Louisiana, Madison Parish, Taliulah
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The fall of New Orleans in April1862,
capped the beginning of an 18-month drive
to control Vicksburg and the Mississippi River.
The fight for this strategic location was arduous.
Vicksburg, sitting high atop bluffs, was protected
by artillery and a maze of bayous. Confederate
river fortifications interrupted the flow of
Northern troops, supplies and commerce.
Driving southward from Tennessee and northward from the Gulf, Federal troops forced the surrender of Vicksburg. With this victory, the North opened the Mississippi and dealt a psychological blow to the Confederacy. The South was split in two and unable to move men and munitions across the river. While war's end was still 20 months away, control of the great Mississippi led ultimately to Union victory.
(Map included)
(Right side text)
An 18-Month Campaign
The battle for Vicksburg hit a fevered pitch when Ulysses S. Grant was appointed commander of the Department of the Tennessee and Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, a West Point graduate and native of Pennsylvania, was given charge of 50,000 Confederate troops defending the Mississippi. Grant was ordered to clear the river of Confederate resistance and Pemberton to defend it.
Grant planned to draw Confederate troops defending Vicksburg north and pin them down while another column. led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, moved moved south from Memphis. Grant led 40,000 troops from La Grange, Tennessee, toward Grenada, Mississippi, but met fierce resistance from Confederate forces dug into the Yalobusha riverbank to defend the crossing and the railroad. Grant's plan was thwarted.
Confederate cavalry, led by Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn, headed northward from Grenada, captured the Federal supply base at Holly Springs, Mississippi, and stopped the Union advance. The Mobile & Ohio Railroad carrying Northern supplies fell to Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's raiders. These events caused Grant to retreat to Memphis. Confederate troops heading south toward Vicksburg engaged and decisively beat, Sherman's forces at Chickasaw Bayou.
Grant launched yet another drive to disrupt Southern communications and transportation, confuse the Confederates, and divert Pemberton's troops. He led his troops 50 miles down the west side of the river from Milliken's Bend, Louisiana to Hard Times. At the same time, Union Col. Benjamin H. Grierson led a brigade of 1,700 cavalry from La Grange through Mississippi to Baton Rouge destroying rolling stock, bridges, trestles, track and telegraph lines during this 16-day, 475-mile ride. He also succeeded in luring Pemberton's cavalry and one infantry division in pursuit.
With Grant in southern Louisiana, Adm. David D. Porter maneuvered his gunboats into place to secure the river at Grand Gulf, forcing Grant farther down river to cross at Bruinsburg. Grant fought his way towards Vicksburg on the eastern side of the river, overwhelming and scattering Confederate troops. With these victories to buoy his resolve, Grant began the final siege of Vicksburg with Confederate surrender coming on July 4, 1863. Five days later Port Hudson fell and the domination of the Mississippi River was complete.
(Bottom) 1862 - 1863 Timeline
1862
North May18
Farragut calls for surrender of Vicksburg
South May 18
Vicksburg refuses demand
North June
Farragut steams upriver past Vicksburg
North July
Brown and Arkansas launch surprise attack against Farragat's fleet South July
Farragut retreats to New Orleans
North Sept
Federal divisions sent to reinforce Buell at Louisville
South Sept
Bragg sweeps across Tennessee to Louisville, KY
North Sept
Grant orders attacks from north and south against Price at Iuka
South Sept
Confederate force moves from Baldwyn to Iuka, MI [ sic] to deter Federal divisions
South Sept
Confederates evacuate Iuka and return to Baldwyn
South Oct
Van Dorn suffers defeat by Union at Corinth
North Oct
Grant appointed to secure the Mississippi for Union
South Oct
Pemberton appointed to defend Mississippi
North Nov
Grant marches from Grand Junction, TN into southern Mississippi along Mississippi Central Railroad
North Nov
Sherman pushes down Mississippi River toward Vicksburg
South Nov
Pemberton successfully defends river and railroad at Grenada
South Dec
Van Dorn captures Federal supply base at Holly Springs
South Dec
Forrest secures the Mobile & Ohio Railroad
North Dec
Grant retreats to Memphis
South Dec
Confederate troops repel Sherman at Chickasaw Bayou
1863
North Jan-Feb
Grant launches unsuccessful Bayou Expedition
North Mar
Grant begins march from Milliken's Bend south through Louisiana to Hard Times
North April
Grieson marches from La Grange, TN through Mississippi to Baton Rouge
North April
Porter's gunboats unsuccessfully bombard Confederate forts at Grand Gulf
North May
Grant continues south and crosses river at Bruinsburg
South May
Pemberton's forces attempt to defend Port Gibson and retreat to Vicksburg
North May
Grant defeats Confederate force at Port Gibson, Raymond and captures Jackson
North May
Grant moves along Southern Railroad toward Vicksburg with victories at Champion Hill and Big Black River Bridge
North May
Grant and Porter assault Vicksburg and are repulsed
North June
Grant and Porter continue the siege of Vicksburg by land and sea
South July 4
Pemberton surrenders Vicksburg
(War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
The fall of New Orleans in April1862,
capped the beginning of an 18-month drive
to control Vicksburg and the Mississippi River.
