Confederate Brig. Gen. John Bowen, with three of the brigades that had fought at Battle of Port Gibson, withdrew across the Bayou Pierre Railroad Bridge and the parallel highway bridge late on the afternoon of May 1, 1863. Bowen assumed that the Union forces would strike directly toward Grand Gulf. Thus, he halted his withdrawal at this point and took up defensive positions on the north bank of Bayou Pierre. His interpretation seemed to be confirmed when late on the next morning (May 2) a powerful Union force approached the bridges from the direction of Port Gibson. Bowen ordered the bridges burned and prepared to defend the crossing. A noisy but almost harmless fire-fight ensued across the bayou, lasting several hours after which the Union force withdrew toward Port Gibson.

The Union force consisted of Brig. Gen. John Stevenson's brigade, which had been sent by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to determine if the railroad and highway bridges had been destroyed. When Stevenson drew fire from the north bank, he understood the situation. He deployed this men, opened fire, and maintained his position in a successful effort to keep Bowen from detaching a force to interfere with the bridge being constructed at Port Gibson as well as any subsequent maneuvers by the main body of the Union army.

Maj. Gen. William W. Loring, whom Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton had sent to assume command of the Grand Gulf forces, arrived at Bowen's headquarters just north of the railroad bridge at about 8:00 p.m. on May 2, but he refused Bowen's immediate offer to relinquish command. Shortly after midnight on May 3, Bowen, realizing that the line of the Bayou Pierre could not be held, ordered Grand Gulf evacuated, abandoning the position at the railroad bridge and withdrawing his forces toward Ingleside and Hankinson's Ferry.

This site has local significance because of its association with military activities and events that achieved or affected important local objectives of the Vicksburg campaign.