CHAMPION HILL (NORTH FLANK)
May 16, 1863
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
McPherson's corps had reached the field about 11 A.M., Logan's division in the lead, with Crocker a short
distance in the rear. As soon as Logan arrived, Hovey's two brigades were deployed on the left (southeast) of
the Clinton road, and two brigades of Logan's division formed on the right of the road, the third brigade being
held in reserve. Hovey's men immediately advanced, and, swinging their left flank forward, they began
climbing the eastern front of the hill under a heavy fire. The troops opposed to them were two brigades of
Stevenson's division. While Hovey had been forming his men and waiting for the arrival of McPherson,
Stevenson had noticed the concentration on his left flank, and had taken the brigade (Barton's) on his
extreme right and sent it in rear of his line to the extreme left to take position in the woods on Champion's Hill
facing north; the other two brigades (Lee's and Cumming's) had been marched by the left flank along the road,
and had taken position around the northeast point of the hill, where the Clinton road ascends it, and from
there to the left.
Hovey's attack led against the right flank of Stevenson's new position, and the men gradually fought their way
up the hill, driving back Cumming's brigade fully 600 yards, and capturing 11 guns, the horses of which had
nearly all been killed by the well-directed fire of Hovey's batteries posted near Champion's house. While
Hovey was making this attack, two brigades (J. E. Smith's and Leggett's) of Logan's division had advanced
against the northern slope of the hill on Hovey's right. They gradually and steadily drove the enemy before
them as they climbed the wooded slope; and, when their attack was well advanced, the third brigade
(Stevenson's) of this division, which had been kept in reserve for about an hour, was brought up on their right
and sent across a ravine, penetrating between Lee's and Barton's brigades, cutting off the latter from all
communication with the rest of his division, and capturing 7 guns.
Hovey maintained his position until about 2 P.M., when the enemy was heavily reinforced, and he was driven
back. In moving over to the left during the morning, Stevenson had notified Pemberton that the main attack
was evidently to be on his left flank, and, if successful, it would cut off the line of retreat to Edwards' Station.
He therefore intended to move as rapidly as possible to meet it, but, in so doing, he would necessarily leave
a gap between his division and Bowen's. On receipt of this, Pemberton ordered Bowen to follow Stevenson,
and keep this gap closed. Shortly after 2 P.M. Bowen closed up with Stevenson, and found Hovey's men in
possession of the crest of the hill and of the captured guns. The leading brigade (Cockrell's) was
immediately sent into action against Hovey, followed quickly by the other brigade (Green's).
Overpowered by superior numbers, Hovey's men were forced to give way; they fell back slowly, fighting
desperately for every foot, but were gradually driven down the hill, and back through the open fields around
Champion's house, losing all but two of the eleven guns which they had captured.
But by this time Crocker's division had come up, and, on an appeal from Hovey to Grant for reinforcements,
this division was ordered to support Hovey. These two divisions now moved forward again, driving the
Confederates before them, and for the third time contesting the possession of the slope of the hill.
In sight of this advance, Cumming's brigade, of Stevenson's division, broke and fled; Bowen's Missouri
troops made a desperate fight, but were finally forced to give way, losing five of the guns which had
previously been lost and recaptured. They made their retreat through a cross-road near that where they
had first formed in the morning, and, reaching the direct Raymond road, they retreated to the ford over
Baker's Creek. Stevenson's division was completely routed and broken up; Barton's brigade retreated across
Baker's Creek by the bridge on the Clinton road, hotly pursued by Logan's men, and Cumming's and Lee's
brigades fled in confusion to the Raymond road, and thence to the ford.
Union Army
McPherson
Take 9 Command Cards
You move first
Confederate Army
Stevenson
Take 8 Command Cards
Victory
16 Flags
Special Rules
- Remove the Construct Fieldworks card from the deck before play begins.
- The 3 Union flags mark Victory Banner locations for the Union if they occupy them.
-The 3 Confederate flags mark Victory Banner locations for the Confederates if they occupy them.
- Call for Reinforcements - Call for Reinforcements Card is played to setup new Units on the baseline in the
Union Left/ Confederate Right Section.
Confederate
1st play - Cokerell and 5 Infantry
2nd play - Green and 4 Infantry
subsequent plays have no effect
Union
1st play - Holmes and 3 infantry + 1 Artillery
2nd play - Boomer and 4 infantry + 1 artillery
subsequent plays have no effect
