Confederate General Martin Green posted his brigade near Magnolia Church with an outpost at the A.K. Shaifer House. Shortly after midnight, Green rode forward to check on his pickets and found Mrs. Shaffer and the ladies frantically piling their household effects on a wagon. He assured them there was no need to hurry because the Yankees could not possibly arrive before daybreak, but almost immediately musketry crashed and the ladies quickly departed for Port Gibson, leaving household effects behind. Outnumbered by Federal forces, the Confederates withdrew from position after position. About dark on May 1, 1863, they retreated through Port Gibson and, after crossing the suspension bridge over Little Bayou Pierre, burned it. On May 2, the Stars and Stripes were raised over the Claiborne County Courthouse. While Union engineers constructed a raft bridge across the stream, Union troops took a welcome break, and churches, inns, and houses were turned into hospitals to shelter the hundreds of wounded Yanks and Rebs. Union victory at the Battle of Port Gibson secured Grant’s bridgehead east of the Mississippi River.
