The Ironclads: Gunboats Deliver the Mississippi and the Civil War

"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.

Mississippi’s Civil War: A Narrative History begins by providing the account of the Nullification Crisis that took place in 1832. The crisis began as a dispute between the state of South Carolina and the federal government over a series of national tariffs that many of the southerners viewed as excessive. (6) The leader of the nullification movement in Mississippi was John Anthony Quitman. Quitman died in 1859 and the Mississippi finally left the Union in 1861. (8) As a result of the Nullification crisis, the Mexican War took place. Many Mississippians volunteered to fight with much enthusiasm. After nearly two years of war, America won. (11) From 1840-1860 Mississippi’s population doubled to almost 800,000 residents and by 1860 Mississippi’s institutions were hopelessly entangled in the web of slavery. The cotton based agriculture increased the need for slaves and by the eve of the Civil War slaves represented 55 percent of the state’s total population. (12) Mississippi’s ordinance of secession officially took them out of the union in 1861 leading up to the Civil War. (32)

Grant began to make plans for a campaign against Vicksburg. The campaign in the American Civil War culminating in the surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant on July 4, 1863. General Ulysses S. Grant with the largest force, about 67, 000 men. I was to guard rail communications and occupy towns in the Union. It held territory in the west, but he would concentrate on taking Vicksburg. Vicksburg is the last principal confederate bastion on the

Mississippi’s Civil War: A Narrative History begins by providing the account of the Nullification Crisis that took place in 1832. The crisis began as a dispute between the state of South Carolina and the federal government over a series of national tariffs that many of the southerners viewed as excessive. (6) The leader of the nullification movement in Mississippi was John Anthony Quitman. Quitman died in 1859 and Mississippi finally left the Union in 1861. (8) As a result of the Nullification crisis, the Mexican War took place. Many Mississippians volunteered to fight with much enthusiasm. After nearly two years of war, America won. (11) From 1840-1860 Mississippi’s population doubled to almost 800,000 residents and by 1860 Mississippi’s institutions were hopelessly entangled in the web of slavery. The cotton based agriculture increased the need for slaves and by the eve of the Civil War slaves represented 55 percent of the state’s total population. (12) Mississippi’s ordinance of secession officially took them out of the union in 1861 leading up to the Civil War. (32)

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

For one it helped the farther states to keep in contact with the West, news of what was happening and or important documents were being sent to different states to keep them update, and it helped for new and better ideas of how could the spreading of news could be spread faster and safer.

Vicksburg was so important to the Union because of two things: One, it was the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi; Two, if taken, the forces in the North could not use the river to contact the forces in the South and vice versa. It was important to the Confederacy because of location, it held the Confederacy together. Confederate president Jefferson Davis, when asked about the Siege of Vicksburg, said, “Vicksburg is the nailhead that holds the South’s two halves together.”(Bacharach)The city of Vicksburg was the beginning of the end for the Confederacy,whomever controlled the Mississippi, controlled the

In the beginning of the campaign to Vicksburg, the Union wants to control all the Mississippi river so they could divide the Confederacy in half so supplies could not go to or come from the western states. The Union could also us control of the river to send supplies to the northern states along the Mississippi river. The union’s strategy in this campaign was superior to the Confederate strategy.

Commander asked Grant for terms and conditions of surrender. Grant demands unconditional surrender, but Pemberton refuses. Later Grant offers that instead of taking Pemberton army prisoners, he will release them and many will go home. They finally surrendered on July 4. After five days at Port Hudson, Louisiana, the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi, which split Confederacy into two. Wild Scott's Anaconda plan brought victory to the union after months of success. The Union army gain of the river Vicksburg Mississippi, therefore dividing confidence and ending with the surrender of General Pemberton. Ulysses S. Grant also union used total war to there advantage, which is the systematic structure of the entire land. This total warfare was considered similar to genocide. The battle was purely won on the basis of cruelty to the civilians and army men. Grant losses 10,000 killed wounded or missing, and many losses of Confederates too. Many Civilians were killed. But this battle was a turning point of the war, as Mississippi river was under control of Unions no Confederates were not able to send supplies across its width. Texas-Mexico border were the borders from where suppliers supplies and it was impossible for even French to cross the Mississippi River.

