Official Site: The Battle of Champion Hill (May 16, 1863)

"Grant's crown of immortality was won, and the jewel that shone most brightly in it was set
there by the blood of the men of Champion Hills ...... Six thousand blue and gray-coated men were lying there in the woods, dead or wounded, when the last gun of Champion Hills was fired."
Major S. H. M. Byers, Fifth Iowa Infantry

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'The Hill of Death'

May 16, 2009

By Steve Sanoski

Published, Sunday, May 17, 2009, The Vicksburg Post

Brig. Gen. Parker Hills (Ret) and Terry Winschel, Historian of the Vicksburg National Military Park, unveil the historic marker, THE HILL OF DEATH, erected on the Champion Hill battlefield to commemorate the 146th Anniversary of the Battle of Champion Hill. The marker was unveiled on the historic grounds of the Champion Hill Missionary Baptist Church then later transported to its permanent battlefield location on the Hill of Death.The marker was made possible by the Champion Heritage Foundation.

CHAMPION HILL — Longtime battlefield buff Jack Opshinsky had seen just about every significant Civil War site relating to the Vicksburg Campaign before Saturday’s commemoration of the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Champion Hill near Bolton.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time, and it kind of completes the story for me,” Opshinsky said as he walked down the Old Jackson Road to the site of a new historical marker commemorating the battle. “I’ve often imagined what it would be like to see this site from on top of the hill, and wondered what those soldiers must have seen and been feeling as they made their way up here.”

Opshinsky was one of roughly 200 Civil War enthusiasts who braved the muggy weather Saturday morning to get an exclusive look at the Old Jackson Road and Champion Hill battlefield, which are normally closed to tourists.

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Photography of the 2009 Anniversary Event

Union infantry commanded by Charles Tucker
on the Hill of Death.

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Anniversary Event Draws Large Crowd

Glenn and Karen Taylor greet guests at the entrance to the Champion Hill Missionary Baptist Church.

On Saturday, May 16, 2009, hundreds of spectators attended the event commemorating the 146th Anniversary of the Battle of Champion Hill. The well-publicized event drew visitors from many states: Michigan, Connecticut, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and, of course, Mississippi.

The event “kick-off” began at 8:00 on the Champion Hill Missionary Church grounds which, in 1863, had been the site of the home of Sid and Matilda Champion. The Champion’s home was burned by the Yankees following the Siege of Vicksburg. Rebecca Drake, opening speaker, mentioned the significance of the church grounds to the crowd saying, “One could say that we are sitting in the Champion’s front yard today and if you use your imagination you might even smell the scent of the roses in bloom.” The Champion’s home had been a large two-story structure nestled within a yard filled with flower and fruit gardens.

Guest speakers Brig. Gen. Parker Hills (Ret), Terry Winschel, historian of the Vicksburg Military Park, and Dr. Timothy Smith, featured speaker from Tennessee, mesmerized the crowd with appropriate comments regarding the historic significance of the day. The event also coincided with Armed Forces Day and all veterans present were honored.

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Champion Hill Anniversary Event: Gun Raffle Winner

Winning the raffle for the Replica 1858 Army Texas .44 Caliber Revolver was Tim Cupit of Brandon. The raffle brought in approximately $550.00 in funds to be used for battlefield preservation at Champion Hill.

Announcing

Champion Hill Tours
With Sid Champion V