Return to Vicksburg NMP

James N.

Colonel
Annual Winner
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Asst. Regtl. Quartermaster Antietam 2021
Joined
Feb 23, 2013
Location
East Texas
Part I

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Last month I paid a Sesquicentennial visit to Vicksburg National Military Park which I hadn't been to since my last trip there in 2007, subject of a recent post here on the Forum. Most sites remained familliar, like the line of 12-pounder Napoleons and howitizers and 6-pounder guns marking Battery DeGolyer, seen above and below, though there have been a few notable changes to others.

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The most notable and positive change involves the NPS's ongoing "deforestation" program. Though it at first seems out-of-character for the nation's leading conservator to be deliberatly denuding some of its parks of vegetation, here at Vicksburg it makes perfect sense. Concieved as a commemorative park over a century ago, in Mississippi's fertile soil and humid climate trees and underbrush had all-but closed what had originally been broad, open vistas, thereby reducing a visitor's ability to understand or visualize the action.

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The most dramatic opening is that between Battery DeGolyer and the 3d Louisiana Redan, above, topped by the Louisiana State Memorial column. Also, the view from here to the Illinois State Memorial "temple" is now cleared. Of course, ALL the land here during the siege had been cleared, first for agricultural use and then to create unobstructed military fields-of-fire.

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Above, a closer look at the massive Illinois Monument. The nearby Shirley House is the only surviving wartime structure remaining on the battlefield. Last time I visited, it was closed indefinitely for further repairs and interior restoration, which I'm glad to report has been completed with the house now occasionally open to the public.

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As noted elsewhere on the thread dedicated to the Union Navy Memorial, Gen. Grant's statue has been repaired, and though he seems to retain Acting Flag Officer Davis' sword, at least his horse Kangaroo, which he rode throughout the Vicksburg Campaign, once again has a full compliment of horse furniture!

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Near Grant's statue in the area that served as his headquarters site are several state monuments to Eastern states who had member units in the IX Corps that served in the campaign but not actually here on the siege lines. They were mostly utilized farther east toward Jackson blocking any effort by Confederate forces under Joseph Johnston to relieve the besieged city. Above is the Rhode Island State Monument, dedicated to their ONE regiment which served here.

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Between the Union and Confederate siege lines in the now-cleared area between Battery DeGolyer and the 3d Louisiana Redan stands this simple cannon barrel marking the spot beneath a straggling lone apple tree that rapidly disappeared to provide souvenirs for Union soldiers, that generals Pemberton and Grant met on July 3, 1863, while their nearby staffs worked out the details of the Confederate surrender.

Next time, Part II.
 
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Nice Pics! The last time I was in Vicksburg was 1974. I'm hoping to get back East off and on over the next few years to see some more of the big CW battlefields.
 
Part II

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Close-up of the Louisiana State Memorial Column on the 3rd Louisiana Redan.

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The nearby morturary statue dedicated to Confederate Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman who was cut in two by a shell at the Battle of Champion's Hill during the Vicksburg Campaign is obviously in need of conservation. One of the most dramatic statues in the park, like that of Grant and the Mississippi State Memorial it has suffered at the hands of vandals, who in this case broke off the blade of the general's sword many years ago. The crude replacement is obviously made of iron rather than bronze like the original and appears to be rusting. He and his also mortally-wounded horse could use a cleaning, too, since they almost blend into the background!

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The statue of Confederate President and Mississippi native Jefferson Davis shows to better advantage. Once facing the 1950's era park Visitor Center, the statue was repositioned after the one in current use was constructed during the 1960's Centennial.

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Probably the most famous individual surviving cannon among the hundreds used here at Vicksburg is this one, named the Widow Blakely, which is positioned on the park drive called Louisiana circle overlooking the Mississippi River where it now bends to the west. Blakely large-caliber rifled cannon were imported into the Confederacy through the Union blockade from England and valued for their accuracy. This one was identified by the fact that a shell burst in the muzzle during its service here and was still manned though its barrel had been shortened considerably! Useless to its captors after Vicksburg's surrender, it was taken as a trophy to West Point where it was for many years on display before being given to the NPS and returned here.

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Though technically no longer a part of the park, the incongruity of this scene demonstrates some of what has been sacrificed here at Vicksburg to "progress". In the 1960's, when the construction of Interstate 20 approached and threatened to bypass the city, it desperately wanted an outlet to it, but was cut off by the surrounding National Military Park it had previously been so proud of. A shady deal was brokered with the NPS whereby almost the entire southern third of the park was given to the city in exchange for some additional land in the northern part. The proviso was that the city was to continue to maintain such existing monuments ( including several of the smaller Confederate State monuments and portrait busts and plaques ) and position markers along South Confederate Avenue, Hall's Ferry Road, Wisconsin Avenue, Iowa Avenue, and Indiana Avenue. Living up to the letter of the agreement ( if hardly the spirit ), the city's results can be seen here, surrounded by parking lots for hotels and fast-food restaraunts bordering the Interstate which runs in the background.
 
