Brochure

Vicksburg National Military Park Mississippi Vicksburg National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior m'm Admiral Porter's fleet passing the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, April 16. 1863 From a Currier & Ives chromolithograph. Courtesy US. Naval Academy, Annapolis. Between Cairo, III., and the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River meanders over a course more than 1,600 kilometers (nearly 1,000 miles) long. During the Civil War, control of this stretch of the river was of vital importance to the Federal Government. Command of that waterway would allow uninterrupted passage of Union troops and supplies into the South. It would also have the desired effect of isolating the States of Texas and Arkansas and most of Louisiana, comprising nearly half the land area of the Confederacy and a region upon which the South depended heavily for supplies and recruits. From the beginning of the war in 1861, the Confederates, to protect this vital lifeline, erected fortifications at strategic points along the river. Federal forces, however, fighting their way southward from Illinois and northward from the Gulf of Mexico, captured post after post, until by late summer of 1862 only Vicksburg and Port Hudson posed major obstacles to Union domination of the Mississippi. Of the two posts, Vicksburg was the strongest and most important. It sat on a high bluff overlooking a bend in the river, protected by artillery batteries along the riverfront and by a maze of swamps and bayous to the north and south. President Abraham Lincoln called Vicksburg "the key" and believed that "the war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket." So far the city had defied Union efforts to force it into submission. Campaign for Vicksburg In October 1862, Ulysses S. Grant was appointed commander of the Department of the Tennessee and charged with clearing the Mississippi of Confederate resistance. That same month, Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, a West Point graduate and a Pennsylvanian by birth, assumed command of the roughly 50,000 widely scattered Confederate troops defending the Mississippi. His orders were to keep the river open. Vicksburg became the focus of military operations for both men. During the winter of 1862-63, Grant conducted a series of amphibious operations (often referred to as the Bayou Expeditions) aimed at reducing Vicksburg. All of them failed. By spring Grant had decided to march his army of approximately 45,000 men down the west (Louisiana) bank of the Mississippi, cross the river well below Vicksburg, and then swing into position to attack the city from the south. On March 3 1 , 1863, Grant moved his army south from its encampments at Millikens Bend, 32 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of Vicksburg. By April 28 the Northerners were established at Hard Times on the Mississippi above Grand Gulf. On the 29th Adm. David D. Porter's gunboats bombarded the Confederate forts at Grand Gulf to prepare the way for a crossing, but the attack was repulsed. Undaunted, Grant marched his troops a little further south and, on April 30, stormed across unopposed at Bruinsburg. Striking rapidly eastward to secure the bridgehead, the Northerners met elements of Pemberton's Confederate forces near Port Gibson on May 1. The Southerners fought a gallant holding action, but they were overwhelmed and fell back toward Vicksburg. After meeting and defeating a small Confederate force near Raymond on May 12, Grant's troops attacked and captured Jackson, the State capital, on May 14, scattering the Southern defenders. Turning his army westward, Grant moved toward Vicksburg along the line of the Southern Railroad of Mississippi. At Champion Hill on May 16 and at Big Black River Bridge on May 17, his soldiers attacked and overwhelmed Pemberton's disorganized Confederates, driving them back into the Vicksburg fortifications. By May 18, advanced units of the Federal army were approaching the bristling Confederate defenses. Believing that the battles of Champion Hill and Big Black River Bridge had broken Confederate morale, Grant immediately scheduled an assault on the Vicksburg lines. The first attack took place against the Stockade Redan on May 19. It failed. A second attack, launched on the morning of May 22, was also repulsed. operations. Batteries of artillery were established to hammer the Confederate fortifications from the land side, while Admiral Porter's gunboats cut off communications and blasted the city from the river. By the end of June, with little hope of relief and no chance to break out of the Federal cordon, Pemberton knew that it was only a matter of time before he must "capitulate upon the best attainable terms." On the afternoon of July 3 he met with Grant to discuss terms for the surrender of Vicksburg. Grant demanded unconditional surrender; Pemberton refused. The meeting broke up. During the afternoon, the Federal commander modified his demands and agreed to let the Confederates sign paroles not to fight again until exchanged. In addition, officers could retain sidearms and a mount. Pemberton accepted these terms, and at 10 a.m. on July 4, 