til he came up
with the main force near Bolton. My despatch reached him at 7.10
A.M., and his advance division was in motion in one hour from
that time. A despatch was sent to Blair at the same time, to push
forward his division in the direction of Edward's Station with
all possible dispatch. McClernand was directed to establish
communication between Blair and Osterhaus, of his corps, and keep
it up, moving the former to the support of the latter. McPherson
was ordered forward at 5.45 A.M. to join McClernand, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson, of my staff, was sent forward to
communicate the information received, and with verbal
instructions to McClernand as to the disposition of his forces.
At an early hour I left for the advance, and on arriving at the
crossing of the Vicksburg and Jackson railroad with the road (p. 384)
from Raymond to Bolton, I found McPherson's advance and his
pioneer corps engaged in rebuilding a bridge on the former road
that had been destroyed by the cavalry of Osterhaus's division
that had gone into Bolton the night before. The train of Hovey's
division was at a halt, and blocked up the road from further
advance on the Vicksburg road. I ordered all quartermasters and
wagonmasters to draw their teams to one side and make room for
the passage of troops. McPherson was brought up by this road.
Passing to the front, I found Hovey's division of the thirteenth
army corps at a halt, with our skirmishers and the enemy's
pickets near each other. Hovey was bringing his troops into line,
ready for battle, and could have brought on an engagement at any
moment. The enemy had taken up a very strong position on a narrow
ridge, his left resting on a height where the road makes a sharp
turn to the left approaching Vicksburg. The top of the ridge and
the precipitous hill-side to the left of the road are covered by
a dense forest and undergrowth. To the right of the road the
timber extends a short distance down the hill, and then opens
into cultivated fields on a gentle slope and into a valley
extending for a considerable distance. On the road and into the
wooded ravine and hill-side Hovey's division was disposed for the
attack. McPherson's two divisions, all of his corps with him on
the march from Milliken's Bend (until Ransom's brigade arr