(3-01) Enlarge Mt. Moriah. Junction of Middle Road (wartime Telegraph Road), Mt. Moriah Road (right) and Smith Station Road (out of the picture at left). View looking north from Middle Road. The Middle and Smith Station Roads end at this junction. Mt. Moriah Road continues on to Edwards

(3-01) Enlarge Old Port Gibson Road crossing of Fourtenmile Creek (trees in background). View looking east. Sherman's two divisions left Old Auburn the morning of May 12. Approaching Fourteenmile Creek, Sherman's cavalry screen was fired upon by Confederate cavalry hid in the trees lining the creek. After the Federals advanced a battery, and formed a battle line, the Confederates  withdrew burning the bridge behind them

(2-2020) Enlarge Interpretive Marker: Contested Crossing.  Old Port Gibson Road crossing of Fourteenmile Creek mentioned in photo narrative above right. View is looking east

(2-2020) Enlarge Interpretive Marker at the Fourteenmile Creek bridge
 
CONTESTED CROSSING
 
On the morning of May 12, 1863, Grant and Sherman arrived here with two divisions of the XV Corps and found the bridge across Fourteenmile Creek ablaze. A brisk firefight ensued between a detachment of Wirt Adams' Mississippi cavalry, posted on the east side of the creek, and the 4th Iowa Cavalry. In order to drive off the Confederates, Wood's Brigade of Steele's Division and a six-gun Union battery went into action. By 11:00 a.m., the bridgehead was secured and the XV Corps moved into position.

(3-01) Enlarge Dillon Farm site. View looking southeast from Old Port Gibson Road. After the skirmish at Fourteenmile Creek, Sherman's two divisions camped here at Dillon Farm. Grant established his headquarters here the night of May 12 and learned of the battle earlier that day at Raymond

(2-2020) Enlarge Interpretive Marker: Change of Plans. Dillon Farm site

(2-2020) Enlarge Interpretive Marker: Change of Plans. Dillon Farm site
 
CHANGE OF PLANS
 
On May 12, 1863, Grant made his headquarters here at Dillon's Farm with Sherman's XV Corps. At Raymond , five and a half miles east along Fourteenmile Creek, McPherson's XVII Corps, with 12,000 men, defeated 3,000 Confederates under John Gregg. Grant heard the guns at Raymond and at sundown learned that McPherson was victorious. Realizing that Confederate forces were now on both his left and right flanks, however, Grant changed his planned movement north and ordered the army to wheel toward Jackson.

(2-2020) Enlarge Dillon Farm site. Old abandoned house, a modern home and other farm structures

(2-2020) Enlarge Old abandoned house at the Dillon Farm site. If anyone knows the history of this old structure please contact me