Vicksburg april 1863 book

Winston groom talked about his book vicksburg, 1863 knopf april 7, 2009. Grants vicksburg operations and those of the opposing side are of lasting historical interest. The vicksburg campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the western theater of the american civil war directed against vicksburg, mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last confederatecontrolled section of the mississippi river. Grant and his army of the tennessee crossed the mississippi river and drove the confederate army of vicksburg led by lt. Winston groom recounts the union and confederate confrontation at vicksburg, mississippi in 1863 that the author contends was the most important battle of the civil war. It picks up where the first vicksburg entry in the series, the vicksburg campaign, march 29may 18, 1863, left off and there will be more to follow. The night of april 30, 1863, porters transports began ferrying union troops across the river into mississippi. Grants army of the tennessee finally converged on vicksburg, defended by a confederate army under lt.

Miller emeritus, historylafayette coll supreme city. Combined land and naval operations, guerrilla raids, political infighting and interference, and the riverine operations of americas first brown water n. Popes soldiers in the reduction of the confederate fortifi cations at new madrid and island number. A skillful history of two years of fighting along the mississippi river that ended with the july 1863 surrender of the fortress at vicksburg. Winston groom is the author of fifteen previous books, including vicksburg, 1863, patriotic fire, shrouds of glory, forrest gump, and conversations with the. How jazz age manhattan gave birth to modern america, 2014, etc. Vicksburg, 1863 vintage civil war library paperback april 20, 2010.

It is an epic account by a masterful writer and historian. How those may assaults were conducted, why they failed, and how the midwestern public viewed the setbacks are topics addressed at length by the five essays in the vicksburg assaults, may 1922, 1863. From 1 to 17 may, grants co mmand defeated confederate forces. Colonel benjamin griersons union cavalry raid in order to distract confederate forces from landing on the mississippi river, grant ordered colonel benjamin grierson on a raid from lagrange, tennessee, to newton station to cut the mississippi central railroad. Union mississippi river squadron running the confederate.

The siege of vicksburg may 18 july 4, 1863 was the final major military action in the vicksburg campaign of the american civil war. The vicksburg campaign, march 29may 18, 1863 siupress. Grooms book should help serve to refocus attention to the major and hard fought union victory of july 4, 1863 at vicksburg from the still headline battle of the same time, gettysburg. Martin 2002, paperback at the best online prices at. Vicksburg tells dramatic story of grants historic victory book. The first draft in american history went into effect in the north, and all males between 20. On april 30, 1863the same day general joe hooker, with 45,000 men, crossed the rapidan and marched toward fredericksburggeneral grant, with 23,000 men, crossed the mississippi and began marching toward vicksburg. Miller writes of a union nighttime river crossing late in april 1863 of 24,000 men and 60 artillery pieces. Project muse the vicksburg campaign, march 29may 18, 1863. Civil war books covering the vicksburg campaign score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The sultana explosion, april 27, 1865 gene eric salecker published 1996 by naval institute press isbn 10. Combined land and naval operations, guerrilla raids, political infighting and interference, and the riverine operations of americas first brown water navy.

In midmay, 1863, after six months of unsuccessful attempts, maj. The book is the sixth release from siups civil war campaigns in the west series formerly the civil war campaigns in the heartland series, and. The vicksburg assaults, may 1922, 1863 civil war campaigns in the west. He then defeated the armies of generals joe johnston and john c. In april grant gave this up and decided to move south of vicksburg, where the shore offered a land route to the interior. The ultimate victory at vicksburg effectively cut the confederacy in two, gave control of the river to union forces, and delivered a devastating. Wednesday april 1, 1863 aprils fools day, 1863, marked a new beginning for the american civil war.

