Jackson Expedition
Encyclopedia
The Jackson Expedition occurred in the aftermath of the surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi in July 1863. Union
Maj. Gen.
William T. Sherman led the expedition to clear General Joseph E. Johnston
's relief effort from the Vicksburg area.
, one of the intermediate battles was the Battle of Jackson on May 14, 1863, in which Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
's Army of the Tennessee
captured the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi
, but then evacuated it to move west toward Vicksburg. During the Siege of Vicksburg Johnston had been gathering troops at Jackson, intending to relieve pressure on Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton
's beleaguered garrison. Johnston cautiously advanced his 30,000 soldiers toward the rear of Grant's army surrounding Vicksburg. In response, Grant ordered Sherman to deal with Johnston's threat.
and Champion's Hill battlefields with Sherman in pursuit. Sherman had with him the IX Corps, XV Corps, XIII Corps, and a detachment of the XVI Corps.
Jacob G. Lauman ordered a brigade under Col. Isaac C. Pugh
to attack the Confederate works manned by Brig. Gen. Daniel W. Adams's brigade. As a result Lauman was relieved of command for failing to properly carry out the orders of his superior Maj. Gen. E.O.C. Ord
, which resulted in heavy casualties. Instead of risking entrapment Johnston chose to evacuate the state capital and withdrew on July 16. Sherman's forces occupied the city the following day.
The capture of the city effectively ended the last threat to Vicksburg.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William T. Sherman led the expedition to clear General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
's relief effort from the Vicksburg area.
Background
In the Vicksburg CampaignVicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
, one of the intermediate battles was the Battle of Jackson on May 14, 1863, in which Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
's Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
captured the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, but then evacuated it to move west toward Vicksburg. During the Siege of Vicksburg Johnston had been gathering troops at Jackson, intending to relieve pressure on Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton
John C. Pemberton
John Clifford Pemberton , was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars and with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, noted for his defeat and surrender in the critical Siege of Vicksburg in...
's beleaguered garrison. Johnston cautiously advanced his 30,000 soldiers toward the rear of Grant's army surrounding Vicksburg. In response, Grant ordered Sherman to deal with Johnston's threat.
Expedition
By July 1, 1863, Johnston's force was in position along the Big Black River. Sherman used the newly arrived IX Corps to counter this threat. On July 5, the day after the surrender of Vicksburg was made official, Sherman was free to move against Johnston. Johnston hastily withdrew his force across the Big Black RiverBattle of Big Black River Bridge
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. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C...
and Champion's Hill battlefields with Sherman in pursuit. Sherman had with him the IX Corps, XV Corps, XIII Corps, and a detachment of the XVI Corps.
Siege of Jackson
On July 10 the Union Army had taken up position around Jackson. The heaviest fighting came on July 11 during an unsuccessful Union attack. Brig. Gen.Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Jacob G. Lauman ordered a brigade under Col. Isaac C. Pugh
Isaac C. Pugh
Isaac Campbell Pugh was a United States volunteer soldier who was a veteran of the Black Hawk War, Mexican War and American Civil War rising to the rank of Brevet brigadier general.-Early life:...
to attack the Confederate works manned by Brig. Gen. Daniel W. Adams's brigade. As a result Lauman was relieved of command for failing to properly carry out the orders of his superior Maj. Gen. E.O.C. Ord
Edward Ord
Edward Otho Cresap Ord was the designer of Fort Sam Houston, and a United States Army officer who saw action in the Seminole War, the Indian Wars, and the American Civil War. He commanded an army during the final days of the Civil War, and was instrumental in forcing the surrender of Confederate...
, which resulted in heavy casualties. Instead of risking entrapment Johnston chose to evacuate the state capital and withdrew on July 16. Sherman's forces occupied the city the following day.
The capture of the city effectively ended the last threat to Vicksburg.
Further reading
- Gue, Benjamin F. Vol. 4. Iowa Biography, 1903.
- Korn, Jerry, and the Editors of Time-Life Books. War on the Mississippi: Grant's Vicksburg Campaign. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1985. ISBN 0-8094-4744-4.