Vicksburg Battleground - August 4th, 2018
Visit the Civil War Battleground in Vicksburg, MS on a hot summer day
Briefly step inside the visitor center for information & cold water
Outside the visitor center is an impressive display of cannons
Cannons from both the north and south on display with discriptions
Visitors gather around for a cannon live fire demonstration will be made with park employees dressed in Union uniforms
Different projectiles can be fire depending on the damage you want
The officer details cannon usage, fire procedures & warns of the loudness
The enlisted men prepare the cannon for firing
They await orders to roll the cannon forward for firing
Step back from the crowd to receive a greater shockwave of the cannon blast and to gauge visitor's reaction
Wow, that was loud, should have taken a video to record the sound as well
The force of a magnum round without ear protection
One more shot of the cannon display on the business side with Vicksburg's Clay Street @ Union Avenue intersection in the background
Pay the $20/vehicle fee & start the 16 mile tour at the Memorial Arch
See the first of over 1300 memorials in the park
Burbridge was promoted from Brigadier to Brevet General at campaigns end
Monument to Col. Fred Moore of the 83rd Ohio Infantry
Kentucky Col. Landram was promoted to Brevet General by wars end
Please remember the sacrifices of the men who died here
Monument to the 97th Illinois Infrantry and casualties incurred
Monument to the 48th Ohio Infrantry and their commanding officers
Lt. Col Charles Turner commanded the 108th Illinois Infantry
The 48th & 59th Indiana Infantry were commanded by Cols Eddy & Alexander
The Indiana 59th's commander Col. Jessie Alexander
The first of 26 State Memorials is for Minnesota
Col. Griggs commanded the 3rd Infantry & Lt. Col. Tourtellotte the 4th
The Statue of Peace holds a sword & shield given up by the two armies
Col. John Sanborn of the 4th Minnesota Infantry promoted to Bvt General later
Col. Raum commanded the 2nd Brigade 7th Division of 56th Illinois Infantry
Col Samuel Holmes commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 10th Missouri Infantry
Col. Boomer of the 26th Missouri Infantry was killed on May 22, 1863
Location of the 6th & 12th Wisconsin Light Artillery Batteries
Both batteries engaged the rebel forces from May 14 to July 4th
Park road continues around the high ground with artillery emplacements
Sight more artillery further up the hill with a blue Union sign
The Wisconsin 12th Light Artillery served four 10-pounder parrot rifles here
Gen Quinby went on sick leave on June 2nd and returned to NY
Col. Charles Matthies commanded the 5th Iowa Infantry & was promoted
Col. Holden Putnam was later killed in Tennessee's on November 25, 1863
First official stop of the tour, the Battery De Golyer, with a lineup of cannons facing Vicksburg and the Illinois State Memorial in the background
More cannons to the left with a large monolith at the turn in the road
It is the State of Michigan memorial, #2 of 26 state memorials in the park
More cannons beyond the trail with a blue Union information sign present
Captain DeGolyer of the 8th Michigan Battery was mortally wounded May 28th
The Union concentrated cannons and destroyed thinly spread Confederates
Close up of the Civil War cannons at the Battery De Golyer
Illinois Major General John Logan commanded the 3rd Division, 17th Army
Ohio 68th Infantry commanded by Col. Scott & Lt. Col. Snook
The 2nd Stop is the Shirley House, only wartime structure remaining in park
Col. Manning Force of the 20th Ohio Infantry 3rd Division, 17th Corps
How important was Vicksburg to the war? Look around and you'll see
Approach the State of Illinois memorial, the most impressive in the park
The 3rd of 26 state memorials and #1 in cost and grandeur
47 steps make up the staircase, symbolizing the 47 days of the siege
The monument stands 62ft high with a bronze bald eagle atop & a frieze of Clio, the Muse of History, w/handmaidens (North & South) on either side
It memorializes 36,325 Illinois soldiers (20% of the Vicksburg campaign)
Abraham Lincoln's quote on the Battle of Vicksburg
U.S. Grant's quote on power securing peace & prosperity
Quote from wartime Illinois Governor Richard Yates
Inside the temple of fame are 60 unique bronze tablets lining the interior walls
Light (and water) enter the from the top and front door
All 36,325 Illinois soldiers in the Vicksburg Campaign are named
Erected to the service, suffering, sacrifice & devotion of Illinois' sons
Commanding officers carved in stone above the bronze tablets
Tile fresco of the Great Seal of Illinois lies directly in the center