The Sieges of Vicksburg and Port Hudson were turning points in the war. US Grant charged into Vicksburg and General Banks moved to the Mississippi River to take down the Confederates based at Port Hudson. The attacks were repulsed and on May 27 the federals went into a siege that lasted 48 days. On June 14 Banks tried to get revenge but the defenders fought them off.. After hearing what happened at Vicksburg, on July 9, the confederates at Port Hudson surrendered. The Union takes control of the Mississippi River. They now have a source to New Orleans. The siege happened when Nyulassy S. Grant was besieging Vicksburg up river while General Nathaniel Banks was ordered to capture and gain control of the Confederate stronghold of Port Hudson. Banks

During the Civil War Vicksburg was a thorn in the flesh of the Union forces, since from there the Confederates controlled shipping on the river. After several unsuccessful attempts to take the town, Union troops, commanded by General Grant, finally captured it in 1863 after a 47-day siege. Its fall was one of the bitterest defeats of the Confederates. These events are commemorated in the Vicksburg National Military Park and Cemetery. It was one of the most decisive battles of the Civil War. Over 1,300 monuments and markers, reconstructed trenches and the Vicksburg cemetery are found within these boundaries.

The Battle of Hampton Roads, otherwise known as Monitor versus Merrimac, was the first engagement of two ironclad ships in battle. On March 8, 1862, the Merrimac, now christened the CSS Virginia, sunk two Union ships in addition to grounding another in an effort to prevent the Union from blockading southern ports. On March 9, the more significant battle began when the Confederate Virginia fired on the Union’s Minnesota. The Virginia then met its northern ironclad counterpart, the Monitor, at the mouth of the James River. The Virginia and the Monitor fired upon one another, though the incompetence of the crews rendered the shots ineffective. The volley continued for some time, causing people to flock to the shore, the docks, or nearby vessels in an effort to watch the action. Eventually, the Virginia had a successful shot at the Monitor, hitting the Monitor’s iron pilothouse. When the Monitor’s pilothouse was hit, iron shards flew everywhere and got into Commander Lieutenant John Worden’s eyes. This caused the Monitor to sheer off course and move into shallow water. The Virginia posed to attack the Minnesota, after deducing that the Monitor was out of commision at this point in time. Before attacking, the Virginia’s officers reported a leak in the bow, depleted ammunition, and that the steam powered engine was having trouble keeping pace. The battle ended in a draw as the Virginia headed back to its naval yard for repairs. The battle showed that in the future, all wooden ships and vessels would be obsolete in comparison to the ironclads that would soon became the new naval fighting

Just like the British during these last two wars, the North had the mastery of the oceans, so the South had to make up for its small Navy by sticking to similar tactics to the ones used against the British. During the Civil war, the South implemented guerre de course, three words that are being mentioned a lot, just like the Navies of the American Revolution and the War of 1812. The Confederate Navy did this pretty well during the war because “despite all the disadvantages under which the Confederate operated, it could challenge larger Union forces remarkable well up until late 1864,” (McPherson p363). The South received Foreign aid as well; secretly, the British suppled the South with ships such as the CSS

     Joined by Jackson , the Confederate troops constantly attacked George McClellan and on June 27, they broke through at Gaines Mill. Outnumbered, McClellan retreated to James River. Abraham Lincoln, frustrated by McClellan's lack of success, sent in Major General John Pope, but he too was easily beaten back by Jackson.

As it was said above, the start of the use of ships were due to Lincoln wanting the North to do a blockage against the South. With the blockage it would have covered about three thousands miles and with that fact other nations were not so into the blockage unless it was effective. Once one area of the United States started to have ships, it started to cause the other side known as the Confederate to start up making their own later in the war. Their ships however were both like the others side, but yet not all the way always for some. The Confederate Navy had a difficult time at making ships since it only had two shipyards and lack some materials on making working ships, but somehow they manage to build them and get them all sailing well in the waters.