Vicksburg

Vicksburg

The July 4, 1863, Grant victory in the Vicksburg Battle was a turning point in the civil war and Illinois soldiers played a very active roll. This victory gave the North undisputed control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy in two. 

The Illinois State Memorial, dedicated in 1906, cost over $190,000. In todays dollars that is more than $4.6 million! There are also many smaller memorials around the battlefield.

On May 19, 1863, an Illinois infantry was running out of ammunition and sent Orion Howe, a 14 year old musician volunteer to run back and get more. He was wounded but made it to General Sherman to ask for the cartridges. This heroic run, while he was shot in the leg, made him the youngest recipient of the Medal of Honor. Orion went on to attend the Naval Academy and have quite a career. 

The Shirley house was built by a salve owner that decided to join Grant and allow him to use his home as Union headquarters. During the night of May 21, 1863, Grant was awaken to the noise of his men tearing the sideboards off the house-unaware that their commander was sleeping inside. Grant was annoyed but when he learned their plans were to use the lumber for a bridge over a trench in front of Stockade Redan he was more than happy to help them. When the house was dismantled, Union headquarters were re-established in tents. 

The Mississippi River is visible from the battle field but during a flood 20 years ago it changed directions so it does not flow by the site like it did in 1863.

The cemetery is enormous.

On our way home we stopped for dinner at Shaggy’s on the Ross Barnett Reservoir. We ate outside on the water and the waiter informed us the weather is warm, 70 for a low,  all winter in this area. We ordered Beach Balls for an appetizer, fried mashed potato balls, delicious! 

Our site was quite large but not level!