1863, Vicksburg was officially surrendered. When Port Hudson surrendered 5 days later, the great Northern objective of the war in the West—the opening of the Mississippi River and the severing of the Confederacy— was at last realized. For the first time since the war began, the Mississippi was free of Confederate troops and fortifications. As President Lincoln put it, "The Father of Waters again goes unvexed to the sea." Realizing that it was useless to expend further lives in attempts to take the city by storm, Grant reluctantly began formal siege Legacy from the Past On December 12, 1862, the Union ironclad gunboat Cairo, along with several other vessels, steamed up the Yazoo River, north of Vicksburg, to destroy Confederate batteries and clear enemy obstructions from the channel. Suddenly, two explosions in quick succes- sion tore gaping holes in the boat's bottom. Within minutes the ironclad lay on the bottom of the river, only the tops of her smokestacks and flagstaffs above the water. The Cairo had become the first vessel in history to be sunk by an electrically detonated mine. It is not for her wartime record, however, that the Cairo has won a lasting place in history, but because of what went down with her when she sank in the Yazoo. Here was preserved, in timecapsule form, information about naval construction, naval stores, armament, and the per- sonal gear of the crew who served on board. gether with the remains of the gunboat itself, give new insights into naval life during the Civil War years. The vast array of artifacts recovered from the gunboat before and after it was salvaged The museum can be in the early 1960s is now reached from the park on display at the U.S.S. tour road or through Cairo Museum adjacent the city of Vicksburg via to Vicksburg National Fort Hill Drive and ConCemetery. These, tonecting Avenue. T. O. Selfridge, Cairo commander 1 32-pounder Navy smoothbores & 42-pounder Army rifle (port & starboard) 2 Hammock berthing (port & starboard) 3 Smokestack 4 Fireroom 5 Forward end of boilers 6 Iron-sheathed casemate 7 8-inch Navy smoothbores 8 Commissary stores 9 Coal 10 Pilothouse 11 Cutter (port & starboard) 12 Launch (port), cutter (starboard) 13 Engineroom 14 Shellrooms (port& starboard) 15 Magazine (port) 16 Stores (port & starboard) 17 32-pounder Navy smoothbore Vicksburg National Military Park Mississippi Vicksburg National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior About Your Visit Vicksburg National Military Park is located in the northeastern portion of the city of Vicksburg, Miss. The park entrance and visitor center are located on Clay Street (U.S. 80), within 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) of Interstate 20. Both the visitor center and the U.S.S. Cairo Museum are open daily, except Christmas. Please check with the park staff for information on special programs and activities. The map below identifies the principal areas of the park. Three areas, however, are not shown on the map: Louisiana Circle, site of a Shirley House Living History Gun Crew Confederate fortification; South Fort, another Confederate defense work, overlooking the Mississippi River; and Navy Circle, marking the southern anchor of the Union lines. All are located south of Vicksburg along Warrenton Road (U.S. 61) near the interstate bridge. Interpretive markers explain their importance. The parking of vehicles within park boundaries after dark is prohibited. Relic hunting within the park is also prohibited, and Mississippi State law forbids the use of metal detectors without the permission of the land- Illinois Memorial owner. Picnicking is allowed only at the designated picnic area or at the various picnic tables located along the tour route. Fires and camping are not allowed. Commercial campgrounds are located within a short driving distance of the park. Vicksburg National Military Park and Cemetery are administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. A superintendent, whose address is P.O. Box 349, Vicksburg, MS 39180, is in charge. .GPO:1982-361-578/182 Vicksburg National Cemetery A Tour of the Battlefield 19, Gen. William T. tells of the navy's role (J) Great Redoubt (19.2 © Fort Garrott (22.9 kiloQ bombproof shelters We suggest that you Sherman launched an in the siege of meters/14.2 miles). kilometers/11.9 miles). around it to protect begin the 25.8-kilo: infantry attack against Vicksburg. Here, on June 17, ConLike the Third Louisithemselves against meter (16 Ynile) tour at the Stockade Redan federate soldiers sufana Redan (Tour Stop Confederate artillery the visitor center, (Tour Stop 10). The (0 Vicksburg National fered great casualties 3), this massive Confire. It has been rewhere exhibits and an Federals were repulsed Cemetery (12.6 kilofrom the highly accurfederate earthwork stored to its 1863 audio-visual program with heavy losses. meters/7.8 miles) was ate fire of Federal guarded the Jackson appearance. explain the campaign Three days later, as established in 1866. sharpshooters. ConfedRoad. The Federal atand siege of Vicksburg part of a general assault In addition to the nearly erate Col. Isham W. tack here on May 22 © T h i r d Louisiana Redan The numbered stops on the