Walk past Ohio's Capt. Hickenlooper toward the 3rd official stop on the trail
3rd Louisiana Redan where Maj. Cowen (45th Illinois) was killed leading troops
Siege began after May 22nd frontal assaults brought high Union casualties
Site of the Union tunneling underground and placing 2200 lbs of explosives to open up the fortifications to hand to hand fighting
The hand to hand fighting lasted all day with both sides adding fresh troops
Shells with lit fuses (gernades) were tossed into the crater from both sides
The edge of the Confederate Redan (arrow-shaped embankment forming part of a fortification) still overlooks the low ground
Arkansas battery w/3" rifle placed here until caisson exploded by shelling & Capt. William Hogg killed, on May 19
Lt. Col Senteny was killed by Union mortar fire during the night of July 1st
Ark. battery served here May 18-July 4 with 4 killed including Capt. Hogg
Double back past the Illinois Monument and continue on to the 4th Stop
Stop #4 Ransom's Gun Path has the State of Wisconsin memorial nearby
General Ransom dug trenches towards Confederate rifle pits 200yds away
Between the 4th State Memorial soldier statues are bronze tablets
. . . with the names of the 9,075 Wisconsin troops who fought at Vicksburg
Union & Confederate soldiers clasp hands in friendship symbolizing peace
"Old Abe" the war eagle, mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry, sits atop
Missed State of West Virginia Memorial - © photo acquired at npplan.com
Missed State of © West Virginia Memorial & Stop #5 Stockade Redan Attack
Northern public opinion turned in 1863 after heroic action by by former slave black troops at Port Hudson & Milliken's Bend along the Mississippi
Dedicated to Mississippians of African Descent who fought at Vicksburg
Missed State of Rhode Island Memorial - © photo acquired at npplan.com
Missed State of Massachusetts Memorial - © photo acquired at npplan.com
General Grant chose a wood frame house for his HQ at Vicksburg
The State of New York Memorial is located on the way to Grant's HQ
The State of Pennsylvania Memorial is on Grant Circle near to where Grant's HQ was located featuring bronze reliefs of 5 Pennsylvania unit commanders
The commanders were Curtin, Brenholtz, Hartranet, Leasure & Durell
Grant's HQ was dismantled for boards to assault the Stockdale Redan
Confederates held for 2 hours then fell back toward Vicksburg
Casaulties were equal but a war of attrition favored the Union
Stop #6 - General Thayer's Approach (tunnel through the ridgeline)
May 19th & 22nd assaults up the hill were driven back by the Confederates
They began digging a mine to pack with black powder to destroy the fort
The brick arch preserves the trench tunnel made for Thayer's Approach
Robert calls for volunteers to make the assault on Johnny Reb's line
Thayer's soldiers had nearly completed the mine when Vicksburg surrendered
Admiral Porter saw the merits of Grant's strategy and agreed to "run the gauntlet" past Vicksburg's mighty guns and meet Grant's army south of the city. Transports would then carry troops and supplies safely across the river.
Impressive monument salutes the US Navy's role in the success at Vicksburg
Porter's mortar-boat flotilla added firepower, assuring Union victory
Farragut commanded the fleet blockading the Gulf of Mexico
Foote's Western Flotilla took out enemy forts north of Vicksburg
Davis led the Western Flotilla after Foote was injured in the summer of 1862
7) Battery Selfridge, the USS Cairo's captain & sailors manned these guns
Viewed Stop #8 Vicksburg National Cemetery from the Cairo's parking lot
Stop #8 Fort Hill, this Confederate position was so strong that the Union Army did not even attempt an attack during the assaults of May 19 and 22
The northern most point in the ring of Confederate forts around Vicksburg
Fort Hill commanded the bend in the Mississippi River north of the city
The park road was closed after this, due to erosion, the album ends
Add remaining State Memorials from online sources - Tennessee, added 1996
With men on both sides, State of Missouri Memorial was added 1917
State of Arkansas, a rare marble Memorial, was added 1954
State of Louisiana Memorial is an 81 ft Doric column, added 1920
Granite State of Mississippi Memorial has bronze sculptors, added 1912
State of Texas Memorial has a TX infantryman & cannon, added 1961
State of Alabama Memorial w/infantry inspired by Ms. Alabama, added 1951
Confederate Kentucky Memorial added 2010, Union memorial outside park
State of Georgia Memorial added 1962, same one as at 3 other battlefields
State of Indiana Memorial added 1926, is a sculpture of Gov. Morton
State of Iowa Memorial added 1906, with six bronze relief panels & statue