The concentration of my troops was easy, considering the character of the country.  McPherson moved along the road parallel with and near the railroad.  McClernand’s command was, one division (Hovey’s) on the road McPherson had to take, but with a start of four miles.  One (Osterhaus) was at Raymond, on a converging road that intersected the other near Champion’s Hill; one (Carr’s) had to pass over the same road with Osterhaus, but being back at Mississippi Springs, would not be detained by it; the fourth (Smith’s) with Blair’s division, was near Auburn with a different road to pass over.  McClernand faced about and moved promptly.  His cavalry from Raymond seized Bolton by half-past nine in the morning, driving out the enemy’s pickets and capturing several men.

The night of the 15th Hovey was at Bolton; Carr and Osterhaus were about three miles south, but abreast, facing west; Smith was north of Raymond with Blair in his rear.

McPherson’s command, with Logan in front, had marched at seven o’clock, and by four reached Hovey and went into camp; Crocker bivouacked just in Hovey’s rear on the Clinton road.  Sherman with two divisions, was in Jackson, completing the destruction of roads, bridges and military factories.  I rode in person out to Clinton.  On my arrival I ordered McClernand to move early in the morning on Edward’s station, cautioning him to watch for the enemy and not bring on an engagement unless he felt very certain of success.

I naturally expected that Pemberton would endeavor to obey the orders of his superior, which I have shown were to attack us at Clinton.  This, indeed, I knew he could not do; but I felt sure he would make the attempt to reach that point.  It turned out, however, that he had decided his superior’s plans were impracticable, and consequently determined to move south from Edward’s station and get between me and my base.  I, however, had no base, having abandoned it more than a week before.  On the 15th Pemberton had actually marched south from Edward’s station, but the rains had swollen Baker’s Creek, which he had to cross so much that he could not ford it, and the bridges were washed away.  This brought him back to the Jackson road, on which there was a good bridge over Baker’s Creek.  Some of his troops were marching until midnight to get there.  Receiving here early on the 16th a repetition of his order to join Johnston at Clinton, he concluded to obey, and sent a dispatch to his chief, informing him of the route by which he might be expected.

About five o’clock in the morning (16th) two men, who had been employed on the Jackson and Vicksburg railroad, were brought to me.  They reported that they had passed through Pemberton’s army in the night, and that it was still marching east.  They reported him to have eighty regiments of infantry and ten batteries; in all, about twenty-five thousand men.