By night the Union troops were within a few miles of Edwards Station, and so close to Pemberton's army on the Raymond road that their pickets were within speaking distance. Pemberton on the morning of the 16th received orders from Johnston to march northward, but he soon found he could not do so without being met by the Union army, which was interposing between him and the direction of the Polar Star. He took up a strong position at Champion Hill and prepared for battle: his left, Stevenson's division, occupying Champion Hill; the centre, Bowen's division, extending across Baker's Creek; and his right, Loring's division, stretching to the southward among thick woods and deep ravines with sharply sloping sides. Champion Hill is thickly wooded, and in front of it is a cleared valley, the clearing extending a short distance up the side of the hill.
Hovey's division of McClernand's corps was the first to engage the enemy, which it did by coming up on the Confederate left. Grant saw that a general battle was imminent, and gave orders for Hovey not to engage seriously until the rest of McClernand's corps could come up, and also McPherson's, which was pushing forward as rapidly as possible. McPherson's corps was thrown to the right so as to envelop the Confederate left and threaten his rear, while McClernand's divisions (other than Hovey's) were marching towards the Confederate right and centre. The firing between Hovey's division and the Confederate skirmishers gradually increased, and by eleven o'clock the skirmishing had swelled into a battle. The odds were against Hovey's division; one brigade and then another of Crocker's division of McPherson's corps were sent to assist Hovey, while Logan's division (of McPherson corps) was effectively striking against the Confederate rear and distracting his work in front. In spite of this diversion, the Confederates were able, with their superior numbers, to push back Hovey
