Vicksburg National Military Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Vicksburg National Military Park
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The Illinois State Memorial in Vicksburg National Military Park. This building looks like ancient Roman temples. It was opened on October 26, 1906.
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | Vicksburg, Mississippi & Delta, Louisiana, USA |
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| Area | 1,852.75 acres (749.78 ha) |
| Built | February 21, 1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Visitation | 532,444 (2015) |
| Website | Vicksburg National Military Park |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000100 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
The Vicksburg National Military Park is a special place that protects the site of an important battle from the American Civil War. This battle, called the Siege of Vicksburg, happened from March 29 to July 4, 1863. The park is located in Vicksburg, Mississippi, right next to the Mississippi River. It also remembers the bigger Vicksburg Campaign, which was a series of events leading up to the battle.
At the park, you can see rebuilt forts and trenches. These remind visitors of the 47-day siege that ended when the city gave up. When the Union Army won here and at Port Hudson in Louisiana, they gained control of the entire Mississippi River. This was a huge victory for the Union during the war.
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Exploring the Vicksburg Battlefield
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The park is filled with history! It has 1,325 old monuments and markers. You can also explore 20 miles (32 km) of historic trenches and earthworks. There's a 16-mile (26 km) road you can drive to see everything. If you like walking, there's a 12.5-mile (20 km) trail.
You'll also find two old homes built before the Civil War. There are 144 cannons placed where they would have been during the battle. A special highlight is the restored gunboat USS Cairo. This ship was sunk on December 12, 1862, in the Yazoo River.
The USS Cairo Gunboat
The Cairo was also known as the "Hardluck Ironclad." It was the first U.S. ship ever sunk by a torpedo or mine. This happened during the Civil War. The ship was brought up from the Yazoo River in 1964. Now, you can see it at the park.
Illinois State Memorial
The Illinois State Memorial is a large and impressive structure. It has 47 steps. Each step represents one of the 47 days that Vicksburg was under siege. It's a powerful reminder of how long and difficult the battle was.
The Vicksburg Campaign
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final part of a larger plan called the Vicksburg Campaign. This campaign included several important battles. Here are some of them:
- Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
- Battle of Arkansas Post
- Battle of Grand Gulf (April 29, 1863)
- Battle of Snyder's Bluff (April 29 – May 1)
- Battle of Port Gibson (May 1)
- Battle of Raymond (May 12)
- Battle of Jackson (May 14)
- Battle of Champion Hill (May 16)
- Battle of Big Black River Bridge (May 17)
- Siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4)
Vicksburg National Cemetery
Inside the park is the Vicksburg National Cemetery. This cemetery covers about 116 acres (0.47 km²). It is the final resting place for 18,244 people. A sad fact is that 12,954 of these people are unidentified soldiers.
Most of the Civil War soldiers were buried here between 1866 and 1874. The cemetery is not open for new burials today. Interestingly, one airman from the Royal Australian Air Force is buried here. He died during World War II.
Grant's Canal Project
You can still see parts of Grant's Canal across the river from Vicksburg, near Delta, Louisiana. Union Army Major General Ulysses S. Grant ordered this project to start on June 27, 1862. It was part of his plan to capture Vicksburg.
Grant had two main reasons for building the canal. First, he wanted to change the path of the Mississippi River. This would allow Union ships to avoid the Confederate cannons at Vicksburg. However, this part of the plan didn't work out due to technical problems. The river did change its course on its own much later, in 1876.
The second goal of the canal project was to keep his soldiers busy. Building the canal gave them something to do while Grant planned the difficult moves needed to start the Battle of Vicksburg.
How the Park Was Created
The national military park was officially created on February 21, 1899. Its purpose was to remember the important siege and defense of Vicksburg. The park covers over 1,800 acres (7.3 km²) of land.
The park and cemetery were first managed by the War Department. But on August 10, 1933, they were moved to the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS now takes care of the park. Most of the park's land, about 1,729.63 acres (7.0 km²), is owned by the federal government.
In the late 1950s, a small part of the park was given to the city to become a local park. In return, some local roads running through the park were closed. This also helped with building Interstate 20. Even though some land was given to the city, the NPS still takes care of the monuments on that land.
Like all historic places managed by the NPS, Vicksburg National Military Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. Every year, more than half a million people come to visit this important historical site.
