Campaign Of Vicksburg Essay

The name Civil War is misleading because the war was not a class struggle, but a sectional combat, having its roots in political, economic, social, and psychological elements. It has been characterized, in the words of William H. Seward, as the “irrepressible conflict.” In another judgment the Civil War was viewed as criminally stupid, an unnecessary bloodletting brought on by arrogant extremists and blundering politicians. Both views accept the fact that in 1861 there existed a situation that, rightly or wrongly, had come to be regarded as insoluble by peaceful means.

On April 1863, grant begin a campaign against Vicksburg and John Pemberton (confederate defender). Landing below Vicksburg grants forces posed a threat by joseph e. Johnston’s. When the union attacked pemberton’s forces, it left the confederates no option but two retreat. On May 19 and 22 the federal’s attacked the union, so they decided to surround the city , there was warfare for 47 days before finally they surrounded

The battle of Vicksburg’s War tactics was very different, yet intelligent. The concept of these gruesome plans was benefiting more towards the Union than the Confederate. The war between the Union, led by Major General Ulysses S. Grant, and the Confederate, led by Lieutenant General John Pemberton, started the creation of the blockade. The union, investing the city, entrapped the confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. Continuing on to The Fourth of July, Vicksburg surrendered after an extended siege, leading to yet another Union

The Union could use the Mississippi for bombarding cities in which they were fighting, and to move troops to where they were needed. It would also cut the South in half. Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas would be cut off from the rest of the South. 75,000 Union forces

Grant’s successes in May of 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi, was very strategically sound. On May 1st, 1863, Ulysses S. Grant entered at the battle of Port Gibson by crossing the Mississippi River with his army. With Confederate forces not knowing his plans, Grant sent a group of his army under the command of General William T. Truman with the objective being to capture Jackson, Mississippi’s capital, while planning on obtaining Vicksburg in an attempt to permanently closing the Confederate supply base. When the first assaults on the city showed that Vicksburg had strong defenses, the Union army was forced to lay siege to the city. On July 4, 1863, after digging trenches and lobbing hand grenades for 46 days, Confederate

The Union’s layout for winning the war included several main strategies. Utilizing its superior navy, the North would blockade Southern ports to prevent supplies from reaching the South, as well as to impede the South from earning revenue by exporting cotton. Cotton remained a significant factory in the establishment of slavery and South’s agricultural economic system. Raw materials, especially cotton were shipped to a textile mill in the North but the majority of what the South produced was exported. Gaining control of the Mississippi River was another significant and necessary Union strategy as it would fracture Southern lines. Finally, the North planned to capture Richmond, the Confederate capital. The South’s primary aim was to maintain

Their second goal was to gain control over the Mississippi River. The river was the south’s major inland waterway, and with union control over it, it would make transportation, trading, and other factors difficult for the South. The third point they had was to Capture Richmond,

Before the battle started Vicksburg was geographically protected by the Mississippi. The river created a wet, wide, swampy valley with clear edges. Gen. Grant’s objective was to capture Vicksburg, but was facing a major challenge getting his army to dry ground. He tried to bypass Vicksburg, but ended up failing several times. Grant’s reputation in the North was in serious danger by the spring of 1863. He had to act sooner rather than later. In 1863, Vicksburg was celebrating the lifting of the union threat when the roar of gunfire erupted, coming from the river. This was an advantage for Grant in his quest.

After fighting their way southward from Illinois and northward from Gulf of Mexico. Until by late summer of 1862, only Vicksburg and Port Hudson appeared to be major constraints to the Union of the two posts, Vicksburg was by far the strongest and most important. Setting high over looking a bend in the river, protected by artillery and dangerous swamps. So far the city had defined Union efforts to force into submission. (Williams 1)

The American Civil War was a war that divided the nation, pitting brother against brother, son against son. For four long years this war would drag on. At one point President Lincoln believe that only if the Union could capture and control one key terrain the war could be brought to an end. Nestle between Cairo, Illinois, and the Gulf of Mexico, lays the Mississippi River twisting and winding for roughly a 1,000 miles. This river will prove to be a vital area for whomever controlled it. Siting more than 200 feet high, the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi overlooked the river on the Louisiana-Mississippi state border. The Confederate control of this area gave them an ideal

"When New Orleans fell in the spring of 1862, the triumvirate Vicksburg, Grand Gulf and Port Hudson was destined to become the last obstacle to the total Federal control of the Mississippi." Abraham Lincoln thought Vicksburg was 'the key,' so Vicksburg was the focal point of Union strategy. Obviously, Vicksburg was one of the most important objectives of the Union army. General Ulysses S. Grant was placed in charge of the Vicksburg campaign. He was an exceptional strategist and arguably one of the best generals this country has ever seen.

The importance of this raid lay in the fact that they captured much-needed cannons and gunpowder.

The Battle of New Orleans was a decisive victory for the Union as not only did it show the might of their Navy, it also acted as a shield to block any foreign intervention in the war. New Orleans was a valuable southern port where a great deal of commerce occurred. In addition, New Orleans was the South’s largest city as well as one of the few cities in the South that boasted industry and businesses. Furthermore, this port was the only entrance from the Gulf of Mexico, into the massive Mississippi River. This importance made the port of New Orleans a major Union target as for the Union to follow their Anaconda Plan, they needed to capture all ports on the Mississippi River, starting with the entrance, New Orleans.

The Battle of Fredericksburg falls in a long list of failures of the Army of the Potomac during the first year of the American Civil War. Following the Battle of Antietam the Northern Army had the opportunity to defeat Lee’s army. However, Northerners, were shocked by Lee’s escape following this battle on 17 September 1862, and were further upset by Major General George B. McClellan’s procrastination in pursuing Lee and allowing General J.E.B. Stuarts daring cavalry raid into Pennsylvania around Gettysburg (10-12 October 1862). McClellan’s failure to pursue Lee’s Army is mainly due to his own lack of confidence, believing that he doesn’t have enough men or material in order to defeat the Army of Virginia. President Lincoln had finally

In 1861, the American Civil War commenced after many years of tension building between the Northern and Southern states. The main reason of the tension was said to be the debate of slavery between the North and South, and although some documents support this claim, it is false. The war had been brewing since 1607, before slavery was even introduced to the colonies that would become the United States of America. The debate of slavery did play a major part in the civil war; however it did so in supporting the true cause of the civil war. The main cause of the American Civil War was not the debate of slavery, but rather Europe’s role in the American economy.