Vicksburg

= ﻿ The Siege of Vicksburg (May 18 - July 4, 1863) = =

General Information/ Description The Siege of Vicksburg occurred between May 18 and July 4, 1863. The Union was led by Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the Confederate Army was led by Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton. Grant wanted to gain complete control over the Mississippi River and the only part that was not under Union control was the city of Vicksburg. After a series of attacks on the Confederates, Grant's army besieged the city on May 25th. After holding out for forty days with a constant decrease in supplies and a failure to reinforce troops, Pemberton surrendered on July 4, 1863. After taking over Vicksburg, Mississippi, the Union then had control over the entire Mississippi River.

Lasting Legacy
The Battle of Vicksburg ended on a unique day- July 4. The people in the city of Vicksburg, most of whom were Confederates, refused to celebrate independance day for eighty years after the battle as a result of this coincidence. After his victory, Grant was promoted to the front rank of Union generals and went on to become the commander of all Union armies between the Mississippi River and the Alleghany Mountains. The battle fields in and around Vicksburg have become Vicksburg National Military Park and is currently maintained by the National Park Service.

 THE BATTLE OF VICKSBURG.
WE illustrate on [|pages 152 and 153] a SCENE IN THE FOUR DAYS' BATTLES BEFORE VICKSBURG. These famous battles, which have caused so much distress throughout the West, and done so much to create dissatisfaction with the Government, really developed an amount of courage and self-devotion on the part of our troops which have rarely been paralleled during the present war. Rarely has an attempt been made to storm intrenchments under so great difficulties. The enemy were in all probability more numerous than their assailants under [|Sherman], and they had the advantage of a superior position, elaborate earth-works, and countless batteries of cannon. Our brave fellows had to scramble up bluffs under a terrible fire, positively working their way on their hands and knees, and pulling themselves up the smooth heights with their nails. At every step of the way they were shot down by concealed foes: when the decimated remnant reached the crest of the bluff they found themselves opposed to a superior force, fresh, confident, and well armed. A storming party under similar circumstances is usually covered by a heavy artillery fire. The assailants under Sherman had no such ally. The memory of their repulse will nerve the remainder of the army to wipe out the disgrace when the assault is renewed. This is an excerpt from the "Civil War's Harper's Weekly" newspaper. The writer briefly describes the battles before the complete siege of Vicksburg. He also paints the specific scene in the battle when the Confederates faced the Union soldiers and after putting up a tough fight, finally realized that they had no chance and were forced to surrender Vicksburg.

// May **16**..we was called up this morning at 3:00 a.m. and started before the sun was up..went eight miles then the fighting commenced, run us from one hill to another until I was pretty near gone up the spout. One shot came very near killing Col. Webb. Liet. Of Co K was wounded this evening, we was drawn up in line of battle to charge on a battery, but they were thought to be too many for us. This battle was called Champion Hills. // This is an excerpt from the personal diary of the Union soldier Merrick Wald. He fought in one of the Battles of Vicksburg called Champion Hill and describes the daily life of a soldier at war. He explains day by day what the armies did and the events that occurred.

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