The Battle of Raymond 12 May 1863

The Battle of Raymond was fought on 12 May 1863 in Raymond, Mississippi. It led to a Union victory and was between 12,000 Union soldiers, under Major General James B. McPherson, and 4,400 Confederates, under Brigadier General John Gregg. The Confederate commander at Vicksburg, Lieutenant General John Pemberton, wanted to form a defensive line at Fourteen Mile Creek, Raymond 26 miles (42 km) south of Vicksburg, to thwart the Union advance on Mississippi’s capital, Jackson. On 11 May, Gregg was despatched to set up camp in Raymond, unaware that McPherson’s corps, led by General John Logan’s 3rd Brigade, were approaching from the southwest. Gregg sent a small raiding party to the Creek, where he was shocked to find that he was fighting an entire Union division, later compounded by the arrival of Logan’s brigade. Although the Confederates fought fiercely, they eventually crumbled under sustained artillery fire and disengaged, retreating towards Jackson.