Vicksburg National Military Park

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ICKSBURGNational Military ParkMississippi


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UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENTOF THE INTERIORHarold L. Ickes, Secretary

NATIONAL PARK SERVICEArno B. Cammerer, Director

CIVILIANCONSERVATION CORPS

Robert Fechner, Director

ADVISORY COUNCILGeorge P. Tyner, Brigadier General

Representing the Secretary of War

Conrad L. Wirth, Supervisor of Recreation andLand Planning, National Park Service.Representing the Secretary of the Interior

Fred Morrell, Assistant Chief Forester, UnitedStates Forest Service. Representing theSecretary of Agriculture

Chesley W. Bailey. Representing the Veterans"Administration

CONTENTSPage

Highlights of the Park 3The Campaign and Siege of Vicksburg . 3Points of Interest in the Park ... 8Railroad Redoubt 9Third Louisiana Redan .... 9Shirley House 12Administration and Museum Building . 12

tVicksburg National Cemetery . . . 14

THE COVERColumbiad on Ramparts of South Fort


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Vicksburg National Military Park sinOFPARK

Vicksburg 'National Military Park was estab-hed in 1899 to preserve the site of the decisive

of the western campaign during the Warthe States. The park is noted among thebattlefields for its distinctive topography

for its extensive remains of trenches andwhich render the military operations

the area readily comprehensible. Remains of 9Confederate forts, 10 Union approaches,miles of breastworks, gun emplacements,

rifle pits are still to be found in the park indegrees of preservation.

assisting in the interpretation of theare the 1,599 memorials, monuments,

markers which serve to commemorate andthe various troop positions on the field.an area of 1,323.63 acres, the park,

and hilly in its topography, consists of twoparallel ridges which surround the city oflike a great crescent on the north, east,

south sides. The battlefield is traversed by-main roads: Confederate Avenue, which runslength of the park along the Confederate or

lines of fortifications; and Union Avenue,follows along the greater portion of theor outer investment lines.

by the War Department untilthe park, with the adjoining cemetery, was at

time transferred to the National Park Service,States Department of the Interior.

CAMPAIGN AND SIEGEVICKSBURG

located on high bluffs that com-a great bend of the Mississippi River,early in 1863, became the storm center

the western campaign. The epic struggle for theof the city constitutes a thrilling chapter

the history of America. The Vicksburg batter-formed a strong link in the chain of Confeder-fortifications that stretched along the Missis-River from Columbus, Ky., to New Orleans,

La. While in the East the attention ofthe NorthernStates was centered on the capture of Richmondand the blockade of the southern coastline," irx, theWest it resolved itself into a struggle for the masteryof the Mississippi River.The early efforts of the Union forces in thistheater of the war were directed to the control of

the Mississippi, Tennessee, and CumberlandRivers. The capture of Forts Henry and Donelsonon February 6 and 16, 1862, respectively, markedthe first important Union success of the war.These victories had important strategic results, forthey forced the Confederates to evacuate Nash-ville and western Tennessee, permitting a Federaladvance of 200 miles into southern territory.Following this defeat, the Confederates, under

Albert Sidney Johnston, retreated to Corinth,The Louisiana State Memorial. This hill crest was occupied

by the Confederates


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Miss., a very important point since it controlledthe railroad from Memphis to Chattanooga. Inthe bloody battle of Shiloh, April 6-7, Johnston waskilled, and the Confederates were forced to with-draw from Corinth.Meanwhile, attention was centered on the Mis-

sissippi River. Following the fall of Forts Henryand Donelson, the Confederates had strengthenedtheir fortifications on the upper Mississippi at NewMadrid and Island No. 10. With the aid of gun-boats, however, General Pope in March and Aprilsucceeded in capturing these positions. The gun-boats then moved against Fort Pillow and Mem-phis, forcing their surrender 2 months later.While Grant, ably assisted by the fleet, had been

successful in opening the upper Mississippi River,Farragut was now assigned the task of opening thelower Mississippi. Successfully running the barri-

Equeslrian statue of Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, Commander of theFederal forces at Vicksburg

cade of a great chain across the river and the fireof two strong forts, Farragut forced the surrenderofNew Orleans, April 25, 1862. The fall of the citywas a serious blow to the Confederacy for it greatlysimplified for the Union navy the problem ofenforcing an effective blockade, at the same timedepriving the South of its largest city and principalseaport.Following the fall of New Orleans and Baton

Rouge, Union attention was focused on Vicksburg.It was quite clear by this time that as long asVicksburg could be held the Mississippi Riverwould be blocked to Federal traffic; the Confed-eracy would remain undivided; and the Alabama-Vicksburg Railroad, which served as an importantconnecting link between the eastern and westernparts of the Confederacy, would remain intact.


