From May 22 until July 4, 1863 the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi the last Confederate stronghold along the Mississippi River was surrounded, shelled and choked off by the army of Ulysses S. Grant. Unlike many earlier battles of the Civil War, where the Union army did not purposely target civilians, the citizens of Vicksburg were at the center of this historic battle. In an effort to take control of the key city, the citizens of Vicksburg suffered incalculable hardships at the hands of Grant's forces. War had come to the citizens of the South.
Your group's goal is to recreate a scene that depicts experience of the citizen's of Vicksburg during the Union's siege of the city. The time period which your group will focus is from May 22 to July 4, 1863.
Questions
1.
Why would the plan to capture Vicksburg (and the Mississippi)
hurt
the Confederacy?
2. How did control of the Mississippi River benefit
an army?
3. What was the Union's plan for taking
control of the Mississippi River called?
Why do you think it was called this?
4. Why was Vicksburg such an important
city to both sides?
5. Who were the major opposing generals
in the battle?
6. How many military casualties were there
on each side? Total?
7. Why was Grant not able to simply over-run
the city?
8. How was the civilian population of
Vicksburg affected by the siege?
9. How do you think the outcome of the
battle/siege benefited the victor?
Overview Sites
- Battle Statistics--including casualties
- Introduction to Battle of Vicksburg
- Vicksburg Backgrounder
- The Mississippi Campaigns: Vicksburg - A description of what the citizens of the Vicksburg had to endure.
Battle Sequence
- First Assault of Vicksburg
- Second Assault of Vicksburg
- The Siege of Vicksburg
- Surrender of Vicksburg
Primary Resources
- The Bombardment of Vicksburg - Remembered by a Confederate soldier during WWI.
- Seven Photographs of Vicksburg
