I informed him that I would endeavor to hold the enemy in my front while he crossed the river.
The advance division, Carr's (McClernand's corps), resumed the pursuit at half-past three A.M.on the 17th, followed closely by Osterhaus, McPherson bringing up the rear with his corps.

As I expected, the enemy was found in position on the Big Black.

The point was only six miles from that where my advance had rested for the night, and was reached at an early hour.

Here the river makes a turn to the west, and has washed close up to the high land; the east side is a low bottom, sometimes overflowed at very high water, but was cleared and in cultivation.

A bayou runs irregularly across this low land, the bottom of which, however, is above the surface of the Big Black at ordinary stages.