The Battle of Raymond was fought on May 12, 1863, near Raymond, Mississippi, during the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In late April, Union general Ulysses S. Grant led his army across the Mississippi River and moved east. A portion of the army led by James B. McPherson moved towards Raymond. Confederate brigadier general John Gregg was ordered from Jackson to Raymond. The two forces met on the morning of May 12. Gregg underestimated Union strength and acted aggressively, while McPherson overestimated Confederate strength and responded cautiously. Early on, the battle was relatively evenly matched. McPherson brought up reinforcements and the weight of Union numbers cracked the Confederate line. Gregg disengaged, but McPherson did not pursue. The battle changed Grant's plans, leading him to first focus on the Confederate forces at Jackson. Grant's men captured Jackson and pivoted west. They sieged Vicksburg, which the Confederates were forced to surrender on July 4.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Raymond

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1938:

During an exercise to demonstrate air power, United States Army Air Corps bomber aircraft intercepted the Italian ocean liner SS Rex 620 nautical miles (1,100 km) off the US Atlantic coast. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interception_of_the_Rex

1948:

The United Kingdom publicly announced that it was independently developing nuclear weapons, after the US Atomic Energy Act of 1946 ended cooperation on the matter. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Explosive_Research

1968:

Vietnam War: The 1st Australian Task Force began the defence of Fire Support Base Coral in the largest unit-level action of the war for the Australian Army. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Coral%E2%80%93Balmoral

1998:

Four students were shot and killed by Indonesian soldiers at Trisakti University in Jakarta, which led to widespread riots and the resignation of President Suharto nine days later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trisakti_shootings

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

largesse: 1. (uncountable) 2. The trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time; generosity, liberality. 3. Often preceded by do, give, or make: the generous or liberal giving of gifts or money, especially by someone of high standing on a special occasion; also, excessive or wasteful giving. 4. Money, etc., given in this way. 5. (figuratively) Abundance of something (chiefly beneficial), regarded as having been given generously. 6. (countable) 7. An act of donating or giving generously. 8. (also figuratively) A specific gift of money, etc., given in this way, specifically (historical) at harvest time; a donation, a gratuity. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/largesse

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The way to live with God is to live with Ideals — not merely to think about ideals, but to do and suffer for them. Those who have to work on men and women must above all things have their Spiritual Ideal, their purpose, ever present. The "mystical" state is the essence of common sense.   --Florence Nightingale https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale