Champion Hill Earthworks

[mt155]

I was able to walk some of the Champion Hill land that has been preserved by the American Battlefield Trust and came across these "works". I don't believe that they are from the battle itself but some time after

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

hm. Why would someone have put up earthworks later? Commemoration of the battle or some unknown utilitarian purpose?

 

[alan polk]

They would certainly not be from the battle. If, in fact, they are entrenchments, my guess would be that they were constructed by Confederates during or even after the siege.

For all intents and purposes, once Vicksburg was besieged, the North ceded to the Confederates most of the region east of the Big Black River. However, we know that after the siege Grant sent forces across the Big Black on several occasions to deal with Johnston.

It would have made sense for Confederates to pre-construct works (probably for artillery) overlooking the Jackson Road's approach to Bakers Creek in order to impede such advances across the Big Black toward Jackson.

On the other hand, I've seen skidder tracks left over from old logging operations that often resemble trenches years later.

 

[UCVRelics]

I'm leaning post war and part of the mining operations that took the top 30 feet of the original area. If you look the trees aren't that big.

 

[tony_gunter]

What is the location of these? I could probably tell you what they are if you showed me on a map.

 

[jackt62]

Impressive photos!

 

[mt155]

What is the location of these? I could probably tell you what they are if you showed me on a map.

The "X" is the Crossroads and the box is approx spot of the pictures.

Everyone please understand that this land is privately owned and I had permission to be there from the owner. In fact he is the one who walked that property with me.

 

[alan polk]

The "X" is the Crossroads and the box is approx spot of the pictures.

Everyone please understand that this land is privately owned and I had permission to be there from the owner. In fact he is the one who walked that property with me.

View attachment 332553

Nice pics, thanks for posting!

Unfortunately, there was little if any fighting in the boxed area shown in your post. It is east of Jackson Creek, and the Confederates abandoned that area earlier to secure defensive position west of Jackson Creek to the south and to a roadblock to the north. This vast area was vacated by Confederates or were never occupied by Confederates.

That area was indeed crisscrossed by farm roads but had no strategic value during Champion Hill, at least warranting construction of earthworks, North or South, and I see no strategic value in the area for events subsequent to the battle. The focus in that area would be along the Middle and Raymond roads.

There certainly would have been troops through there on May 16, but they would have been from McClernand's corps maneuvering in order to open communication between the Middle Road to the north, where Carr and Osterhaus operated, and the Raymond Road to the south, where AJ Smith's and Blair's divisions were located.

My best guess is that the earthen works you are seeing are of agricultural significance.

 

[EJ Zander]

I checked topos back to 1938 and aerials back to 1971 of the area. The large pond was not there in 71. Two gravel pits are noted on the 1974 topo . The area in the box is open ground in 71 shows a arc shaped gully that is deep enough to cast a shadow into it. It then straightens out and runs roughly southwest for a short distance. Is that what we are talking about?

 

[tony_gunter]

There certainly would have been troops through there on May 16, but they would have been from McClernand's corps maneuvering in order to open communication between the Middle Road to the north, where Carr and Osterhaus operated, and the Raymond Road to the south, where AJ Smith's and Blair's divisions were located.

My best guess is that the earthen works you are seeing are of agricultural significance.

Yeah, that area would probably have been occupied by the right flank of Eugene A. Carr's division for *maybe* five hours on May 16. Bowen's left flank position would have been roughly half a mile to the west of that spot. I can see them throwing up something temporary to shield against artillery, but they wouldn't have had time to build anything that elaborate.