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(March 1993) Old Rodney Road crossing of Widows Creek,
view looking west. Shortly after midnight
on May 1 the Federal vanguard forded Widows Creek and climbed the long grade
to the Shaifer house. Site Marker: Union March from Bruinsburg.
After resting in a pleasant glen near Windsor on the afternoon of April, 30,
1863, the Union troops resumed the march. Gen. J. A. McClernand believed it
important to surprise the Confederates near Port Gibson. As the long column
tramped down this road many of the officers were afoot. Supplies were piled
on all sorts of wagons and carriages. Discipline was lax. Passing Bethel
Church, soldiers peppered away at the steeple. Guided by an old Negro, the
columns pushed on through the darkness. A Union soldier (First Sgt. Charles
A. Hobbs, 99th Illinois) wrote "as we pass along an old darkey gives us his
blessing, but fears there will be few of us ever to return. The moon is
shining above us and the road is romantic in the extreme. The artillery
wagons rattle forward and the heavy tramp of many men gives a dull but
impressive sound. In many places the road seems to end abruptly, but when we
come to the place we find it turning at right angles, passing through narrow
valleys, sometimes through hills, and presenting the best of opportunity to
the Rebels for defense if they had but known of our purpose |
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(March 2003) Another view from the
bridge, looking west. The creek is about the same level as it was ten years
ago |
