Indecision! Indecision! Indecision!/A Prompt Concentration of Our Forces

Indecision! Indecision! Indecision!/A Prompt Concentration of Our Forces. . May 14 , Dissension Among Pemberton's Generals – On his way to take command of the forces around Edwards Station, John C. Pemberton is handed a message from his commanding officer, Joseph E. Johnston, suggesting a move to destroy a federal force in Clinton. Unsure of his next course of action, Pemberton gathers his generals where there is open friction on the army's next course of action. Though reluctant to remove his force Grant and Vicksburg, Pemberton agrees to march the army south to Dillon's Plantation where they hope to cut off Grant's supply line and force the Federals inton fight. , Federals Move On Capital – After fighting a Confederate force at Raymond, Ulysses S. Grant demonstrated his adaptive nature and changed his plans again. Originally moving his army to Edwards Station to tear up the railroad, Grant shifted his focus by ordering James B. McPherson's corps to Clinton, before converging with William T. Sherman's corps to capture the state capitol of Jackson. Though his rain-soaked army made slow progress, Grant's forces captured Jackson. Grant's other corps under John A. McClernard kept an eye on the roads leading west to Vicksburg for Pemberton. , May 15 , Poor Planning Leads To Delays – Pemberton's lack of experience in an active campaign was demonstrated when his army did not have enough rations or ammunition. Instead of marching at an early hour, the army would wait while these crucial supplies were rushed by rail from Vicksburg. Leaving Edwards Station a 1:00PM, Pemberton's lack of reconnaissance failed to discover that the bridge over Baker's Creek was gone. The heavy rains from the previous day washed the span away forcing Pemberton to turn the army around and march over the Jackson Road throughout the evening and will passed [past] midnight. The exhausted Confederates fell into bivouac along the roads near Champion Hill when they halted for the night. , A Well-Rested, Confident Army – Sherman was ordered to remain in Jackson tearing up large sections of the railroad tracks, pulling down telegraph lines, and destroy[ing] all military stores. McClernand and McPherson began coordinating their movements to march east towards Edwards Station and Pemberton's army. The short marches this day allowed for Grant's army to refit, eat well, and rest for the imminent battle. Grant was in constant contact with McClernand and McPherson making sure their affairs were in order, then sent a brief message to updating [update] his current situation for maintaining communication with Washington. , May 16 , No Unity of Action – Receiving another message from Johnston to coordinate with him, Pemberton decides to turn his army around and march hack to Edwards Station. In relaying this new movement, Loring and Pemberton were outwardly cold to each other. Caught in this rearward movement, Carter Stevenson's division were pushed off Champion Hill and past the army's only line of retreat. An early afternoon counterattack by John Bowen's division temporarily regained the crossroads before being compelled to retreat by a newly reinforced Federal assault. Ordered to support Bowen, Loring balks, then halfheartedly brings his command to battle. Pemberton, realizing the army had been defeated, orders the retreat hack through Edwards Station and to the defenses of the Big Black River. Cut off from Pemberton on the east side of Baker's Creek, Loring marches south, finally linking up with Johnston in Jackson. , Come Up With Reasonable Promptness – Grant received intelligence of Pemberton's force and location from two railroad employees that passed through Edwards Station the night before. With this information, Grant recalled Sherman from Jackson, then moved with McPherson on the Jackson Road route. McClernand moved on the Middle and Raymond-Edwards Roads to find and destroy Pemberton's army. McClernand was ordered not to bring on a general engagement until the army was concentrated which caused hours of delay as communication slowed down when the battle began in the morning. Grant observed the fighting along Champion Hill and continued to adjust his battle plans as he needs arose. Federal reinforcements finally pushed the weary Confederates back over the ridge causing a precipitous retreat. The decisive battle for Vicksburg was a resounding Union victory and the beginning of the end of Confederate control of the Mississippi River.