Battle of Raymond

By the time of the Civil War, the Natchez Trace had lost its significance as a national road, but a section running from Port Gibson toward Jackson veered from the original Trace to reach Raymond. In the spring of 1863, General U.S. Grant marched his Union army over this route after crossing the Mississippi and taking Port Gibson. On May 12, Grant’s forces drew fire from a Confederate brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Gregg on the southern edge of Raymond, three miles east of here. After a day of bitter fighting, the Confederates retreated toward Jackson, leaving their wounded in the county courthouse. This battle convinced Grant of the need to take Jackson in order to assure success of his forthcoming siege of Vicksburg.

Mississippi · United States