Day Eight: Vicksburg National Monument Park

Day Eight: Vicksburg National Monument Park

Vicksburg was more than just a battle - it was a siege - a military waiting game, and marked a critical turning point in the course of the Civil War.

Control of the city was crucial, as Vicksburg was considered a defensive position on the Mississippi River. In May 1862, Confederate general Martin Luther Smith began to fortify the city. It was soon protected by 172 mounted guns forming a ring around the city.

President Lincoln believed the war could not be won without Vicksburg, and in October 1862, Major General US Grant and LT. General John C. Pemberton began their strategic maneuvering for the city.

In March 1863, grant started his army out and in May  waged several battles in Mississippi on his way to Vicksburg, defeating Pemberton's Army of Vicksburg near Port Gibson, Raymond and Jackson, the state capital. On May 16, 1863 he defeated Pemberton at Champion Hill in the bloodiest battle of the campaign, and on May 18, he set his site on Vicksburg.

Grant launched two attacks - May 19 and again on May 22. Both failed to breach the significant Confederate works. Grant called off the attacks and determined to take the city be siege.

Grant's army held the Confederates in Vicksburg, creating mines and shelling their positions on land and using gunboats from the river. On July 4, 1863, after 46 days under siege, Pemberton finally surrendered.

The Monument Park contains over 1600 monuments to the troops that fought on the hallowed ground that is Vicksburg. The landscape is as it was when the battle was waged, except for the trees, which were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's to help prevent erosion. Cannons are everywhere - and while many are not the artillery used in the battle, they were all used at some time during the war.

Also at Vicksburg is the largest National Military Cemetery of Union dead, and the USS Cairo, the first gunboat sunk by torpedo. It sunk in 12 minutes of December 12, 1862 in the Yazoo River. No lives were lost. The vessel, and thousands of artifacts were  recovered from the river, and are on display.

I wasn't aware of the enormity of the site, or the vast number of casualties. The auto tour is 16  (yes.. 16) miles around the 1800 acre battlefield. Before we started out, Jason and I bought the Vicksburg Expedition Guide by TravelBrains - a two and a half hour audio tour of the battle and the park. Like in Shiloh, it brought the sounds of the battle and the voices of those who witnessed it to life.

If you get to Vicksburg, plan at least two days. We did the battlefield tour in a full day, (and a two hour preview yesterday) which left no time for the Confederate Cemetery (Soldier's Rest, a few miles away), the Old Courthouse Museum, which was built in 1858 and survived the war with minimal damage, the Martha Vick house, built for the unmarried daughter of the city's founder, Newit Vick, and a host of other antebellum mansions and non-military attractions, like the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum.

Another successful day on the Civil War Harley tour.

Jason needs the computer to chart tomorrow's route across Mississippi and Alabama, so look for the Vicksburg pictures on Saturday.