was it possible to build a bridge?

[MikeyB]

Monday morning quarterbacking - but if Grant knew building canals and charting bayou river expeditions was going to fail, was it even possible at that time to build a bridge over the Mississippi below Vicksburg?

 

[UCVRelics]

Monday morning quarterbacking - but if Grant knew building canals and charting bayou river expeditions was going to fail, was it even possible at that time to build a bridge over the Mississippi below Vicksburg?

Short Answer is NO. Way to long and swift.

 

[Championhilz]

Many years ago when I worked at the Old Court House Museum in Vicksburg, I had an older gentleman ask me where the wooden swinging bridge over the Mississippi River was. When I informed him that there was not, and never had been, such a bridge over the Mississippi, he got mad and told me that he had crossed said bridge when he was a child. I did not argue with him.

 

[Pollaco]

Have you seen the Mississippi? I guess "wide" would describe it.

 

[bamaman]

Many years ago when I worked at the Old Court House Museum in Vicksburg, I had an older gentleman ask me where the wooden swinging bridge over the Mississippi River was. When I informed him that there was not, and never had been, such a bridge over the Mississippi, he got mad and told me that he had crossed said bridge when he was a child. I did not argue with him.

An old man once told me the world was flat,

 

[delta rifles]

To this day there are only a handful of bridges that span the lower Mississippi in Louisiana and Mississippi those came much later than the Civil War. I believe the earliest bridge across the river was the Eads Bridge in St Louis and that was built in 1874.

For comparison's sake the Old Vicksburg Bridge wasn't finished until 1930, the Huey Long Bridge in New Orleans wasn't completed until 1935, and the Old Bridge in Baton Rouge didn't receive its first drivers until 1940.

There are 11 total Mississippi River bridge crossings in Louisiana and Mississippi. Seven were completed at least a decade after World War Two.

The Mississippi River is the most formidable waterway in North America and it continually gives those who try to keep it in check fits to this day.

 

[Pollaco]

Even when He wasn't being shot at below Vicksburg, I think Grant transported his army across the Mississippi at Bruinsburg on boats.In other words when he had the chance to build a bridge, he didnt.

 

[bamaman]

To this day there are only a handful of bridges that span the lower Mississippi in Louisiana and Mississippi those came much later than the Civil War. I believe the earliest bridge across the river was the Eads Bridge in St Louis and that was built in 1874.

For comparison's sake the Old Vicksburg Bridge wasn't finished until 1930, the Huey Long Bridge in New Orleans wasn't completed until 1935, and the Old Bridge in Baton Rouge didn't receive its first drivers until 1940.

There are 11 total Mississippi River bridge crossings in Louisiana and Mississippi. Seven were completed at least a decade after World War Two.

The Mississippi River is the most formidable waterway in North America and it continually gives those who try to keep it in check fits to this day.

Ditto! I've driven over the Mississippi more than once. It's a big honken river!

 

[Pollaco]

Conway and Loretta sang of swimming that river with an alligator in pursuit. I kind of doubt it.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Short Answer is NO. Way to long and swift.

And the river floods in various ways in different years.

 

[Samwisep86]

Even when He wasn't being shot at below Vicksburg, I think Grant transported his army across the Mississippi at Bruinsburg on boats.In other words when he had the chance to build a bridge, he didnt.

Plus to get those boats to Bruinsburg, he had Porter run the Vicksburg and Grand Gulf batteries. Not an easy ask.