Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR · March 3, 1849] UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Stewart L. Udall, _Secretary_ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Conrad L. Wirth, _Director_ _HISTORICAL HANDBOOK NUMBER TWENTY-ONE_ This publication is one of a series of handbooks describing the historical and archeological areas in the National Park System administered by the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior. It is printed by the Government Printing Office and may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C. Price 25 cents. VICKSBURG National Military Park, Mississippi by William C. Everhart [Illustration: Siege cannon.] NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HISTORICAL HANDBOOK SERIES No. 21 Washington, D. C., 1954 (Reprint 1961) _The National Park System, of which Vicksburg National Military Park is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and inspiration of its people._ [Illustration: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE · DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR] _Contents_ Page Vicksburg and the Mississippi 1 The First Moves Against Vicksburg 3 Grant’s First Failure at Vicksburg 6 THE BAYOU EXPEDITIONS: GRANT MOVES AGAINST VICKSBURG—AND FAILS 8 The Geographical Problem of Vicksburg 8 Grant’s Canal 10 Duckport Canal 12 Lake Providence Expedition 12 The Yazoo Pass Expedition 14 The Steele’s Bayou Expedition 14 THE VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN: GRANT MOVES AGAINST VICKSBURG—AND SUCCEEDS 16 Porter Runs the Vicksburg Batteries 16 The River Crossing 19 The Battle of Port Gibson 21 The Strategy of the Vicksburg Campaign 21 The Battles of Raymond and Jackson 23 The Battle of Champion’s Hill 26 The Battle of Big Black River 30 The Campaign Ended 31