Confederate 17,000 Union soldiers Garrott, whose 20th Alawas repulsed with (3 kilometers/1.9 below are keyed to the lines, Union soldiers atburied here, of whom bama Regiment occuheavy losses. Subsemiles). Here was one numbers on the map. tacked the redan again. about 13,000 are unpied the fort, became quently, Union artillery of the major ConfedMileage figures indiThis attack also failed. known, the cemetery is so exasperated at the kept the redoubt under erate fortifications cate distance from the the final resting place damage being inflicted almost continuous guarding the Jackson visitor center. During for veterans of the © Thayer's Approach on his men that he bombardment. Road approach to the tour, you will notice Spanish-American War, (10.3 kilometers/6.4 picked up a rifleVicksburg. Concluding metal markers painted World Wars I and II, and j© S e c o n d Texas Lunette miles). During the aftermusket to return the that the fort was imeither red or blue. Red the Korean Conflict. noon of May 22, Union fire. A Federal rifle ball (20.6 kilometers/12.8 pregnable to direct markers signify interIt was closed to further troops commanded by pierced his heart. He miles). Manned by the assault, General Grant pretive information perburials in 1961. Many Brig. Gen. John M. died without learning Second Texas Volunordered his troops to taining to Confederate of the Confederates Thayer stormed up this that he had been proteer Infantry, this Condig mines under the lines or emplacements, who died during the hill toward Confedermoted to brigadier federate fortification work and blow it up. while the blue markers siege are buried in ates dug in at the top. general. guarded the Baldwin The first mine was denote information on Vicksburg City They were stopped by Ferry Road approach to detonated on June 25; the Union forces. Cemetery. geography and enemy Vicksburg. On May 22 •(]D Hovey's Approach the second on July 1. fire. Later. Thayer's it was the scene of fu(23.5 kilometers/14.6 Neither succeeded in O B a t t e r y DeGolyer (2 3 men began digging a (© F o r t Hill (14.8 kilorious fighting as Conmiles). This restoration breaking the Confederkilometers/1.4 miles). 1.8-meter- (6-foot-) meters/9.2 miles) anfederates beat back of part of the two apate line. From this position, a deep approach trench chored the left flank of repeated Union attacks. proach trenches dug by battery of guns from the toward the Southern the Confederate lines. During the siege Union Gen. Alvin P. Hovey's 8th Michigan Artillery (© Ransom's Gun Path position. His soldiers So formidable were its soldiers dug approach Union troops provides commanded by Capt. (4.7 kilometers/2.9 used the tunnel defenses that no Union trenches to within 4.5 an excellent example Samuel DeGolyer hammiles). To provide adbeneath the road to attack was ever made meters (15 feet) of the of how the siege of mered the Confederate ditional artillery support avoid crossing the ridge against it. Confederate lunette. Vicksburg was conGreat Redoubt directly for Union infantry manwhere they would be exgunners posted here ducted. The zigzag ahead. At one time as ning this sector of the posed to Confederate assisted the river bat- (| ) Railroad Redoubt (21.7 design helped to nulmany as 22 Federal arsiege lines, men of the fire. teries in sinking the kilometers/13.5 miles). lify the effects of tillery pieces were 2d Illinois Artillery Federal gunboat Confederates built this Confederate enfilading mounted here. Captain dismantled two 12Cincinnati on May 27, work to protect the fire and minimized casDeGolyer was mortally poundercannon and, | (Battery Selfridge(12.1 1863. Southern Railroad of ualties among the Fedwounded while directaided by Gen. Thomas kilometers/7.5 miles) Mississippi. On the eral soldiers occupying ing the fire of this Ransom's infantry, consisted entirely of morning of May 22 the trenches. battery. dragged the guns over naval cannon and was © Stockade Redan (17.4 kilometers/10.8 miles). Union troops assailed rough terrain to an manned by sailors of The Federal failures this stronghold and O Shirley House (2.9 kiloearthen parapet just the U.S. Navy. The baton May 19 and 22 to forced out the demeters/1 .8 miles). 91 meters (100 yards) tery is named in honor overrun this fortificafenders. A detachment Union troops called it from the Confederate of Lt. Commander T. tion, the principal Conof Col. Thomas Wauls "the white house," and position. There the 0. Selfridge, one of the federate work guarding Texas Legion counterit is the only surviving guns were reassembled naval officers stationed the Old Graveyard attacked and, in a savwartime structure in the and returned to action. here and the man in Road approach to age hand-to-hand fight park. During the siege command of the ironVicksburg, was a big with bayonets, clubbed it served as headquar- (© Stockade Redan Attack clad Cairo when she factor in Grant's decimuskets, and artillery ters for the 45th Illinois (6 kilometers/3.7 was sunk in the Yazoo sion to avoid any more shells used as grenades, Infantry, whose memmiles). From this and River on December 12, direct assaults. drove out the Federals. bers built hundreds of nearby points on May 1862. A plaque here