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Baxter, who had identified with Tilghman from the start of their association.
By 4 o?clock that afternoon, the Confederates were being pushed back toward Vicksburg, and Loring?s division was detailed to cover the withdrawal. In the confused action that followed, Union forces managed to reach and cross the Baker?s Creek bridge (just west of Champion Hill) which carried the Jackson road before Loring troops could ford Baker?s creek at the Raymond road crossing and rejoin the Confederate forces whose retreat he was protecting. He was cut off, but somehow managed to save much of his division although he lost his artillery and wagons, and after three days of circuitous marching, reached Jackson from where he reported to Gen. Johnston. This battle at Champion Hill turned out to be the bloodiest of the whole Vicksburg campaign. Pemberton?s casualties (not including the tactical loss of Loring?s division) exceeded 4,000; Grant?s losses approached 3,000.
Gen. Pemberton, unaware that Loring had been cut off, ordered a stand at the Big Black River, hoping to keep the bridge open for Loring?s escape. But the stand proved futile. Grant?s forces moved west before dawn on May 17, and during the day pushed the Confederates back across the river. The Rebs did manage to destroy the railroad bridge plus a riverboat ferry, and the Feds were held back for almost 24 hours.
During the retreat from Baker?s Creek, Baxter and Company E guarded the wagon trains and skirmished in the rear. At the stand on the Big Black River, they covered flanks, but finally had to retire into the fortifications at Vicksburg. There Baxter and the rest of the mounted detachment stayed until early evening on May 19. Pemberton decided then to send them back to Gen. Johnston who had marched to Canton after the Federals moved west toward Vicksburg. So soon after midnight Lt. Col. Brown led his detachment of mounted infantry through the lines south of Vicksburg, swam the Big Black River in the dark, and swung east. They managed to reach the railroad south of Jackson near Terry Depot on May 21.
On the morning of the 21st, Pvt. Baxter?s feelings about the disaster at Champion Hill and the death of his friend Lloyd
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