Operations against vicksburg, including griersons raid. It ran from april 17 to may 2, 1863, as a diversion from maj. Vicksburg was located on a high river bluff defended with artillery, and pembertons men had. In february 1863, warships with troops began squeezing their way toward vicksburg but in numbers too small to overcome the defenses. Environs of vicksburg, mississippi, 1863 library of. Ebook 9780809332694 272 pages, 6 x 9, 22 illustrations 091020. The essays provide detailed explanations of military events without miring down in the mississippi mud while also offering insightful analysis of the decisions and their implications. Known as the gibraltar of the west, vicksburg was the last confederate stronghold on the mississippi river. March 29may 18, 1863 as book for both those unfamiliar with grants campaign and those well read students of the campaign and the war itself. As an alternative, the kindle ebook is available now and can be read on any device.

The siege of vicksburg may 18, 1863july 4, 1863 was a decisive union victory during the american civil war 186165 that divided the confederacy. The combination of high prices and shortages cause the bread riot. In a masterly campaign grant used riverboats and steamers to land his army south of the city. Union mississippi river squadron running the confederate blockade below the bluffs at vicksburg, april 16, 1863 1595x1055 2 comments.

While the few bloody days at gettysburg remain the subject of enormous public attention, vicksburg is the campaign and grant the general that determined the. Griersons raid was a union cavalry raid during the vicksburg campaign of the american civil war. This article was excerpted from his new book, vicksburg 1863 alfred a. Grant gained control of the river by capturing this stronghold and defeating lt. His book recounts the union and confederate confrontation at vicksburg, mississippi, in 1863 that the author contends.

Vicksburg, 1863 brings the battles and the protagonists of this struggle to life. His book recounts the union and confederate confrontation at vicksburg, mississippi, in 1863 that the author contends was. Originally published in the july 2009 issue of americas civil war. Combined land and naval operations, guerrilla raids, political. Grant s main attack plan on vicksburg, mississippi.

Vicksburg, 1863 ebook by winston groom rakuten kobo. Capture of the mississippi river town was critical to union control of the strategic river. His memoirs claim the idea came in 1862, but ballard suggests this is hindsight. Up to that point in american history, this was the largest amphibious operation ever. Grant shifted 20,000 union troops from the west bank of the mississippi river to the east bank, about thirtyfive miles below the confederate garrison at vicksburg, mississippi. The campaign to subdue vicksburg, he reminds his readers, was a sixteenmonth long ordeal begun by the united states navy in early april 1862 94. Mississippicivil war, 18611865seige at vicksburg, 1863. The release of the vicksburg assaults, may 1922, 1863 is currently scheduled for late spring 2019, so patient anticipation is in order. The vicksburg campaign, november 1862july 1863 us army. Grooms book is full of such authentically rendered excitement. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The naval blockade, inflation and disruption of the transportation system are taking a toll on the confederacy.

Reproduction of a contemporary sketch showing porters fleet running the confederate batteries at vicksburg, april 16, 1863 troops landing near general grants headquarters above vicksburg during this period grant was constantly receiving reenforcements so that by the end of the siege his army numbered about 75,000 effectives as opposed to. Winner of the civil war round table of new yorks fletcher pratt literary award a superb account the wall street journal of the longest and most decisive military campaign of the civil war in vicksburg, mississippi, which opened the mississippi river, split the confederacy, freed tens of thousands of slaves, and made ulysses s. Each essay is well written on its own merit and could stand alone without the others in the volume, but arranged together they present a multifaceted. John mcclernands xiii corps led the way, followed by major general james mcphersons xvii. The vicksburg campaign, march 29may 18, 1863 add to cart. Porters fleet successfully runs past the vicksburg batteries, giving grant the naval power necessary to cross the mississippi, which he does on april 29, 1863. The 1863 vicksburg campaign was to prove decisive to the outcome of the american civil war. Paperback vicksburg, 1863 brings the battles and the protagonists of this struggle to life. Miller is joined by missy andrews to discuss her book, my divine comedy. A fortified town on commanding bluffs above the mississippi river, it was the last obstacle facing union forces struggling to regain control of the great river of america and split the confederacy in two, separating arkansas, texas, and much of. In january 1863, vicksburg, mississippi, was the most important strategic point in the confederacy.