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Made my first trip to Vicksburg at the end of May. Enjoyed it immensely, thanks for sharing the pictures and explaining the changes. When I went to the surrender site a nearby ranger told me that they had done a lot to clear out that area making it look a little more like it did at the time of the siege.
 
During my visit to the NMP a storm blew up on the return from the area of Grant's Headquarters, putting a literal damper on photographing the rest of the park and several of its monuments. At least I was able to get a couple of dramatic shots ( though unfortunately poorly-focused due to the "confusion" it created with my camera's automatic focus ), like the one in my above post at the Louisiana Monument and this one again showing the Illinois Monument and Shirley House in stark contrast with the lowering sky!

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Wow that photo with the dark sky is really something!
I think you are right about the agreement between the city and the VNMP. The whole latter end of the monuments and earthworks seem to have been forgotten about, almost like it is some secret no one wants to discuss!
But, on a positive note, the upper two thirds of the battlefield is (maybe, hopefully)being slowly restored to the way the soldiers saw it.
Thanks so much for all your great pictures and information on Vicksburg, keep them coming, Huzza!
 
Part II

View attachment 17788 Close-up of the Louisiana State Memorial Column on the 3rd Louisiana Redan.

View attachment 17789 The nearby morturary statue dedicated to Confederate Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman who was cut in two by a shell at the Battle of Champion's Hill during the Vicksburg Campaign is obviously in need of conservation. One of the most dramatic statues in the park, like that of Grant and the Mississippi State Memorial it has suffered at the hands of vandals, who in this case broke off the blade of the general's sword many years ago. The crude replacement is obviously made of iron rather than bronze like the original and appears to be rusting. He and his also mortally-wounded horse could use a cleaning, too, since they almost blend into the background!

View attachment 17790
The statue of Confederate President and Mississippi native Jefferson Davis shows to better advantage. Once facing the 1950's era park Visitor Center, the statue was repositioned after the one in current use was constructed during the 1960's Centennial.

View attachment 17791

Probably the most famous individual surviving cannon among the hundreds used here at Vicksburg is this one, named the Widow Blakely, which is positioned on the park drive called Louisiana circle overlooking the Mississippi River where it now bends to the west. Blakely large-caliber rifled cannon were imported into the Confederacy through the Union blockade from England and valued for their accuracy. This one was identified by the fact that a shell burst in the muzzle during its service here and was still manned though its barrel had been shortened considerably! Useless to its captors after Vicksburg's surrender, it was taken as a trophy to West Point where it was for many years on display before being given to the NPS and returned here.

View attachment 17792
Though technically no longer a part of the park, the incongruity of this scene demonstrates some of what has been sacrificed here at Vicksburg to "progress". In the 1960's, when the construction of Interstate 20 approached and threatened to bypass the city, it desperately wanted an outlet to it, but was cut off by the surrounding National Military Park it had previously been so proud of. A shady deal was brokered with the NPS whereby almost the entire southern third of the park was given to the city in exchange for some additional land in the northern part. The proviso was that the city was to continue to maintain such existing monuments ( including several of the smaller Confederate State monuments and portrait busts and plaques ) and position markers along South Confederate Avenue, Hall's Ferry Road, Wisconsin Avenue, Iowa Avenue, and Indiana Avenue. Living up to the letter of the agreement ( if hardly the spirit ), the city's results can be seen here, surrounded by parking lots for hotels and fast-food restaraunts bordering the Interstate which runs in the background.
I still think that the shady deal brokered in the 1960's is one of the most sad and unbelievable stories. All those monuments and hallowed earth (southern third) just abandoned. I consider myself fairly cynical about the world, but I find it almost unbelievable that that generation would let that happen. It (1960's)was the Centennial time when we are told there was a high degree of interest. My biggest disappointment is the Salient Work, which has been sliced and diced until it is almost gone, and no one seems/seemed to care.
 
I still think that the shady deal brokered in the 1960's is one of the most sad and unbelievable stories. All those monuments and hallowed earth (southern third) just abandoned. I consider myself fairly cynical about the world, but I find it almost unbelievable that that generation would let that happen. It (1960's)was the Centennial time when we are told there was a high degree of interest. My biggest disappointment is the Salient Work, which has been sliced and diced until it is almost gone, and no one seems/seemed to care.
I care brother.
 
I care brother.
Oh I know, we have some of the best dedicated and best educated students of Vicksburg on this site. And we have a lot to be thankful about in that some of the land has been cleared of those !@#$%^ trees. But I can still remember when Tompre had to break it to me that very little of the Salient Work is there. And I think your photos back in 2013 had really made me question whether the Salient was still there. I had hoped that in the "tangled canebrake" it was somehow hidden. Graded for a road! It would have been better if it was some multi-million house. But a lowly road right of way of all things! Oh well I could go on and on about this, but I really appreciate all the interest you guys have shown and for those of us "too far away" from Vicksburg, you have been a great pair of "eyes on the ground". How are those "new" artillery carriages coming along I wonder? I hope they put some in the Confederate batteries as well as Federal.
 
