The Battle of Champion Hill May 16, 1863

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The Battle of Champion HillMay 16, 1863

• Cadet Cook, Daniel

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Agenda

• Decisive Point
• Major General Grant
• Lieutenant General Pemberton
• Various Plans and Concepts
• The Battle
• Maneuver
• Results

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Decisive Point

• A geographic place, specific key event, or
  enabling system that allows commanders to gain a
  marked advantage over an enemy and greatly
  influence the outcome of an attack.
• FM 3-0

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Champion Hill as the Decisive Point

• Vicksburg National Military Park website calls
  Champion Hill The decisive engagement of the
  Vicksburg campaign and concludes that victory
  at Champion Hill guaranteed the success of
  Grants campaign.
• http//www.nps.gov/vick/vcmpgn/chmpnhl.htm

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Unity of Effort and Objective?

• Gen. Joseph E. Johnstons Concept
• - Leave Edwards Station and attack Federals
  at Clinton
• Pembertons Concept
• - Johnstons plan too dangerous and conflicts
  with President Davis order to defend Vicksburg
• - Decides to attack supply trains instead

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Battle Begins

• Grant receives word Pemberton is at Edwards
  Station preparing to march east
• Grant advances west from Bolton and Raymond on
  three parallel columns
• 700 am Union forces engage Confederates
• Battle of Champion Hill begins

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Confederate Forces

• Defensive line focuses on Middle and Raymond
  Roads
• Federals use Jackson Road, taking advantage of
  the unprotected Confederate left flank
• Pemberton has to shift forces which creates a gap
  at the Crossroads
• Failure of principle of war of security

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Road Network
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Federal Forces

• 1000 am attack
• 100 pm overtook Confederate defensive line
• Captured Crossroads, closed escape route Jackson
  Road

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Confederates Counterattack

• Pembertons division under Brigadier General
  Bowen counterattacks near the Crossroads, but
  with insufficient numbers
• Fails principle of war of mass

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Federals Counterattack

• All morning the Federals had been told to move
  cautiously
• Now Grant pushes them forward aggressively
• Follows principle of war of offensive
• Confederates retreat to only escape route still
  open (Raymond Road crossing of Bakers Creek)

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Confederates Retreat

• Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman provides rear guard
• Tilghman killed and his brigade becomes cut off
  from Edwards
• Confederates continue retreat towards Vicksburg

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Maneuver

• As both an element of combat power and a
  principle
• of war, maneuver concentrates and disperses
  combat
• power to place and keep the enemy at a
  disadvantage. It
• includes the dynamic, flexible application of
  leadership,
• firepower, information, and protection as well.
• Achieves results that would otherwise be more
  costly
• Keeps enemies off balance by making them confront
  new problems and new dangers faster than they can
  deal with them.

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Champion Hill and Maneuver
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Federal Victory

• Gained control of the Bakers Creek bridge
• 800 pm entered Edwards
• Guarantees campaign success

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Estimated Casualties

• 6,757 total
• 2,457 (Federals)
• 4,300 (Confederates)

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Was it the Decisive Point?

• Was Champion Hill the last chance for
  Confederates to avoid siege at Vicksburg?
• How did Grant use maneuver to put the
  Confederates in a position of Federal advantage?