Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 1

[208] deep and difficult ravines, and the ground, where not opened for cultivation, is grown up with heavy timber and an underbrush of cane; the roads are few, and run along the ridges, making it impossible to deploy any considerable portion of the troops at once. The road to Port. Gibson divides upon the battlefield, branching in exactly opposite directions, but the branches soon converge again, a little west of the town. The enemy was in position across both these roads (never more than two miles apart), and the attacking party was thus obliged to follow, separated by steep ravines, that were choked up with magnolia-trees and tangled with bamboo and vine. A very small force could in this way retard the progress of a much larger one for hours.

McClernand, however, bringing up his rear divisions, developed his whole force as rapidly as the country allowed. On the right, were the divisions of Hovey, Carr, and A. J. Smith, and on the left, the division of Osterhaus, all in the Thirteenth corps. The national troops faced east, and as soon as the glimmering of the rising sun and the smoke of the previous skirmishing had ceased to blind their eyes, the battle began. In less than an hour, nearly the whole command was engaged. The artillery fire was heard at the landing, eight miles off, and Grant started at once for the front, arriving on the field at ten A. M., on a borrowed horse, and with no escort but his staff. He immediately assumed direct command.