The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 28 acres at Big Black River Bridge Battlefield. Next Big Black River Bridge Battle Image: Images of Big Black River Bridge. The remains of the original Civil War Bridge were still visible as of a few years ago. Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton ordered Brig. Big Black River, battle of, 17 May 1863. The Battle of Big Black River Bridge, or Big Black, fought May 17, 1863, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. US Hwy 80 parallels Interstate I-20 from Vicksburg through Jackson and on to Meridian at the Alabama state line. Detailed map indicating "confederate works," Union troop positions and names of commanders, artillery positions, roads, "Vicksburg and Jackson Rail Road," houses, fences, vegetation, and drainage. Here, Generals John Bowen and John Vaughn defended the east bank of the river and the bridge. On May 17, Federal forces under Gen. Michael Lawler routed the Confederates in a bayonet charge lasting only a few minutes. An artillery engagement ensued, followed by a brisk exchange of musketry by sharpshooters from both sides. On Thursday evening, [February 20th] about four o'clock, the central pier under the railroad bridge, at Big Black, fell from the pressure of the flood in that stream. The Battle of Big Black River Bridge the next day would be the final chance for Pemberton to escape. Watch later. This was a massive gamble. Battle of Big Black River, (May 17, 1863), American Civil War victory of Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant, who were pursuing Confederate troops under General John C. Pemberton toward Vicksburg, Mississippi.After his defeat at Champion’s Hill (May 16), Pemberton left 5,000 troops to make a stand on both sides of the Big Black River, while he withdrew with his main command to … The 17 May 1863 Battle of Big Black River Bridge, part of the Vicksburg Campaign, resulted from a Confederate Army attempt to slow Union pursuit as the Southerners retreated following their defeat at the Battle of Champion Hill. Battle of Big Black River Bridge - Civil War Battle of Big Black 5. Confederate losses at the Big Black River Bridge were not accurately reported, but 1,751 men, 18 cannon, and 5 battleflags were captured by the Federals. Review: June 14, 2020. Gen. John S. Bowen, with three brigades, to man the fortifications on the east bank of the river and impede any Union pursuit. Big Black River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi and a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Federals formed near the fortifications on the Confederate left while hidden from sight by a slight rise in the terrain known at the time as a “meander scar.” At the command, US forces charged across the short span of open ground to the Confederate line, overrunning the entire southern position in less than three minutes. Battle of Big Black River Bridge has been listed as one of the Warfare good articles under the good article criteria.If you can improve it further, please do so.If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it. Reeling from their defeat at Champion Hill, the Confederates reached Big Black River Bridge, the night of May 16-17. Gen. Michael Lawler formed his brigade and surged out of a cut near the river, across the front of the Confederate forces, and into their breastworks, held by John C. Vaughn’s East Tennessee Brigade. Big Black River, battle of, 17 May 1863. http://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/battle-of-black-river-bridge/, Mike Bunn, Historic Chattahoochee Commission. The Battle of Big Black River Bridge should have never happened. Old US-80, approximately 1 mi. History's Biggest Blunder | Battle of Big Black River Bridge Animated Battle Map - YouTube. Exact location unknown. Attempts to stop the Union advance at Champion Hill and Big Black River Bridge were unsuccessful. Battle of Big Black River Bridge Background. The Confederate line of entrenchments at the Big Black River Bridge was about a mile long and ran north to south inside a horseshoe-shaped curve on the east side of the river. A historical marker is on Old U.S. Route 80 one mile east of the bridge. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Flanked by swampy terrain, it was fronted by relatively flat, open ground. Inset: [Cross] section of parapet A. Battle of Big Black River Bridge May 17, 1863 By Rebecca Blackwell Drake Reeling from their defeat at Champion Hill on Saturday, May 16, 1863, the Confederates quickly retreated westward and reached the Big Black River bridge that night. He is detained on July 4, 1863 when Vicksburg surrenders. Please note that the locations and events listed on our itineraries do not reflect any potential closures due to COVID-19. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. The battle left the Confederate Army weakened and effectively bottled up inside the Vicksburg lines, cut off from supply. The Vicksburg to Jackson railroad was begun in 1833. Pemberton did not know this, and so decided to make a stand on the Big Black River, in an attempt to keep the bridges over the river open for his missing division. 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