May 1 1862 = Enlisted - Co. K - 59th Tenn. Mtd.
Infantry Appeared on Company Muster Roll's Thru April of 1863
May 17 1863 = Captured at the retreat from the
Big Black River To Vicksburg, Miss. Held at Camp Morton, Ind. And sent to Fort
Delaware.
June 15 1863 = Received at Fort Delaware,
Delaware
July 1863 = Sent to City Point, Va.
for exchange
Sept 26 1863 = Transferred to Point Lookout, Md.
Paroled and Transferred
Feb 17 1865 = Appeared on Muster Roll at Camp
Lee near Richmond, Va.
Feb 18 1865 = Admitted to Receiving and Wayside
Hospital in Richmond for 40 days
June 14 1865 = Oath of Allegiance taken at
Chattanooga, Tn.
The following is a list of Civil War Battles fought by George S Hale
and Company "K". Information will include Location, Campaign, Dates, Principal
Commanders, Forces Engaged, Estimated Casualties and a Description of the
battle.
CWSAC Reference #: MS007
Other Names: None
Preservation Priority: I.3 (Class B)
Location: Hinds County
Campaign: Grant's Operations against Vicksburg (1862-63)
Date(s): May 12, 1863
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson [US]; Brig. Gen. John
Gregg [CS]
Forces Engaged: XVII Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee [US]; Gregg's
Task Force (equivalent to a brigade) [CS]
Estimated Casualties: 1,011 total (US 442; CS 569)
Description: Ordered by Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, Confederate
commander at Vicksburg, Brig. Gen. John Gregg led his force from Port Hudson,
Louisiana, to Jackson, Mississippi, and out to Raymond to intercept approaching
Union troops. Before dawn on May 12, Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson had his XVII
Army Corps on the march, and by 10:00 am they were about three miles from
Raymond. Gregg decided to dispute the crossing of Fourteen Mile Creek and
arrayed his men and artillery accordingly. As the Yankees approached, the Rebels
opened fire, initially causing heavy casualties. Some Union troops broke, but
Maj. Gen. John A. Logan rallied a force to hold the line. Confederate troops
attacked the line but had to retire. More Yankees arrived and the Union force
counterattacked. Heavy fighting ensued that continued for six hours, but the
overwhelming Union force prevailed. Gregg's men left the field. Although Gregg's
men lost the battle, they had held up a much superior Union force for a day.
Result(s): Union victory
CWSAC Reference #: MS009
Other Names: Bakers Creek
Preservation Priority: II.1 (Class A)
Location: Hinds County
Campaign: Grant's Operations against Vicksburg (1862-63)
Date(s): May 16, 1863
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Ulysses S.
Grant [US]; Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton [CS]
Forces Engaged: Army of the Tennessee (three corps) [US]; Department
of Mississippi and East Louisiana [CS]
Estimated Casualties: 6,757 total (US 2,457; CS 4,300)
Description: Following the Union occupation of Jackson,
Mississippi, both Confederate and Federal forces made plans for future
operations. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston retreated, with most of his army, up the
Canton Road, but he ordered Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, commanding about 23,000
men, to leave Edwards Station and attack the Federals at Clinton. Pemberton and
his generals felt that Johnston's plan was dangerous and decided instead to
attack the Union supply trains moving from Grand Gulf to Raymond. On May 16,
though, Pemberton received another order from Johnston repeating his former
directions. Pemberton had already started after the supply trains and was on the
Raymond-Edwards Road with his rear at the crossroads one-third mile south of the
crest of Champion Hill. Thus, when he ordered a countermarch, his rear,
including his many supply wagons, became the advance of his force. On May 16,
1863, about 7:00 am, the Union forces engaged the Confederates and the Battle of
Champion Hill began. Pemberton's force drew up into a defensive line along a
crest of a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. Pemberton was unaware that one Union
column was moving along the Jackson Road against his unprotected left flank. For
protection, Pemberton posted Brig. Gen. Stephen D. Lee's men atop Champion Hill
where they could watch for the reported Union column moving to the crossroads.
Lee spotted the Union troops and they soon saw him. If this force was not
stopped, it would cut the Rebels off from their Vicksburg base. Pemberton
received warning of the Union movement and sent troops to his left flank. Union
forces at the Champion House moved into action and emplaced artillery to begin
firing. When Grant arrived at Champion Hill, around 10:00 am, he ordered the
attack to begin. By 11:30 am, Union forces had reached the Confederate main line
and about 1:00 pm, they took the crest while the Rebels retired in disorder. The
Federals swept forward, capturing the crossroads and closing the Jackson Road
escape route. One of Pemberton's divisions (Bowen's) then counterattacked,
pushing the Federals back beyond the Champion Hill crest before their surge came
to a halt. Grant then counterattacked, committing forces that had just arrived
from Clinton by way of Bolton. Pemberton's men could not stand up to this
assault, so he ordered his men from the field to the one escape route still
open: the Raymond Road crossing of Bakers Creek. Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman's
brigade formed the rearguard, and they held at all costs, including the loss of
Tilghman. In the late afternoon, Union troops seized the Bakers Creek Bridge
and, by midnight, had occupied Edwards. The Confederates were in full retreat
towards Vicksburg. If the Union forces caught these Rebels, they would destroy
them.
Result(s): Union victory
CWSAC Reference #: MS010
Other Names: Big Black
Preservation Priority: II.2 (Class B)
Location: Hinds County and Warren County
Campaign: Grant's Operations against Vicksburg (1862-63)
Date(s): May 17, 1863
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand [US]; Brig. Gen.
John S. Bowen [CS]
Forces Engaged: XIII Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee [US];
Bridgehead Defense Force (three brigades) [CS]
Estimated Casualties: 2,273 total (US 273; CS 2,000)
Description: Reeling from their defeat at Champion Hill, the
Confederates reached Big Black River Bridge, the night of May 16-17. Lt. Gen.
John C. Pemberton ordered Brig. Gen. John S. Bowen, with three brigades, to man
the fortifications on the east bank of the river and impede any Union pursuit.
Three divisions of Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand's XIII Army Corps moved out from
Edwards Station on the morning of the 17th. The corps encountered the
Confederates behind breastworks and took cover as enemy artillery began firing.
Union Brig. Gen. Michael K. Lawler formed his 2nd Brigade, Carr's Division,
which surged out of a meander scar, across the front of the Confederate forces,
and into the enemy's breastworks, held by Vaughn's East Tennessee Brigade.
Confused and panicked, the Rebels began to withdraw across the Big Black on two
bridges: the railroad bridge and the steamboat dock moored athwart the river. As
soon as they had crossed, the Confederates set fire to the bridges, preventing
close Union pursuit. The fleeing Confederates who arrived in Vicksburg later
that day were disorganized. The Union forces captured approximately 1,800 troops
at Big Black, a loss that the Confederates could ill-afford. This battle sealed
Vicksburg's fate: the Confederate force was bottled up at Vicksburg.
Result(s): Union victory