Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in to the 290th episode of our Civil War podcast.

I'm Rich.

And I'm Tracy.

Hello y'all.

Welcome to the podcast.

As y'all recall, when we left off last time, it was the morning of May 12, 1863, and

met first since 17th Corps as the right wing of Grant's Army was marching toward the town

of Raymond.

Shortly before 10 o'clock that morning, just southwest of Raymond, Federal infantry from

major General John Logan's division, talked to Rich and moved into the valley of 14-mile

creek.

Suddenly, artillery and musket fire lashed out at the Yankees from the woods lining the

nearly dry streambed.

Logan's Federals had run into Brigadier General John Gregg's Confederates and the opening

shots of the Battle of Raymond had just been fired.

As y'all recall, the Confederate commander John Pemberton had ordered Gregg to march

from Jackson, the state capital, to Raymond, and with his single brigade of 3,000 men,

strike the Federals in the flank or rear as they moved past, heading north toward the

railroad.

Of course, while Pemberton expected Gregg to strike that blow at the enemy, Pemberton

himself would stay safely behind the big black river off to the west, with his main force

of about 38,000 men.

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