The fight for this strategic location was arduous.
Vicksburg, sitting high atop bluffs, was protected
by artillery and a maze of bayous. Confederate
river fortifications interrupted the flow of
Northern troops, supplies and commerce.Driving southward from Tennessee and northward from the Gulf, Federal troops forced the surrender of Vicksburg. With this victory, the North opened the Mississippi and dealt a psychological blow to the Confederacy. The South was split in two and unable to move men and munitions across the river. While war's end was still 20 months away, control of the great Mississippi led ultimately to Union victory.
(Map included)
(Right side text)
An 18-Month Campaign
The battle for Vicksburg hit a fevered pitch when Ulysses S. Grant was appointed commander of the Department of the Tennessee and Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, a West Point graduate and native of Pennsylvania, was given charge of 50,000 Confederate troops defending the Mississippi. Grant was ordered to clear the river of Confederate resistance and Pemberton to defend it.
Grant planned to draw Confederate troops defending Vicksburg north and pin them down while another column. led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, moved moved south from Memphis. Grant led 40,000 troops from La Grange, Tennessee, toward Grenada, Mississippi, but met fierce resistance from Confederate forces dug into the Yalobusha riverbank to defend the crossing and the railroad. Grant's plan was thwarted.
Confederate cavalry, led by Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn, headed northward from Grenada, captured the Federal supply base at Holly Springs, Mississippi, and stopped the Union advance. The Mobile & Ohio Railroad carrying Northern supplies fell to Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's raiders. These events caused Grant to retreat to Memphis. Confederate troops heading south toward Vicksburg engaged and decisively beat, Sherman's forces at Chickasaw Bayou.
Grant launched yet another drive to disrupt Southern communications and transportation, confuse the Confederates, and divert Pemberton's troops. He led his troops 50 miles down the west side of the river from Milliken's Bend, Louisiana to Hard Times. At the same time, Union Col. Benjamin H. Grierson led a brigade of 1,700 cavalry from La Grange through Mississippi to Baton Rouge destroying rolling stock, bridges, trestles, track and telegraph lines during this 16-day, 475-mile ride. He also succeeded in luring Pemberton's cavalry and one infantry division in pursuit.
With Grant in southern Louisiana, Adm. David D. Porter maneuvered his gunboats into place to secure the river at Grand Gulf, forcing Grant farther down river to cross at Bruinsburg. Grant fought his way towards Vicksburg on the eastern side of the river, overwhelming and scattering Confederate troops. With these victories to buoy his resolve, Grant began the final siege of Vicksburg with Confederate surrender coming on July 4, 1863. Five days later Port Hudson fell and the domination of the Mississippi River was complete.
(Bottom) 1862 - 1863 Timeline
1862
North May18
Farragut calls for surrender of Vicksburg
South May 18
Vicksburg refuses demand
North June
Farragut steams upriver past Vicksburg
North July
Brown and Arkansas launch surprise attack against Farragat's fleet South July
Farragut retreats to New Orleans
North Sept
Federal divisions sent to reinforce Buell at Louisville
South Sept
Bragg sweeps across Tennessee to Louisville, KY
North Sept
Grant orders attacks from north and south against Price at Iuka
South Sept
Confederate force moves from Baldwyn to Iuka, MI [ sic] to deter Federal divisions
South Sept
Confederates evacuate Iuka and return to Baldwyn
South Oct
Van Dorn suffers defeat by Union at Corinth
North Oct
Grant appointed to secure the Mississippi for Union
South Oct
Pemberton appointed to defend Mississippi
North Nov
Grant marches from Grand Junction, TN into southern Mississippi along Mississippi Central Railroad
North Nov
Sherman pushes down Mississippi River toward Vicksburg
South Nov
Pemberton successfully defends river and railroad at Grenada
South Dec
Van Dorn captures Federal supply base at Holly Springs
South Dec
Forrest secures the Mobile & Ohio Railroad
North Dec
Grant retreats to Memphis
South Dec
Confederate troops repel Sherman at Chickasaw Bayou
1863
North Jan-Feb
Grant launches unsuccessful Bayou Expedition
North Mar
Grant begins march from Milliken's Bend south through Louisiana to Hard Times
North April
Grieson marches from La Grange, TN through Mississippi to Baton Rouge
North April
Porter's gunboats unsuccessfully bombard Confederate forts at Grand Gulf
North May
Grant continues south and crosses river at Bruinsburg
South May
North May
Grant defeats Confederate force at Port Gibson, Raymond and captures Jackson
North May
Grant moves along Southern Railroad toward Vicksburg with victories at Champion Hill and Big Black River Bridge
North May
Grant and Porter assault Vicksburg and are repulsed
North June
Grant and Porter continue the siege of Vicksburg by land and sea
South July 4
Pemberton surrenders Vicksburg
(War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
