Bethel Church and the Windsor Ruins at Port Gibson

During Grant’s Campaign to take Vicksburg, he landed his troops at Bruinsburg after his failed attempt to cross at Hard Times, across from Grand Gulf. His troops passed this church on April 30th, 1863 after landing at Bruinsburg moving onto Port Gibson on the Rodney Road. The church is one of the only remaining landmarks from the war and is still in use. The church is located on MS552, south of Port Gibson.
The Windsor Mansion, named for the eerie sounds that emanated from its 29 columns was used by the confederates to track Federal troop movements after their landing at Bruinsburg. At one time the greek revival mansion was one of the most gracious mansions in Mississippi, constructed in 1859 to 1860 by Smith C. Daniel II.

During the federal troop movement of April 30th on the Bruinsburg Road, the grounds of the mansion was used to rest and eat the men’s meals and was used as a Federal hospital during and after the Battle of Port Gibson. One Federal Soldier claimed “it was the most magnificent house I ever saw.”
Although the mansion was used as an observation and signaling post by the Federals, they didn’t burn the mansion as General Grant presumably said “It was to beautiful to burn”. It never the less burnt down in 1890 due to a careless smoker.The ruins are also located south of Port Gibson on MS 552.