPherson and Shermans' corps in advance, taking the capital city on May 15th and 16th.
Pemberton had escaped, rushing back to Vicksburg
along the railroad. With Sherman and two
of his divisions remaining at Jackson,
McPherson moved west along the Vicksburg/Jackson railroad towards Bolton
Station at Clinton, Mississippi
and from there, towards the railroad bridge over the Big Black River.
McClernand and his 13th Corps had remained at
Raymond, and as Blair reached the area with his division still escorting the
supply train, he was temporarily assigned to McClernand's
Corps, but was under direct commands from Grant. As McClernand
was ordered to move north from Raymond towards Edward's Depot on the
Vicksburg/Jackson line, Blair moved with one of McClernand's
divisions commanded by Brig Gen A.J.
Smith. On May 16th, Confederate Gen Pemberton moving
west along the railroad line, met McPherson's corps moving west from Jackson,
and McClernand's corps moving north from Raymond at
Edwards Station. The battle of Champion Hill/Baker's Creek was fought the same
day, with Gen. Hovey's Division of McClernand's Corps first meeting the Confederates at 10:30 that morning. The Confederates
counter-attacked about 2:30 in the
afternoon, failing and retreating west towards Vicksburg.
On May 17th, Blair's division was ordered by Grant to rejoin the second
division of Sherman's 15th Corps near
Bridgeport, just north of the Big Black River railroad bridge, which the
Confederates had destroyed and escaped into Vicksburg.
The next day, after laying pontoons and crossing the river, Grant's Army of the
Tennessee were in sight of the
Confederate works surrounding Vicksburg.
On May 18th, Blair
reported..."marching early morning, in sight of enemy's works by 4:00 p.m..
I took the advance, and marched to the intersection of the Jackson and
Benton Roads, and marched up Graveyard Road. Captain Daniel W. Ballou
(commanding his 10th Missouri Company C escort) was seriously wounded as we
drove in the pickets". Once Grant had his three corps consolidated, he
ordered an attack for the next day, May 19th.
His 45,000 man army faced Pemberton's well-entrenched 31,000 men. Sherman's
Corps was nearest to the city, marching up Graveyard
Road, so he was ordered to lead the attack, with
McPherson being to his left, a
