Big Black River is a river in the U.S. state of
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
and a tributary of the Mississippi River. Its origin () is in
Webster County near the town of
Eupora in the north central part of the state. From there it flows in a generally southwest direction until it merges with the Mississippi River south of the city of
Vicksburg. It is the major contributor to the Big Black River Basin. It forms part of the northern border of
Choctaw County, passes through
Montgomery County, and forms the eastern border of
Holmes County and the northern border of
Claiborne County.
The Big Black River and most of its tributaries are silt-filled. The rivers carry large amounts of suspended sediment, resulting mostly from
agricultural runoff. These tributaries are slow-flowing muddy streams. However, some are swift-flowing with sandy bottoms.
The
Battle of Big Black River Bridge
The Battle of Big Black River Bridge was fought on May 17, 1863, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. After a Union army commanded by Major General Ulysses S. Grant defeated Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton's ...
, fought during the
Battle of Vicksburg
The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mis ...
,
was part of the Vicksburg Campaign in the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
.
Big Black River Basin
The size of the Big Black River Basin drainage area is . Its elevation varies from 50 to 650 feet (14 to 198 meters) above sea level. It is long and averages 22 to 25 miles wide. Most of its small tributaries are in the upper part of the basin and flow only part of the year. The terrain is hilly with 56% of the land forested and 39% used for farming and cattle ranching.
Battle site
During the American Civil War, a pivotal battle between the
Union and
Confederate forces occurred along the Big Black River, culminating in the
Siege of Vicksburg
The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mis ...
in 1863. Commanded by General
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union A ...
, Union forces defeated Confederate troops under General
John C. Pemberton
John Clifford Pemberton (August 10, 1814 – July 13, 1881) was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars and with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He resigned his commission to serve as a Confederate ...
at the
Battle of Champion Hill
The Battle of Champion Hill of May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War (1861–1865). Union Army commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Co ...
. Grant chased Pemberton, who was headed toward Vicksburg. Pemberton left 5,000 troops to make a stand on both sides of the Big Black River after his Champion Hill defeat, while he withdrew with his main command to nearby Vicksburg.
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See also
*
List of rivers of Mississippi
Notes
External links
*
The Big Black River Basin MapBig Black and Homochitto River BasinsBig Black River at WestHistorical Maps of Big Black River (Miss)
{{Authority control
Rivers of Mississippi
Tributaries of the Mississippi River
Bodies of water of Webster County, Mississippi
Bodies of water of Madison County, Mississippi
Bodies of water of Attala County, Mississippi
Bodies of water of Hinds County, Mississippi
Bodies of water of Warren County, Mississippi