Vicksburg, Mississippi

When I mentioned our trip to an associate at work they asked if Vicksburg was on the itinerary.  It happened that it was not but he said that we really should visit Vicksburg.  So, I rearranged the itinerary so we could include Vicksburg.  We were very glad that we did.  

We stayed at a very nice family campground in a beautiful setting.  There were geese on the pond near our trailer and Zina decided she wanted to feed them.  So, Myra researched what is good to feed geese and she headed out.  It was actually pretty funny because the geese were QUITE interested in the food and started chasing Zina and even came right into our camp honking loudly!!!

When I was planning our visit to Vicksburg National Military Park I found that they offered licensed guides to the battlefield.  I made the call to book one of these tours and was connected to Michael Logue.  Let me just say here that if you get the chance to tour the Vicksburg Battlefield with Michael as your guide, you should grab it.  We asked for his three hour tour and that time went so fast!  We were supposed to watch the introductory video at the visitor’s center but luckily Michael sent us a link because the best we could do is watch it on my phone as we drove to the visitor’s center!  It is no small task to get our group on the road at a certain time!

Michael rode in our truck as we drove the battlefield and described the battles and the monuments.  Veterans travelling through the area in the 1890s wanted to create a park that commemorated the battle.  It is the most accurately documented battlefield because all the signs were placed by the veterans.  As a bit of a spoiler, Vicksburg was eventually a Union victory, along with Gettysburg one of the turning points of the war.  The surrender of Vicksburg and the victory at Gettysburg happening on the same day, July 4, 1863,  Vicksburg didn’t want a union victory celebrated in their city so it was agreed that both sides would be celebrated in the park and the monuments would contain conciliatory messages.  In this, I would say that the Vicksburg National Military park is a triumph!

Vicksburg was so critical because it guarded a Confederate controlled portion of the Mississippi so it provided an important supply line (sometimes called the Gibraltar of Mississippi.)  President Lincoln and General Grant knew that they had to take Vicksburg but Vicksburg was on a bluff so very easy to defend.  General Grant was rebuffed multiple times until he took a big risk and sent his supply boats up river past the battery to supply his troops.  Almost all the boats made it even though they were bombarded from the Vicksburg battery.  On March 29th, 1863, General Grant cut off all supplies to Vicksburg beginning a 47 day siege.  One of the really interesting bits of information Michael shared was about how important having battle engineers was.  He said Grant didn’t have enough of them and I hadn’t known there was such a thing.  Engineering was very important in this battle.  To make a long story short, General Pemberton, the Confederate General charged with maintaining Vicksburg was forced to surrender on July 4th, 1863 because his troops were starving and dying from disease (200 calories and ¼ cup of dirty water during the last week.)

Michael really highlighted that this was a family war.  Family and friends fought against each other based on their political views.  They took time out to exchange letters or reminisce about home, perhaps socialize.  In the end their lines were so close that they made new friends and exchanged contact information for after the war.

One thing that Michael helped me understand was why reconstruction failed.  Very curiously, Rutherford Hays, a staunch abolitionist and proponent of civil rights and voting rights for African Americans, agreed to remove federal troops from the South in exchange for their votes.  The removal of the troops meant no check on the white supremecists and the cause of civil rights was set back many years.  Our three hours with Michael were VERY well spent.  After the tour we ate lunch at a recommended deli and then saw the famous Vicksburg murals along the waterfront.  That evening we just relaxed, giving David and I some time to realize that we wanted to call an audible and skip Little Rock and instead head to Memphis, reducing this weeks driving time by about 6.5 hours.  May not seem like much but it feels so good!

I forgot to mention that, when we were in Birmingham, Myra was running to do an errand for me she tripped spectacularly, skinned both knees, both elbows and a hand.  Also, really bruised one of her knees and we think she sprained her arm.  She says it is getting better but I am still sad she got so hurt when she was helping me.  One small miracle is that she didn’t put a hole in the new pants she was wearing and we got all the blood out.

One other small miracle, when we went to use our America the Beautiful National park pass at Kennesaw Mountain, I couldn’t find it anywhere.  I figured it was stolen.  When we arrived at the Vicksburg National Park I thought about the pass again and wondered if there was a crack it could have slipped into.  I reached in the top of the glove box and there was a crack and the pass was in it!  I will be more careful with it in the future.

Will on Vicksburg:

Vicksburg, MS – The campground in Vicksburg was a family campground that was in a pretty secluded area outside the city. It was a very nice campground, and the staff was very helpful. On the day we arrived, we just hung out at the campground for the day and fed ducks. The following morning, we headed out to a Civil War battlefield to get a tour from a renowned historian who had grown up in the area. The attack on Vicksburg was not a battle, he said. It was blatant murder. The siege lasted 47 days and killed numerous soldiers on both sides. Wearing boots that weighed about a ton, (I attempted to walk in a pair) carrying a 10lb rifle and wearing 100% wool clothing in 115 degree heat while walking into a place known by the confederates as “The Killing Hole”, the Union soldiers pressed on and won Vicksburg, but at what cost. I think that the concept of war is a ridiculous thing, but the only way to end it is either to compromise, win, or lose. And when fighting for a great cause such as that of the Union to abolish slavery, it was well worth it in the end to finally kick off the beginning of the road from slavery to equality. Great honor to all soldiers who have fought for our nation. After our tour, we ate lunch at the Brick Street Market, which was quite good. I had a spicy Italian sandwich; the thickest sandwich I have ever seen. After lunch, we went to look and read about a long line of murals by the ship dock. They were very symbolic and historical, highlighting Vicksburg’s history. After that, we went home and relaxed at the trailer for the rest of the day. That was our only full and real day in Vicksburg. To Memphis we go! Overall Rating:      8.5/10