South retreats from Champion HillOn May 16, 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed at the Battle of Champion Hill in Mississippi, dueling with artillery and rifle fire.Fighting in the wide-ranging Civil War erupted in the heartland on Aug. 11, 1862, when Confederate forces attacked Independence, Mo.
The Confederate fighters surprised and scattered a force of Union troops garrisoned at Independence. Ultimately, the Union’s remaining forces were forced to surrender.
It marked a morale-boosting victory for the secessionist government in Richmond, Va. The fighting continued days later when a Confederate force of about 3,000 men attacked more Union pickets it encountered in the state on Aug. 15, 1862. Charges and countercharges ensued as the fighting raged for hours in what was also considered a Confederate victory.
However, the Confederate force was obliged to withdraw from the area when a larger Union force began advancing toward its position.
