One hundred forty-seven years ago, while US Major General Joe Hooker was reeling from his thrashing at Chancellorsville, Major General Ulysses S. Grant, commanding the Army of the Tennessee, was marching through Mississippi. On this day in the Civil War, Grant issued orders through his aide, Lieutenant Colonel John A. Rawlins, “Corps commanders will immediately commence the work of reducing the enemy by regular approaches. It is desirable that no more loss of life shall be sustained in the reduction of Vicksburg, and the capture of the Garrison. Every advantage will be taken of the natural of the ground to gain to gain positions from which to start mines, trenches, or advance batteries…”(i) And so it became a siege. After successive victories at Grand Gulf (April 29), Port Gibson (May 1), Raymond (May 12), Jackson (May 14), Champion Hill (May 16) and Big Black River Bridge (May 17) Grant’s army had reached the outskirts of Vicksburg on May 18, 1863. Always the aggressor, Grant made direct assaults against the heavily entrenched Confederate Army of Mississippi, commanded by CSA Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, on May 19 and 22. Both attacks would be unsuccessful and would dramatically lengthen the casualty lists. For the next 41 days the Federal army would lay siege to Pemberton’s defenses probing with infantry – always looking for opportunities to break the Confederate lines. On July 4, 1863, Grant would receive Pemberton’s unconditional surrender – an event that would open the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
For additional reading refer to the following articles I have published on Vicksburg:
Ulysses S. Grant Attacks Vicksburg
The Father of Waters Again Goes Unvexed to the Sea
(i) Simon, John Y. (editor), The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 8: April 1 – July 6, 1863, published by Southern Illinois University Press in 1979, Pgs. 267–8.