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Battle Of Vicksburg Essay

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The American Civil War began in April of 1861 and ended in May of 1865. Many Americans lost their lives over the span of four years during that war. Historians have considered the Battle of Gettysburg to be the major decisive battle of the war, but was it? A period of 43 days in 1863, fighting for complete control of the Mississippi River is what I believe to be the most decisive battle of the war. The Siege of Vicksburg is the name of the battle and it is possibly a more decisive battle than even Gettysburg. The Old Northwest considered the Mississippi River to be theirs as much as anybody else consider and viewed the river and Gulf of Mexico as an inexpensive, economic lifeline to the east. The country built waterways and railroads …show more content…

“Vicksburg is the nail head that holds the South’s two halves together,” is a quote from Davis. President Lincoln said of its importance, “See what a lot of land these fellows hold, of which Vicksburg is the key! The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket. We can take all the northern ports of the Confederacy, and they can defy us from Vicksburg." The importance of Vicksburg to both the north and south could not be overstated and would inevitably become a decisive part of the civil war for both …show more content…

Pemberton’s forces following these defeats withdrew and tried to salvage anything his forces could eat along the way. Trying to stall the northern advance while withdrawing, Pemberton burned bridges along the way to Vicksburg. Northern morale was high following their string of victories. Confederate forces’ morale suffered from the defeat and seeming retreat and was nearly nonexistent at the beginning of the attack on Vicksburg. Grant’s forces repaired the bridges enough for them to use and on May 18, 1863, the north began the assault on

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An American civil war which was one of the most bloodiest and intense it had happened on May 12th. A war that had given the nickname 'Bloody love angel' because of its 24hours hand to hand fighting on the Western edge. May 18th, a final attack led by Hancock and Grants men, but had made no progress. The second day had come, heavy days of rain followed grant changed his army and looked for weak points on the confederate line. May 19 confederate changed plans with an attack on union right at Harris farm.

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Firstly, Vicksburg had a major impact after the Civil War because the Union gained control of the Mississippi River. The History Channel explains how after the 47-day siege, the Union gained access to the Mississippi River. The North gained control of one of the most, if not the most important river in the US, which was the Mississippi. Similarly, NPS.gov goes in-depth on the fall of Vicksburg, and how the Mississippi was claimed. The North (Union) got access to the Mississippi due to the surrender of the South.

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But they were met only by a deadly volley of rifle fire. At this point the Confederate Colors fell many of times. Finally realizing they could no longer hold their position the Confederates fell back crossing the bridge trying to still defend their position and losing many Confederate soldiers. They were order to retreat to Honey Springs were they held their

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c) It all began when Union forces under the command of Major General Ulysses S. Grant began to enter Mississippi to strike against the crucial city of Vicksburg and trapping the Confederate army under Lieutenant General John Pemberton. As President Abraham Lincoln indicated, “Vicksburg is the key. The

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It also gave the Union control of the Mississippi River. The Battle of Vicksburg was one of the most important Battles of the Civil War, and it helped speed up the end of the long fought war. It also let the north go into the deep south so they could eradicate the “Rebels”. It split the Confederacy in half. It made it easier to defeat the “Rebels” when they were not able to communicate with their other half.

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Losses because the South lost more soldiers than the north. For these reasons Gettysburg was a major turning point in the Civil

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Solutions to The Wounded Angels The Battle of Gettysburg fought on July 1863. This was a war between the Union Army and The Confederates. The Union Army won the battle that stopped the second invasion of the North. The Battle of Gettysburg was known as one of the bloodiest battles ever, which is crazy to think how many people got injured or even killed.

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Then the momentum changed to the Union forces; they took over Champion Hill and Big Black Bridge. They were breathing down Pemberton’s forces, so Pemberton had to retreat back to Vicksburg and its defenses.

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The Battle technically lasted 3 days, September 16-18 1862, although, the main fighting was only on the 17th. George McClellan was the Union General of the troops in that Battle, and Robert. E. Lee was the confederate General. Lee was at a disadvantage because his army was half the size of McClellan’s army. Both sides suffered about 10,000 casualties and the Battle was generally considered a tie, it was thought that the Union army could have shattered Lee’s army if they had pursued him back south.

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While the other part of his army would take on longstreet at marye's heights. the union's army main attack was a success, but the counter attack of Jackson’s lead in the end to have a total of 9,000 either dead missing or wounded. This didn't change anything for their strategy. While that was happening Burnside's taking on the confederate soldiers as they were behind a stone wall, but the confederate soldiers were too strong for the federal soldiers trying to attack but with all their rifle and artillery there was no match to their impenetrable spot. a quote from Edward Porter Alexander’s states that “a chicken could not live on that

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During the Siege of Vicksburg there were generals from the Confederacy and the Union planning how to successfully defend or seize the city. General John A. McClerand was one of those generals on the side of the Union. Vicksburg was a crucial city to control for the Union so that they might secure the Mississippi River. Without Vicksburg it would be difficult to

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The battle of Vicksburg, also called the Siege of Vicksburg, was a long land and naval campaign by Union forces to capture a position. The Siege of Vicksburg was fought on May 18-July 4, 1863 in Warren County, Mississippi. The final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign was the Siege of Vicksburg. Capturing Vicksburg was the last major confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River, and completed the second part of the northern strategy of the Anaconda Plan. Grant decided to besiege the city beginning on May 25, when two major assaults (May 19 and 22, 1863) against the confederate fortifications were attacked with heavy casualties.

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Mississippi was made strategically important by its proximity to the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River was important to both the Union and the Confederacy. It was valued by the Union because complete control of it would grant the Union a valuable shipping route, making it much easier to supply their troops (especially as much of the agricultural production for the Union was in the Mississippi watershed). It was important for the Confederacy to keep at least partial control of the river, because losing it completely to the Union troops would result in the Confederacy splitting in two. By 1863, the Union had control of the entire Mississippi River, with the exception of the riverside fort of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

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