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0/ Z.j>m/ Gra. JWw C. I'emberton, Commander of theConfederateforces at Vicksburg

The capture of Vicksburg thus became the chiefobjective of the Union army in the West.The first attacks against the city were made by

Farragut on May 22 and June 28, 1862. The fail-ure of both of these attempts demonstrated thenecessity of the cooperation of both land and navalforces in order to effect the reduction of the city.No further attempts were made against Vicksburguntil December 1862. At this time a joint attackwas planned by Grant and Sherman, by means ofwhich Grant was to move down the east side ofthe Mississippi from Grenada and attack the cityfrom the rear, while Sherman, by use of transports,was to descend the Mississippi from Memphis andattack Vicksburg from the north at ChickasawBavou Bluffs.

This well-formulated plan likewise proved afailure, largely as the result of the destruction of theUnion base of supplies at Holly Springs by VanDorn in a daring cavalry raid, which forcedGrant's return to Memphis. Sherman's attemptto execute his part of the expedition resulted in asevere repulse December 29. Following his defeatat Vicksburg, Sherman, in cooperation withMcClernand, went on an expedition into Arkansaswhich resulted in the capture of Arkansas Post,with its garrison of 5,000 Confederates.On January 29, 1863, Grant arrived and assumedpersonal command of the Army of the Tennesseewhich was then stationed 27 miles above Vicksburg,at Milliken's Bend, on the Louisiana shore. Im-mediately, preparations were made for an attack onthe city. Realizing the strength of the riverbatteries, Grant determined to turn either theConfederate right or left flank and attack the cityfrom the rear. This objective he hoped to ac-complish by a series of bayou expeditions in fullcooperation with the Union fleet under AdmiralPorter. By the Delta Point and Duckport canalsand the Lake Providence route, Grant hoped to turnthe left flank of the Confederates, while by theYazoo Pass and Steele's Bayou expeditions, heplanned to turn their right flank.Failing in these objectives largely because of the

baffling maze of bayous and swamps which pro-tected the Vicksburg heights, rendering them almostimpregnable, and confronted by political pressurewhich demanded either a victory or his removalfrom command, Grant finally decided upon thedangerous expedient of running the fleet past thebatteries. Such a daring plan necessitated theoperation of his army without a base of supplies, butits very boldness was later to prove one of the chieffactors in its success. On the night of April 16, in adramatic passage, a portion of the fleet succeededin running the batteries with the loss of but onetransport. The rest of the fleet ran the batteries onApril 22, and 7 days later joined in the bombard-ment of the fortifications at Grand Gulf.Unable to reduce these works, Grant decided toeffect a crossing at a favorable point farther south.The army, which had advanced rapidly along theLouisiana shore despite great difficulties, was ferriedacross by the fleet to the Mississippi side at Bruins-burg on April 30.Events now moved with lightninglike rapidity.

The battles of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson,

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Champion's Hill, and Big Black River followed inquick succession. Like Stonewall Jackson in thevalley campaigns of Virginia, Grant, following thedefeat of the Confederates at Port Gibson on May1, succeeded in dividing the forces of his opponentsso as to enable him to strike at them separatelybefore they could unite. The failure of Pembertonto effect a junction with Joseph E. Johnston nearJackson afforded Grant an opportunity to press hisadvantage. In the battles of Raymond, and ofJackson, May 12 and 14, the army ofJohnston wasdefeated and forced to withdraw. Two days laterthe Confederates under Pemberton felt the fullforce of the Federal attack at Champion's Hill.After a stubborn engagement they were decisivelydefeated and driven back to Big Black River. Herethey made a brief stand on May 17 and thenretreated into the defenses of Vicksburg.Thus, within 17 days Grant had concluded one of

the most successful campaigns of the war. He hadmarched over 200 miles, defeated the Confederatesin five pitched engagements, and had succeeded inseparating the armies of Johnston and Pemberton.

