A small 1863 Confederate defeat at Raymond unexpectedly derailed the defense of Vicksburg
What began as a minor skirmish in Mississippi unexpectedly altered the course of the American Civil War by forcing a Confederate retreat and clearing the path for the Union's capture of Vicksburg.
On May 12, 1863, a small Confederate force under General John Gregg engaged Union troops in Raymond, Mississippi. Gregg mistakenly believed he faced a single weak brigade, but he had actually stumbled into an entire Union corps led by James B. McPherson. The resulting Confederate rout had a massive strategic ripple effect.
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