Canton Expedition, 1863

[tony_gunter]

I was pondering Ed Bearss propensity for pooping all over McPherson for reasons I can't discern. In pondering his disdain for McPherson, I was reading back over the Canton Expedition of 1863. Background for the expedition:

Grant besieges Vicksburg with XIII, XV, and XVII Corps. Portions of XVI corps from north mississippi arrive as reinforcements, as well as IX Corps from Kentucky. Vicksburg falls. Rosecrans gets beat at Chickamauga. Army of Tennessee is dispersed:

IX Corps returns to Kentucky.
XIII Corps was dispersed to Banks.
XV Corps sent to reinforce Chattanooga.
XVI Corps returns to north Mississippi, portions detached to operate against Little Rock.
XVII Corps, Second Division only, sent to reinforce Chattanooga.

This leaves the remaining 3 divisions of XVII alone as garrison for the river between Natchez and Vicksburg, Maybe about 12,000 men.

Threatening this garrison in middle Mississippi is the following Confederate force:

Loring's Division (~5000 men)
French's Division (~3000 men)
Jackson's Cavalry Division (~3500 men)
John Logan (Confederate) Cavalry Brigade (600 men)

Distribution is as follows:
Jackson's Cavalry Division is guarding the south side of the Big Black River.
Logan is guarding the north side of the Big Black River
Loring -
Buford's Brigade is guarding Canton.
Adams Brigade is guarding Brandon.
Featherston is in Meridian
French - also in Meridian.

In early October, Hurlbut sends the following message to Grant.

Memphis, October 2, 1863—5 p. m. Brig. Gen. John A. Rawlins :
I have this moment learned that Loring is up at Okolona with his division. The cavalry [Jackson] from below are uniting with Chalmers and Richardson. They aim for our railroad, and to prevent re-enforcements. We are ready, but if attacked will lose some small posts. There are not less than 15,000, all told and of all arms, threatening the road.
S. A. HURLBUT

A complete red herring, obviously. Grant acts on the misinformation, ordering probing attacks from Grand Junction and Corinth down the railroads from the north, and also orders McPherson to attack Canton to draw these troops back south. McPherson quickly cobbles together an assault force with two of his three remaining infantry divisions supported by a brigade of cavalry, about 8,000 men total.

Unbeknowst to McPherson, Loring and Jackson are NOT in north Mississippi preparing to attack Sherman's rail line to Chattanooga. In fact, the cavalry raids in north mississippi have drawn Loring closer to Canton.

Adams Brigade is ordered to Canton.
Buford is ordered to send half his brigade to Grenada, leave the other half in Canton until relieved by Adams.

October 14th: McPherson crosses the Big Black River. Initial progress is decent, but Jackson gains significant superiority in cavalry as his troops consolidate against McPherson.
October 15th: Buford and Adams both ordered to concentrate at Canton.
October 16th: Featherston ordered to Canton.
October 17th: Ector and McNair are ordered to Canton.

At this point, McPherson is struggling to drive Jackson's Cavalry more than a few miles per day. Jackson will dismount in a strong defensive position, taking care to post defensive forces on every approach to his rear. McPherson is forced to call up the infantry, who arrive and deploy into line, at which point Jackson will fire a volley, mount back up, and withdraw to the next strong defensive position. As McPherson arrives at Livingston, his men score a major intelligence coup. An enemy colonel is captured in civilian clothing. Inside his house, they find his uniform carefully hidden under the floorboards. There's no written record of what information McPherson extracted from the interrogation, but the operational situation was this:

McPherson is sitting 30 miles beyond his supply line in enemy territory with 6500 infantry and 1500 cavalry (total effective 8,000).

Opposing him are 3400 cavalry, with 600 cavalry under Logan in supporting distance.. 10 miles away are 3500 infantry. Marching to their support are an additional 1500 infantry, with 3000 additional infantry on the way (total effective 12,000).

McPherson turns his force back to Vicksburg immediately, harassed by Jackson's cavalry the entire way.

Why is this a poor decision by McPherson?

 

[NedBaldwin]

It wasnt.
As you said Grant "orders McPherson to attack Canton to draw these troops back south" and when McPherson advanced those troops were held back south to oppose him. So operational success.

 

[tony_gunter]

It wasnt.
As you said Grant "orders McPherson to attack Canton to draw these troops back south" and when McPherson advanced those troops were held back south to oppose him. So operational success.

It's been a while since I looked, but the only record I could find of a Confederate colonel living in Livingston, MS was the head of the Hinds County Militia. I'm not sure how privy the militia would have been to the troops dispositions, but I'm assuming he would have known about the 3500 infantry already in Canton. That still pits McPherson against 7,000 effectives.

Bearss' Misfire in Mississippi suggests there was little standing between him and Canton.