There was the Vicksburg Campaign and then the Siege of Vicksburg. The Vicksburg campaign encompassed several battles and skirmishes. The campaign lasted several months, with a final three month flurry of activity, where US Grant bypassed the city on the west bank of the Mississippi, crossed the river well below Vicksburg, moved to the Northeast, fighting along the route, to capture the state capitol at Jackson, MS. He then turned most of his army to the west on the line to Vicksburg, fought Pemberton at two battles (Champion Hill & Big Black River Bridge). Pemberton the withdrew into the defensive fortifications around Vicksburg on 18 May 1863. Grant came up and made an assault on the city, which was decisively repulsed, as almost all attacks on fortified poitions were in the Civil War. Grant then set up a cirumvallation line, covering about 12 miles, cutting the city, civilians and defenders off from all outside communications (in the military sense). Grant also posted Sherman and his division facing east on the road to Jackson to block the rumored relief force under Joe Johnston. The formal siege lasted until 4 July 1863, when the Confederate forces and the civilian population were near starvation, disease was running rampant and no hope of relief was possible. Pemberton had polled his commanders on 1 July 1863, to see if they thought the men could break out of the siege and make their escape. The unanimous response was that was no longer possible. On July 3, Pemberton asked for terms from Grant. On 4 July, the Confederate garrison formally surrendered themselves and the city to the Union. Almost all the Confederate soldiers signed paroles, only a handful refused and were sent to POW camps in the north.
I am a descendant of a CSA artilleryman who was there.
I am a descendant of a CSA artilleryman who was there.
So am I! My ancestor fought along the river batteries in Mississippi's first light arty. He was in Vaiden's arty. They have the markers still set up there today in the battlefield.
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