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untenable. After sundown Bowen pulled back across the Bayou Pierre and partially destroyed the three bridges spanning the Bayous Pierre, Big Bayou Pierre, and Little Bayou Pierre, that would effectively block the Federal advance. It took the Federal engineers less than 8 hours to get a temporary bridge built across the Little Bayou Pierre and the troops moving again.
Grant had hoped for help from the Federal forces in Louisiana, but when this hope disappeared, he decided not to lose his momentum; he could not afford to wait for further reinforcements. So he sent every unit in his army toward Jackson, the Mississippi capital and the most important single strategic point on Grant?s roundabout road to Vicksburg.
Grant?s decision to move immediately forward with an improvised supply train carried with it every element of the foolhardy. But it worked. The fact that it worked cannot be attributed entirely to Grant?s obvious military competence. There was another factor, and a big one. The Confederate command in the Vicksburg area had become a troika. Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, and President Jefferson Davis could not work in harness. They had no common strategy, and Grant, sensing their lack of mutual strategic thinking, took advantage of that lack.
As Grant?s forces moved northeast against the Rebs trying to protect Jackson, the Federals? left flank was always anchored and protected by the Big Black River. Throughout this operation, Pvt. Baxter (you might call him Trooper Baxter now he was mounted) stayed in the thick of things. His primary duty was a courier to Gen. Bowen. But soon he discovered there were other obligations. He found himself skirmishing, protecting flanks, and stopping Federal patrols from destroying supply and ammunition wagons.
Later when Gen. Loring?s Division was ordered in to reinforce Bowen?s fallback, Baxter found himself assigned as courier for his brigade commander, Gen. Tilghman. During the retreat to and maneuvering along the Big Black River, Baxter seems to have established a warm working relationship with Gen. Tilghman, a competent and brave commander. In later life Baxter spoke of him often and invariably with high praise. And
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