At Champion Hill, a battle that surged back and forth for hours and became known as the hill of death, Union reinforcements forced Pemberton to order a retreat. With his army in danger of being trapped, he received word that the lower Bakers Creek bridge, destroyed in recent rains, had just been rebuilt, and he directed the army there while ordering two batteries and Gen. Lloyd Tilghman's brigade of Loring's Division to hold on the Raymond Road until the Confederates crossed safely. Loring's Division was unable to cross and never rejoined Pemberton's army. The next day, west of Edwards along the Big Black River, portions of both armies fought again as Confederates defended the railroad bridge from behind earthworks in hopes of giving Loring's Division time to cross. Union troops overran the position, the Confederates fled across the river and burned the bridge behind them, and Pemberton's army narrowly escaped into the defenses of Vicksburg.