On the 3d the enemy was pursued to Hawkinson's Ferry, with slight skirmishing all day, during which we took quite a number of prisoners, mostly stragglers from the enemy.
Finding that Grand Gulf had been evacuated, and that the advance of my forces was already fifteen miles out from there, and on the road, too, they would have to take to reach either Vicksburg, Jackson, or any intermediate point on the railroad between the two places, I determined not to march them back, but taking a small escort of cavalry, some fifteen or twenty men, I went to the gulf myself, and made the necessary arrangements for changing my base of supplies from Bruinsburg to Grand Gulf.
In moving from Milliken's Bend, the fifteenth army corps, Major-General W. T. Sherman commanding, was left to be the last to start. To prevent heavy re-enforcements going from Vicksburg to the assistance of the Grand Gulf forces, I directed Sherman to make a demonstration on Haines's Bluff, and to make all the show possible. From the information since received from prisoners captured this ruse succeeded admirably.
It had been my intention, up to the time of crossing the Mississippi river, to collect all my forces at Grand Gulf, and get on hand a good supply of provisions and ordnance stores before moving, and in the meantime to detach an army corps to co-operate with General Banks on Port Hudson and effect a junction of our forces.
About this time I received a letter from General Banks giving his position west of the Mississippi river, and stating that he could return to Baton Rouge by the 10th of May; that by the reduction of Port Hudson he could join me with 12,000 men.
I learned about the same time that troops were expected at Jackson from the southern cities with General Beauregard in command. To delay until the 10th of May, and for the reduction of Port Hudson after that, the accession of 12,000 men would not leave me relatively so strong as to move promptly with what I had. Information received from day to day of the movements of the enemy also impelled me to the course pursued. Whilst lying at Hawkinson's Ferry waiting for wagons, supplies, and Sherman's corps, which had come forward in the mean time, demonstrations were made, successfully, I believe, to induce the enemy to think that route and the one by Hall's Ferry above were objects of much solicitude to me. Reconnoissances were made to the west side of the Big Black to within six miles of Warrenton. On the 7th of May an advance was ordered, McPherson's corps keeping the road nearest Black river to Rocky Springs, McClernand's corps keeping the Ridge road, with his corps divided on the two roads. All the ferries were closely guarded until our troops were well advanced. It was my intention here to hug the Black river as closely as possible, with McClernand's and Sherman's corps, and get them to the railroad, at some place between Edward's Station and Bolton. McPherson was to move by way of Utica to Raymond, and from there into Jackson, destroying the railroad, telegraph, and public stores, etc., and push west to rejoin the main force. Orders were given to McPherson accordingly. Sherman was moved forward on the Edward's Station road, crossing Fourteen Mile creek at Dillon's Plantation; McClernand was moved across the same creek, further west, sending one division of his corps by the Baldwin's Ferry road as far as the river. At the crossing of Fourteen Mile creek both McClernand and Sherman had considerable skirmishing with the enemy to get possession of the crossing.
McPherson met the enemy near Raymond, two brigades strong under Gregg and Walker, on the same day engaged him, and after several hours hard fighting, drove him with heavy loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners. Many threw down their arms and deserted.
My position at this time was with Sherman's corps, some seven miles west of Raymond, and about the centre of the army.
On the night of the 12th of May, after orders had been given for the corps of McClernand and Sherman to march toward the railroads by parallel roads, the former in the direction of Edward's Station and the latter to a point on the railroad between Edward's Station and Bolton, the order was changed and both were directed to move toward Raymond.
This was in consequence of the enemy having retreated toward Jackson after his defeat at Raymond, and of information that re-enforcements were daily arriving at Jackson, and that General Joe Johnston was hourly expected there to take command in person. I therefore determined to make sure of that place and leave no enemy in my rear.