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an aggressive Quartermaster General, got the problem solved one way or another. And on April 29, 1863, a detachment of 50 mounted infantrymen (including Baxter) rode off under the command of Lt. Col. William N. Brown for Grand Gulf, a key defensive point against Grant?s impending move against Vicksburg.
The day before, another detachment of three companies from the 20th (Maj. Walter A. Rorer in command) had struck south in an attempt to cut off 1,000 Federal cavalrymen driving south. This was the Grierson raid that started in mid-April at La Grange, Tennessee, and wound up at Baton Rouge, now in Northern hands. Col. Benjamin H. Grierson, a former music teacher who hated horses, led the sweep, and though it did negligible damage, it siphoned off Pemberton?s strategic reserve with which to combat Grant?s crossing of the Mississippi.
Grant?s 13th Corps under Maj. Gen. John K. McClernand started crossing the Mississippi at mid-morning on April 30, being ferried by gunboats, steamers, tugs, and barges from the west bank to the village of Buinsbjrurg. By late afternoon McClernand?s Corps was across the river and headed for Port Gibson. Close on their heels came Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson?s 17th Corps, eager to move into the fight.
Shortly after midnight McClernand?s advance skirmishers drew some Confederate infantry fire a few miles west of Port Gibson. These were Southern troops from Maj. Gen. John. S. Bowen?s Grand Gulf garrison; Baxter with the rest of Bro^wn?s mounted detachment had arrived about the same time the Federal skirmishers had, and he and the rest of the Confederate troops got little rest that night and none the next day.
At daybreak Baxter was ordered to report to Gen. Bowen as a courier, and he stayed in the thick of action all that first day of May. He was one of several mounted couriers that kept the lines of communication open between Bowen and Gen. Pemberton in Jackson.
Bowen?s Confederate forces were hopelessly outnumbered by Grant?s troops, and by late afternoon it was obvious that his lack of resources made the position west of Port Gibson
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