Near Champion Hill in Hinds County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
The Battle of Champion Hill
Fight for the Crossroads
Photographed By Mark Hilton, October 24, 2017
1. The Battle of Champion Hill Marker
Inscription.
The Battle of Champion Hill. Fight for the Crossroads. The Crossroads is a junction formed by the Middle Road from the east, the Ratliff plantation road from the south and the Jackson Road from the north as it descends from the crest of Champion Hill and turns west. At 1:30 p.m. on May 16, 1863, Federal forces overran the crest of Champion Hill, one-half mile north, pushing back the Confederate forces of Stephen D. Lee and Alfred Cumming. James Slack's brigade of Alvin P. Hovey's Union division attacked the Crossroads from the northeast. The 24th Iowa captured the four guns of Waddell's Alabama Battery that had opposed Peter Osterhaus' and Eugene Carr's Union divisions approaching on the Middle Road. Frances Cockrell's Confederate brigade of Missourians and Arkansans counterattacked and drove the Federals back over the crest of Champion Hill. The Federals soon rallied and recaptured Champion Hill and the Crossroads. The outnumbered Confederates hastily retreated to the Big Black River. , Estimated Casualties: 2,441 Union and 3,851 Confederate.
The Crossroads is a junction formed by the Middle Road from the east, the Ratliff plantation road from the south and the Jackson Road from the north as it descends from the crest of Champion Hill and turns west. At 1:30 p.m. on May 16, 1863, Federal forces overran the crest of Champion Hill, one-half mile north, pushing back the Confederate forces of Stephen D. Lee and Alfred Cumming. James Slack's brigade of Alvin P. Hovey's Union division attacked the Crossroads from the northeast. The 24th Iowa captured the four guns of Waddell's Alabama Battery that had opposed Peter Osterhaus' and Eugene Carr's Union divisions approaching on the Middle Road. Frances Cockrell's Confederate brigade of Missourians and Arkansans counterattacked and drove the Federals back over the crest of Champion Hill. The Federals soon rallied and recaptured Champion Hill and the Crossroads. The outnumbered Confederates hastily retreated to the Big Black River.
Estimated Casualties: 2,441 Union and 3,851 Confederate.
Erected 2013 by the Champion Heritage Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is May 16, 1863.
Location. 32° 19.72′ N, 90° 31.8′ W. Marker is near Champion Hill, Mississippi, in Hinds
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County. Marker is at the intersection of Billy Fields Road and D J Johnson Road, on the left when traveling east on Billy Fields Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Billy Fields Road, Edwards MS 39066, United States of America. Touch for directions.
2. The Battle of Champion Hill Marker on far left.
Photographed By Mark Hilton, October 24, 2017
3. View south from marker towards DJ Johnson Road (former Ratliff Road).
Photographed By Mark Hilton, October 24, 2017
4. Sid Champion V - family that privately owns most of the battlefield.
Sid Champion the 5th, is the great-great-grandson of Sid and Matilda Champion, the original owners of the land the Battle of Champion Hill was fought on and descendants still own.
I just happened to meet Sid V at the marker and he provided me with a wealth of information about the battle in the area and took me to the Hill of Death nearby. Thank you Sid!!
Credits. This page was last revised on March 19, 2018. It was originally submitted on October 27, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 722 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 27, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
