Reference Entry
BATTLE OF RAYMOND
On May 12th, 1863, Union troops under Major General James B. McPherson clash with a smaller Confederate force near the town of Raymond, Mississippi. The fight is part of Ulysses S. Grant’s bold move inland after crossing the Mississippi River south of Vicksburg, a fortress city anchoring Confederate control of the river.
Dated Historical Context
A RECORDED MOMENT IN HISTORY
Battle of Raymond opens the road to Vicksburg
On May 12th, 1863, Union troops under Major General James B. McPherson clash with a smaller Confederate force near the town of Raymond, Mississippi. The fight is part of Ulysses S. Grant’s bold move inland after crossing the Mississippi River south of Vicksburg, a fortress city anchoring Confederate control of the river. At Raymond, heavy skirmishing through rolling fields and ravines tests the discipline of new volunteers and veterans alike, but steady Union pressure eventually forces a Southern retreat. The victory convinces Grant that he faces scattered opponents rather than a unified army, and he shifts east toward Jackson to wreck rail lines and supplies. Over the next few days, Union forces will capture Jackson on May 14th, win a decisive battle at Champion Hill on May 16th, and smash defenders again at Big Black River Bridge on May 17th. The action that begins at Raymond on May 12th thus opens the campaign that will end with Vicksburg under siege and the Mississippi nearly in Union hands.
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