Hastily retreating from the Big Black, Pembertonestablished his line along an inner series of parallelridges which ran in a great semicircle in the rear ofReproduction of a contemporary sketch showing Porleisfleet running

the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, April 16, 1863

the city. Both ridges offered admirable positionsfor defense, but having only 18,500 effective troopshe felt it necessary to occupy the inner and shorterridge. The Confederate position was well chosen foralong each of the six main roads that entered the citystrong fortifications had been erected to commandtheir approach. The rugged topography of thearea with its sharp ravines and deep gorges madethe Federal advance, other than along these roads,necessarily difficult and slow.Fresh from five victories in the field the Federal

troops advanced against the Confederate positionson May 19 fully confident of carrying them byassault. The storming columns, however, were metwith a stonewall defense and hurled back. Twiceagain on May 22 Grant formed his lines in desperateassaults, and though in some instances the Federaladvance carried to the very ramparts of the forti-fications they were turned back with heavy losses.Failing to take the city by storm, Grant settled

down to siege operations which consisted of diggingapproach and parallel trenches to the main Con-federate fortifications in an effort to destroy themby mining operations.During this period Grant was constantly receiving

reenforcements so that by the end of the siege hisarmy numbered about 75,000 effectives as opposed


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to Pemberton with 1 8,500. The Confederates, withtheir rear exposed to the constant bombardment ofthe Federal fleet, their front assailed by ever-increas-ing numbers, their men decimated by disease andexposure, their supplies cut off, continued to hurlback every Federal thrust for 47 days. Desperatelythey held their lines against insuperable odds,expectantly awaiting relief from Johnston thatnever materialized. Finally worn by exposure,exhausted, half-starved, realizing the futility offurther resistance, the Confederates surrendered onJuly 4.With the fall of Vicksburg and the surrender of

Port Hudson 5 days later, the chief objective of thewestern campaign had been won. The Con-federacy was divided and the Mississippi wasopened through its entire course to Federal control.The fall of Vicksburg, together with the repulse ofLee at Gettysburg on July 3, served to mark theturning point of the war. Though the Southfought with desperate courage for 2 years longer,the end was all too obvious. The backbone of theConfederacy had been brokenChattanooga, theAtlanta campaign, and Appomattox followed ininevitable succession.On the ruins of Confederate hopes at Vicksburg,Grant was to rise to the supreme command of the

Union armies and ultimately to the Presidency of theUnited States. After an arduous campaign he hadwon a signal victory, a victory made possible by thefull cooperation of the Union navy. That Grantappreciated the significant role it played in thesuccess of the campaign may be seen by his followingstatement: "The navy under Porter was all itcould be during the entire campaign. Without itsassistance the campaign could not have been suc-cessfully made with twice the number of menengaged. It could not have been made at all, inthe way it was, with any number of men, withoutsuch assistance." Though its services were manyand varied, it was chiefly in the transportation ofsupplies, ammunition, and ferriage for the armythat the navy made its greatest contribution.

In the defense of Vicksburg the South had real-ized that the stakes were high, yet conditions weresuch as to necessitate a gamble on three fronts.To have relieved Vicksburg would have forced thewithdrawal of large reenforcements either fromBragg in central Tennessee or from Lee, who wasat that time invading the North, and would havematerially weakened their positions. Though re-enforcements were sent to Johnston until he ulti-mately commanded a force of approximately 30,000

Troops landing near General Grant's headquartersabove Vicksburg

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men, he was never in a position, because of thestrength of Grant's exterior line, to effect the reliefof Pemberton. The decision partially to strengthenPemberton was a fatal one for the South, for ulti-mately it meant defeat on all three fronts.Had Johnston and Pemberton effected the junc-

tion of their forces the issue might have been differ-ent. Ordered by Jefferson Davis to hold Vicksburgat all costs and by Johnston, his immediate supe-rior, to abandon it, Pemberton was in a difficultposition. To Jefferson Davis it was obvious thatthe fall of Vicksburg would seal the fate of theConfederacy in the West; Johnston felt the citywas already doomed, and its fall was inevitable.From Vicksburg the conquering tide of Federal

advance was to sweep on to Chattanooga and ulti-mately, in the Atlanta campaign, to the sea.While in the East the theater of the war was con-fined to approximately a 200-mile radius in northernVirginia, in the West the Federal advance was tocover a distance of nearly 3,000 milesa campaignthe tremendous scope of which finds few parallels inmodern history.

