Dawn breaks, May 19th, 1863. The only sound is the chirping of birds echoing through the forest. The air is clear and crisp as the sun starts to climb over the horizon. The stillness begins to be broken by the sounds of men awakening, preparing their breakfasts, checking their equipment, getting ready to face the day. Tents and sleeping equipment are damp with the morning dew, and the soldiers are anxious of the day's events awaiting them. Excitement is dampened in the weary souls of the men who have been waging war against friends and family, turned foe due to differences in the belief of the rights of ALL men to freedom as opposed to the rights of those who would wish to enslave others. Inside the city of Vicksburg, families huddle in caves and shelters, awaiting the onslaught they know is coming. Outside the Confederate lines, the soldiers of the Union forces are readying themselves for the battle to come.
With lines neatly dressed and their battle flags blowing in the breeze above them, Sherman's troops surged across the fields at 2:00 p.m. and through the abatis (obstructions of felled trees) toward Stockade Redan to begin the assault on the city.
Union cannon pointing towards Confederates.
Confederate cannon pointing towards the Union troops.
There are so many monuments in this park dedicated to the troops, both Confederate and Union, who fought here so long ago.
Line of cannon on the ridge.
Monument dedicated to the African American soldiers who fought to help gain their freedom.
General Ulysses S. Grant
Two views of one of the battlefields. Photo above is taking looking UP the slope; while the photo below is taking looking DOWN the slope.
Below are photos of a few of the various monuments throughout the park.
At times, the lines of the troops were so close that they could hurl verbal insults at each other as well as their more deadly weaponry. The Confederate troops were so well entrenched around Vicksburg, that the only way the Union could finally claim victory was by laying seige to the city and starving them into surrender.Driving the 16-mile route around this famous battlefield one becomes awed by the immensity of the battle that took place here. It is a real jolt though, to read the words on the wall in the visitor center/museum of the park that it took until the 1950's for the African-American community to achieve the rights for which so many died fighting almost 100 years before.
To learn more about the Vicksburg Campaign, please click on the link below:
If you are just interested in seeing the tour of the park, this link will take you to an online tour of the same places we drove to:
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