The Importance of Vicksburg

The Battle of Vicksburg maybe was one of the most important battles that took place during the Civil War. Running from May 18, 1863-July 4th, 1863, Grant executed a tactical masterclass that led to the splitting up of the South and Sherman's March to the Sea. The Battle of Vicksburg was a great turning point in the war and gave the Union complete control over the grand Mississippi River.

General Grant after attempting for several months to reach Vicksburg from the North came up with a new strategy: attack Vicksburg from the South. Using a Union gunboat run, a fake from Sherman, and a Federal Calvary raid, Grant was able to fake Pemberton out. Crossing at Burinsburg, Grant was able to achieve something he had been trying to reach for the past 3 months; getting lead elements of the Union Army between him and Pemberton.

Pemberton reacted and met Grant at Port Gibson. Using two thrusts and superior speed, Grant was able to overwhelm the Confederates at Port Gibson, thus he was able to secure a crossing for the Union Army. Now Grant could employ his masterplan; overtake the enemy with greater numbers and more resources. Over the next few weeks, Grant would go on what later historians would call "Grant's Blitzkerg", a fast moving 3 week-long assault on the Mississippi countryside. Using pace and adaption, Grant was able to outfox Pemberton and roll over the Southern troops taking Raymond and Jackson in his wake. This movement left Pemberton exposed from his defenses at Vicksburg.

Grant took the chance. After cutting the railroad and burning down Jackson, Grant wheeled around his army to attack Pemberton head on. Using the same combination of speed and tactical genius, Grant within two days was at the gates of Vicksburg and prepared to take the city. He had calculated that with speed and veracity that he had swept through the South with the Confederate Soldiers would be weak and would easily surrender. Grant could not have been more wrong. He was stalled after 3 grand assaults on the city and was left with no choice but to laid siege to the city. Over the course of the next month and a half, Grant built up his defenses and tightened the noose around Pemberton's neck. Starving out the enemy proved to be what was fatal to Pemberton's men. With the men in mutiny and the soldiers too weak to fight, Pemberton was left with no choice but surrender the great strategic key that was Vicksburg.

Although Vicksburg gets overshadowed by Gettysburg it was probably more important. Lincoln once called it "the whole key to the war" and Jefferson Davis said it was "the nog that held the two pieces of the South together." By taking Vicksburg, the Union was able to gain complete control of the Mississippi and cut the South into two. No longer could Texas beef, Mississippi metal, and Lousiana Manassas reach the Southern troops on the Eastern Front. Items such as salt would become rarities. Just as importantly though was that now Grant and Sherman could use Mississippi and the river passes won at the Battle of Vicksburg as a staging ground for their all-out assault on the rest of the South. In retrospect, the Battle of Vicksburg was a key strategic turning point for the War and put the Union on to the road of victory.

C. Shell

https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil-war/battles/vicksburg