Reeling from their defeat at Champion Hill, the Confederates reached Big
Black River Bridge, the night of May 16-17. Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton ordered
Brig. Gen. John S. Bowen, with three brigades, to man the fortifications on
the east bank of the river and impede any Union pursuit. Three divisions of
Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand's XIII Army Corps moved out from Edwards Station
on the morning of the 17th. The corps encountered the Confederates behind
breastworks and took cover as enemy artillery began firing. Union Brig. Gen.
Michael K. Lawler formed his 2nd Brigade, Carr's Division, which surged out of
a meander scar, across the front of the Confederate forces, and into the
enemy's breastworks, held by Vaughn's East Tennessee Brigade. Confused and
panicked, the Rebels began to withdraw across the Big Black on two bridges:
the railroad bridge and the steamboat dock moored athwart the river. As soon
as they had crossed, the Confederates set fire to the bridges, preventing
close Union pursuit. The fleeing Confederates who arrived in Vicksburg later
that day were disorganized. The Union forces captured approximately 1,800
troops at Big Black, a loss that the Confederates could ill-afford. This
battle sealed Vicksburg's fate: the Confederate force was bottled up at
Vicksburg.