Interior of South Fort, showing the heavy type of Colttmbiads andmortars which made up the battery here

POINTS OF INTERESTIN THE PARKOn a high bluff rising majestically 250 feet fromthe water's edge stands Fort Hill, the guardiansentry of the river's great bend since the colorfuldays of Spanish occupation. Nowhere else in thepark does the picturesque past blend into thepresent with more absorbing interest. Establishedfirst as Fort Nogales, a military outpost of theSpanish, it has witnessed, with changing fortunes,some of the most romantic periods of Americanhistory. Five flags have flown over this areatheFrench, English, Spanish, Confederate, and Amer-ican. This fort was the scene of the first settlementin Vicksburg and the site of the first printing pressestablished in Mississippi. Later, during the Warbetween the States, it proved an impregnablestronghold on the extreme left of the Confederateline. For months the fort, together with other

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Confederate batteries, successfully blocked theFederal advance. On May 27, 1863, the Federalgunboat, Cincinnati, engaged the river batteries,including those of the fort, in single combat, onlyto be sunk in an engagement which lasted but 30minutes.Recently protected by erosion correction, Fort

Hill today commands a magnificent view of therich Mississippi delta land, and the waters of LakeCentennial and the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers.It offers a never-failing point of interest to visitors.

Railroad RedoubtSituated on a high ridge commanding the ap-proach of the Alabama-Vicksburg Railroad intothe city is Railroad Redoubt, a former strongholdof Confederate defense. Here occurred the heroicexploit of Sergeant Griffith and his 13 comradesof the Twenty-second Iowa, who during one of theassaults succeeded in entering a breach in the re-doubt and for a short time maintained their posi-tion within it. Though all of Griffith's comradeswere killed, he, single-handedly, captured 13 Con-federates, who had just discharged their last shots,and returned with them to the Union lines tobecome the hero-of-the-day. This redoubt is theonly fortification on the Confederate line that wasbreached by the assaults of the 19th and 22d.Though the work was held by the Union forces fora few hours, a Confederate counterattack drove

them out. Later Federal approaches were pushedforward to within a few yards of the redoubt.Portions of its parapet, ditch, and glacis, and theline of the Federal approaches are still visible.

Third Louisiana RedanLocated on the crest of the ridge in the center ofthe Confederate defense, the Third LouisianaRedan guarded the approach along the JacksonRoad, one of the main entrances to the city. Itsname was derived from the regiment which de-fended it during the siege. Having twice failed tocapture the work by assault, the Federals con-structed a sap before it, dug a mine beneath theparapet, and blew it up with a charge of gun-powder. The explosion opened a large crater intowhich rushed wave after wave of Federal troops,who for 3 days strove desperately to carry theposition by storm, but all in vain. As a result ofthe bloody hand-to-hand fighting in the narrowconfines of the crater, it later came to be known asthe "slaughter pen."

This view from Fort Hill, at the extreme northern end of the park,shows Lake Centennial and the Yazoo Canal. At the time of theCivil War the Mississippi River made a great bend immediatelynorth of Vicksburg. The dotted line indicates the approximatelocation of the river channel during Civil War times and illustratesthe commanding position of Vicksburg on the historic bend of theriver and the difficulties experienced by the Federal gunboats in

running the Confederate river batteries


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This reproduction of a contemporary sketch shows the explosion ofthe mine under the Third Louisiana Redan along the crest of the

ridge, right center, lookingfrom the rear of the Federal linesThe Shirley House and the encampment of the Fifth Illinois during

the seige of Vicksburg. Reproduction of a ivartime photograph


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Shirley HouseProminently located on the Jackson Road nearthe center of the battlefield, the Shirley Housestands today as the only historic building withinthe park area. Erected in the late 1830's as atypical southern plantation home, it was approxi-mately a quarter of a century later to be involvedprominently in one of the most famous sieges ofhistory.As the forces of Grant pushed rapidly into Vicks-burg on May 18, 1863, McPherson's corps of theUnion Army took up its position on a ridge imme-diately east of the Shirley House, while on a ridgejust west of the building stood the Third LouisianaRedan, one of the strongest fortifications along theConfederate line. Thus the Shirley House wascaught in the cross-fire of the two armies. Follow-ing the repulse of the two Federal assaults on May19 and 22, this sector of the battlefield became oneof the most important points against which siegeoperations were directed for 47 days. One sectionof Logan's trench, which constituted the main ap-proach to the Third Louisiana Redan, ran imme-diately in front ofthe building. The Shirley House,or the "White House" as it was frequently called,became a landmark of both armies and was usedfrequently by the officers in their reports as aThe administration and museum building follows the design of

Monteigne, an ante-bellum mansion of Natchez

point of designation. A Federal battery, whichwas located just southeast of the building, wasknown as the White House battery. Throughoutthe siege Union soldiers occupied the building,while some were wounded within its walls.The house as designed by its original owner,

Nicholas Gray, consisted of a structure a story anda half high, with large, high-ceiling rooms on eitherside of a wide central hall, an upper and lowerporch, and a veranda in the rear. The propertywas finally purchased by Capt. James Shirley, ofNew Hampshire, in 1851, from whom it took itsname.On May 20, 1902, the Secretary of War author-ized its restoration. It was further repaired andmodernized in 1931, and now serves as the homeof the superintendent.

