(3-01) Enlarge Hardscrabble Crossroads. View looking north up old US-61, the wartime main road between Vicksburg and Port Gibson. Confederates withdrawing from Grand Gulf turned north here crossing the Big Black River at Hankinson's Ferry, 3½ miles north
 

(3-01) Enlarge Kennison Creek. One mile south of Hardscrabble Crossroads. View looking south. Cockrell's Confederate Brigade was deployed nearby overlooking the creek to cover Loring's crossing of the Big Black at Hankinson's Ferry

(3-01) Enlarge Willows (wartime Willow Springs). View looking east up Old Port Gibson Road. Historic McCaa Road from Grindstone Ford at right. Historic Ingleside Road at left. McClernand's XIII Corps camped here May 3-7
 
August 2009 historical marker rededication: Skirmish at Willow Springs

(3-08) Enlarge Willows (wartime Willow Springs). Junction of Old Port Gibson Road, McCaa Road and Ingleside Road. Old Port Gibson Road runs from left to right across the picture. View to the south from Ingleside Road

(3-08) Enlarge Willows (wartime Willow Springs). McCaa Road 0.1 mi. south of Old Port Gibson Road, view looking south. McCaa Road crossed Bayou Pierre on a suspension bridge at Grindstone Ford. The action on the road and at the bridge site is explained in the marker at right

(3-2020) Enlarge Interpretive Marker at Willows (wartime Willow Springs)
 
SKIRMISH AT WILLOW SPRINGS
 
When Union Gen. J. B. McPherson's XVII Corps reached Grindstone Ford, 2 miles south of here at dusk on May 2, 1863, the troops found the bridge across Big Bayou Pierre burning. Col. J. H. Wilson and a detachment put out the fire. During the night the Federals repaired the bridge.
 
Col. A. E. Reynolds' Mississippians reached Willow Springs during the night, took position on the bluffs overlooking the bottom, and waited for the Yankees to cross the river. Gen. J. A. Logan's division spearheaded the Union advance on May 3. Confederate artillery opened as the bluecoats scaled the escarpment, forcing Logan to halt and deploy. Seeing he was terribly outnumbered Reynolds pulled back and set up a roadblock at Ingraham's plantation ½ mile northeast of here, where he was reinforced. Pushing on, the Federals, after a spirited clash, drove the Rebels from Ingraham's and back toward Hankinson's Ferry.
 
While Gen. U.S. Grant regrouped his army and waited for Gen. W. T. Sherman's arrival, troops of McClernand's XIII Corps camped here from May 3 to 7. Union foragers visited the neighboring plantation, seizing food and supplies.

(3-2020) Enlarge Junction of Old Port Gibson Road and old US-61 (wartime route to Vicksburg). The wartime route is on the left. Old Port Gibson Road continues approximately 5.7 mi. to the Rocky Springs town site.

(3-2020) Enlarge One of two Interpretive Markers at the road junction
 
FIGHT FOR HANKINSON'S FERRY
 
As Logan's division marched west toward Grand Gulf on May 3, 1863, M. M. Crocker's division moved toward Hankinson's Ferry. At Kennison Creek, one mile north, the road was blocked by two Confederate brigades. After a spirited skirmish, the Confederates fell back across the Big Black. On May 4, Grant established his headquarters three and a half miles north at Mrs. Bagnell's and sent reconnaissance forces toward Vicksburg and Jackson. On May 6, Grant decided to move northeast toward the railroad east of Vicksburg.

(3-2020) Enlarge Other Interpretive Marker at the junction of Old Port Gibson Road and old US-61 (wartime route to Vicksburg)
 
GRANT AT HANKINSON'S FERRY
 
After occupying Willow Springs on May 3, 1863, Gen. U. S. Grant divided his force. The XVII Corps advanced on Hankinson s Ferry 5 miles north of here in two columns. Gen. M. M. Crocker's division driving up this road encountered a Confederate roadblock held by Col. F. M. Cockrell's Missourians on Kennison Creek. After a spirited clash in which Crocker was compelled to use 5,000 troops, the Rebels fell back. Covered by Cockrell's stand, the Confederate army had retired across the Big Black.
 
The 20th Ohio reached Hankinson's Ferry just as the Rebel engineers were preparing to destroy the flatboat-bridge. While Capt. S. De Golyer's Union guns roared, the Ohioans charged over the bridge, scattering the Confederates. Possession of the bridge enabled Grant to send patrols across the Big Black and up the Vicksburg road. Such thrusts helped confuse the Confederate leaders about Federal intentions.
 
The XVII Corps camped in these fields south of the river from May 3-7. From May 4-7, Grant's headquarters were at Hankinson's Ferry.

(3-01) Enlarge Grindstone Ford at Bayou Pierre. View looking north from post Civil War bridge approach. Remains of wartime bridge approach are below near the trees. Following the May 1 battle of Port Gibson, Baldwin's Confederate Brigade marching to rejoin Bowen's command near Grand Gulf, crossed the suspension bridge here at midnight firing it behind them. The next day Federal forces extinguished the flames and found the bridge only partially destroyed. After completion of repairs early morning of May 3, the Federals crossed Bayou Pierre running into a Confederate roadblock south of  Willow Springs on McCaa Road