Battle of Grand Gulf Facts

Date and Location

• April 29, 1863
• Claiborne County, Mississippi (roughly 30 miles south of Vicksburg)

Campaign

• Vicksburg Campaign

Principal Union Commanders

• Major General Ulysses S. Grant
• Rear Admiral. David D. Porter

Principal Confederate Commanders

• Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton
• Brigadier General John S. Bowen

Union Forces Engaged

• Mississippi Squadron and Companies
• Soldiers detached from the 58th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the 29th Illinois Infantry Regiment

Confederate Forces Engaged

• Bowen’s Division

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

• Undetermined

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

• Undetermined

Estimated Union Casualties

• 76 (19 killed, 67 wounded)

Estimated Confederate Casualties

• 22 (3 killed, 19 wounded)

Result

• Confederate victory

Significance

• Grand Gulf featured two Confederate fortifications, Fort Cobun and Fort Wade, connected by a line of rifle pits.
• Rear Admiral David D. Porter’s squadron at the Battle of Grand Gulf consisted of seven gunboats including the Benton, Lafayette, Tuscumbia, Carondelet, Louisville, Mound City, and Pittsburgh.
• In addition to their naval crews, Rear Admiral David D. Porter’s ships at the Battle of Grand Gulf were reinforced by soldiers from 58th Ohio and 29th Illinois infantry regiments.
• The Battle of Grand Gulf lasted roughly five and one-half hours, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• During the Battle of Grand Gulf, Rear Admiral David D. Porter’s gunboats silenced Fort Wade and killed its commanding artillery officer, Colonel William Wade.
• During the Battle of Grand Gulf the strategically elevated Fort Cobun, proved unassailable.
• During the Battle of Grand Gulf, Confederate artillerists put the Tuscumbia out of action and temporarily disabled the Benton.
• The Confederate victory proved to be inconsequential. Later that night, Grant marched his troops down the Louisiana side of the Mississippi past Grand Gulf and crossed the river at Bruinsburg to begin his assault on Vicksburg.

Timeline of the Vicksburg Campaign

These are the main battles and events of the Vicksburg Campaign in order.

• December 26–29, 1862 — Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
• February 3–April 8, 1863 — Yazoo Pass Expedition
• March 11–18, 1863 — Battle of Fort Pemberton
• April 29, 1863 — Battle of Grand Gulf
• May 1, 1863 — Battle of Port Gibson
• May 12, 1863 — Battle of Raymond
• May 14, 1863 — Battle of Jackson
• May 16, 1863 — Battle of Champion Hill
• May 17, 1863 —  Battle of Big Black River Bridge
• May 25–July 4, 1863 — Siege of Vicksburg
• July 4, 1863 — Surrender at Vicksburg
• July 4, 1863  — Battle of Helena