Administration and Museum BuildingThe administration and museum building, situ-ated in a historic valley against a background ofstately oaks, is but a short distance from the sceneof the surrender. Architecturally, the building isa good example of the ante-bellum period, pos-sessing charm, dignity, and grace of line. It ismodeled after Monteigne, in Natchez, formerlythe home of Maj. Gen. William T. Martin, a Con-federate officer. Here are located the administra-tive offices of the park and the historical museum.

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An exhibit case in the historical museum illustrates weapons,ammunition, and trajectories of artillery, and gives related informa-tion of the Civil War period. It also contrasts the Civil War musket

I with the modern rifle

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At Fort Hill the ranger historian explains to park visitors thestrategic location of the fort

The museum represents an interesting departurefrom the conventional type, its purpose beingchiefly the interpretation of events rather thansimply the display of relics. Numerous exhibits,consisting for the most part of colorful maps, charts,pictures, and relief models, help to portray graph-ically the history of the area from the geologicalperiod to the rise of the New South. The periodsrepresented in this portrayal are: Geological,Indian, European Exploration and Colonization,American Territorial, Ante-bellum, War betweenthe States, Reconstruction, and Emergence of theNew South.The museum serves to complement the work of

the historical staff in presenting a clear, compre-hensive picture of the Vicksburg operations. Avisit to the museum, has been incorporated as anintegral part of the park tour. The enthusiasticreception accorded it by visitors from all sections ofthe country serves to emphasize the value of thismethod of presentation.A fee of 10 cents for admission to the historicalmuseum is charged visitors over 16 years of age,with the exception of members of school groupswho are admitted free up to 18 years of age. Freeguide service is available to all visitors. Organiza-

tions or service ifwith the

groups will be given specialare made in advance

superintendent.All communications should be addressed to the

Superintendent, Vicksburg National Military Park,Vicksburg, Miss.

Vicksburg National CemeterySituated on the crest of one of the historic bluffsof Walnut Hills at the old bend of the MississippiRiver, the Vicksburg Cemetery comprises an areaof unusual picturesque beauty and charm. For-merly the site of a part ofthe fortification of Nogalesbarely three-quarters of a century later it was againto attain a position of great military importancewith its occupation by the right wing of theinvesting army of Grant.

Established in 1866 as a Federal Cemetery, ithas later been used for the burial of veterans of theSpanish American and World Wars. The ceme-tery, with its 17,500 dead, is the second largestin the United States from the standpoint of inter-ments. Of this number 12,912 are unknown.The cemetery has been recently increased by thepurchase of 80 additional acres, which will providemuch needed burial space and serve greatly toenhance both the natural beauty and historic valueof this interesting area.

H U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1939


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Typical scene in present-day park; earthworks and markersbackground Scene in Vicksburg National Cemetery. Numerous evergreens con-

trast with the white burial markers on its terraced landscape


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PARK ROADS FOLLOWINGAPPROXIMATE. LOCATIONOF UNION LINES __. .CONFEDERATE ' ""

SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURES UNION NAVY MEMORIAL OBSERVATION TOWER NO I PENNSYLVANIA MEMORIAL NEW HAMPSHIRE MEMORIAL MASSACHUSETTS MEMORIAL NEW YORK MEMORIALS

RHODE ISLAND MEMORIALWEST VIRGINIA MEMORIAL MISSOURI MEMORIAL WISCONSIN MEMORIAL ILLINOIS MEMORIAL LOUISIANA MEMORIAL@ SURRENDER MONUMENT OBSERVATION TOWER NO. 2 MICHIGAN MEMORIALMISSISSIPPI MEMORIAL MINNESOTA MEMORIAL IOWA MEMORIAL NORTH CAROLINA MEMORIAL OBSERVATION TOWER NO. 3 SOUTH CAROLINA MEMORIALVJCKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARKAND

VICKSBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY

Vicksburg National Military Park

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