The Siege of Vicksburg: Controlling the Mississippi

The Mississippi River had shaped American commerce and expansion for generations, serving as the primary transportation artery for agricultural products from the vast interior of the continent. The river carried cotton, grain, and other commodities from states throughout the Mississippi Valley to markets in New Orleans and beyond, while also providing the most efficient means for moving goods upstream to interior cities and towns. Control of this waterway was essential for maintaining the economic viability of both the Union and the Confederacy, making Vicksburg's strategic position a prize of incalculable value to both sides in the Civil War.

Vicksburg's natural defenses made it one of the most formidable positions in North America, as the city sat atop bluffs that rose more than 200 feet above the river while being protected on three sides by a maze of bayous, swamps, and tributaries that made conventional military approaches virtually impossible. The geography that had made Vicksburg a prosperous river port also transformed it into a natural fortress that could command river traffic for miles in both directions. Confederate engineers had enhanced these natural advantages with a sophisticated system of earthworks, artillery positions, and obstacles that created overlapping fields of fire against any potential attacker.