Part II

View attachment 17788 Close-up of the Louisiana State Memorial Column on the 3rd Louisiana Redan.

View attachment 17789 The nearby morturary statue dedicated to Confederate Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman who was cut in two by a shell at the Battle of Champion's Hill during the Vicksburg Campaign is obviously in need of conservation. One of the most dramatic statues in the park, like that of Grant and the Mississippi State Memorial it has suffered at the hands of vandals, who in this case broke off the blade of the general's sword many years ago. The crude replacement is obviously made of iron rather than bronze like the original and appears to be rusting. He and his also mortally-wounded horse could use a cleaning, too, since they almost blend into the background!

View attachment 17790
The statue of Confederate President and Mississippi native Jefferson Davis shows to better advantage. Once facing the 1950's era park Visitor Center, the statue was repositioned after the one in current use was constructed during the 1960's Centennial.

View attachment 17791

Probably the most famous individual surviving cannon among the hundreds used here at Vicksburg is this one, named the Widow Blakely, which is positioned on the park drive called Louisiana circle overlooking the Mississippi River where it now bends to the west. Blakely large-caliber rifled cannon were imported into the Confederacy through the Union blockade from England and valued for their accuracy. This one was identified by the fact that a shell burst in the muzzle during its service here and was still manned though its barrel had been shortened considerably! Useless to its captors after Vicksburg's surrender, it was taken as a trophy to West Point where it was for many years on display before being given to the NPS and returned here.

View attachment 17792
Though technically no longer a part of the park, the incongruity of this scene demonstrates some of what has been sacrificed here at Vicksburg to "progress". In the 1960's, when the construction of Interstate 20 approached and threatened to bypass the city, it desperately wanted an outlet to it, but was cut off by the surrounding National Military Park it had previously been so proud of. A shady deal was brokered with the NPS whereby almost the entire southern third of the park was given to the city in exchange for some additional land in the northern part. The proviso was that the city was to continue to maintain such existing monuments ( including several of the smaller Confederate State monuments and portrait busts and plaques ) and position markers along South Confederate Avenue, Hall's Ferry Road, Wisconsin Avenue, Iowa Avenue, and Indiana Avenue. Living up to the letter of the agreement ( if hardly the spirit ), the city's results can be seen here, surrounded by parking lots for hotels and fast-food restaraunts bordering the Interstate which runs in the background.
This is disgraceful. I ate at a restaurant by these signs today. Tourists stop here all the time to eat, and I know they wonder about this large trench, which in reality is a drainage ditch. The rifle pits and artillery position were in fact appx. 50-75 feet higher than the area is today. To me, it is deceptive to place these markers here without explaining that the hill the earthworks were on was graded down to the present level.
 
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During my visit to the NMP a storm blew up on the return from the area of Grant's Headquarters, putting a literal damper on photographing the rest of the park and several of its monuments.

Since I just got back from another visit here I thought I'd add additional photos from this most recent Return!

Battery DeGolyer
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This view below from near the Illinois State Monument shows the now-open land between the Union position at far left and the Confederate line, just out of the frame to the right. The structure is the former Park Office, Headquarters, and Superintendent's Residence, though not all at the same time!

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Battery Along Union Avenue

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Above and below, one of the thirty-pounder Parrott rifled cannon on a siege carriage as used by Union forces.

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Nearby stands this much smaller six-pounder gun, now rifled to fire James projectiles.

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The Missouri State Monument
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Dedicated to Missouri soldiers who fought on both sides here at Vicksburg, the monument stands on Confederate Avenue. The central female figure represents the state and is flanked by bronze panels depicting attacking Union troops on the left and Confederate defenders on the right.

The Mississippi State Monument
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Appropriately, Mississippi provided the largest of the monuments dedicated to any state of the Confederacy.

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Above and below, statuary groups of soldiers flank a central panel depicting a battle scene.

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Behind the Mississippi Monument and therefore unseen by most visitors is this huge Confederate-used Dahlgren smoothbore cannon below.

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Fort Hill
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Fort Hill, anchor of the Confederate left flank above Vicksburg, no longer overlooks the Mississippi river as it did in 1863. In 1876 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers corrected an unfortunate change in the course of the river, replacing it with the smaller Yazoo Diversion Canal seen today. Although narrower, the Yazoo flows in part of the old riverbed, allowing an idea of the strategic importance of Fort Hill to Vicksburg's defense.
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As usual, I was interested in the large-caliber ordnance placed here to interdict Federal shipping like this 24-pounder gun that had been made in 1836.

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