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{{Mediawiki:kindleoasis}}[[File:Battle_of_Vicksburg,_Kurz_and_Allison.png|left|300px|thumbnail|Battle of Vicksburg]]

As the calendar flipped from June to July in 1863, two events changed the course of the Civil Warcourse. The first event occurred in in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Gettysburg, a small market town founded in the soft, rolling hills of south -central Pennsylvania on Samuel Gettys farm half a century before, was unknown to most Americans. Four days later, on On July 4, it had become "The Most Famous Small Town in America," as boosters would come to call it.

On the morning of July 1, Robert E. Lee and 76,000 troops of the Army of Northern Virginia arrived in Gettysburg , where they were engaged by 92,000 men under the command of Union General George Meade. <ref>Kennedy, David, Cohen, Lizabeth, Lemley, Piehl, Mel, ‘’’The <i>The Brief American Pageant: A History of the Republic, Volume I: To 1877’’’1877</i>, Wadsworth Publishing, 2005, page 322</ref> Over the next three days fighting would rage across 25 square miles surrounding Gettysburg, finally ending with a desperate Confederate infantry charge across open ground directly into the heart of the Union's defensive line. The attack ended in disaster , and Lee's only invasion into Northern territory was over. More men fought at Gettysburg , and more men died than any battle ever contested on American soil.

With Lee and his army in full retreat on July 4, it was obvious that the South's armies of the South would never be able to conquer their Northern opposition in the “War of Northern Aggression.” It However, it did not, however, mean that the rebel cause was lost and, in fact, the Army of Northern Virginia would continue to fight for nearly two more years. It was The same day, the events taking took place the very same day 1,000 miles in Vicksburg to the west that doomed the Confederacy and insured ensured their defeat.

====An American River Port City Becomes “The Gibraltar of the Confederacy”====[[File:ShirleysWhiteHouseVicksburg1863.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Shirley's White House during the siege of Vickburg, 1863]]Newitt Vick was an ambitious Virginia minister who arrived on the Mississippi River in 1814 and split his time acquiring Methodist converts and productive farmland. He especially favored the thick, black soils of the bottomlands where the Yazoo River flowed into the Mississippi. He bought as much as he could afford and envisioned a great cotton-shipping port city rising on his land, but Vick contracted yellow fever and died in 1819 before his dreams could be realized. <ref>” The Founding of Vicksburg and Methodism: The Legacy of Tobias Gibson and Newitt Vick,” Vicksburg Downtown Murals, Historic Downtown Vicksburg, 2008</ref>

Newitt Family members would carry out Vick was an ambitious Virginia minister who arrived on 's plans, and his namesake town indeed developed into a bustling center of trade. When the Civil War exploded, and Mississippi River in 1814 broke away from the Union, Vicksburg boasted mills, factories, four fire companies, and split his time acquiring Methodist converts and productive farmlandthree newspapers. He especially favored Military strategists on both sides recognized the thickcity's importance, black soils which became known as "The Gibraltar of the bottomlands where Confederacy," borrowing from the Greek tale of strongman Hercules and the Yazoo River flowed into towering rock formation at the entrance to the Mississippi. He bought as much as he could afford and envisioned a great cotton-shipping port city rising on his land but Vick contracted yellow fever and died in 1819 before his dreams could be realizedMediterranean Sea. <ref>Meyer, Ryan, ”The Founding of Vicksburg and Methodism: The Legacy of Tobias Gibson and Newitt VickConfederate Gibraltar Falls,” Vicksburg Downtown Murals, Historic Downtown Vicksburg<i>Army Heritage Museum</i>, 20082007</ref>Whichever side could control Vicksburg would surely reign supreme on the Mississippi River during the war.

Vick's plans would be carried out by family members and his namesake town indeed developed into a bustling center of trade====How Ulysses S. When the Civil War exploded and Mississippi Grant broke away from the Union, Confederate Fortress of Vicksburg boasted mills, factories, four fire companies and three newspapers====[[File:GenUSGrant.jpg|thumbnail|275px|left|General Ulysses S. Military strategists on both sides recognized the importance of the city which became known as "Grant]]The Gibraltar man put in charge of wresting the Confederacy," borrowing Vicksburg stronghold from Southern hands was Ulysses S. Grant. Before the Greek tale secession of strongman Hercules and the towering rock formation Southern states, Grant had been a struggling Illinois businessman who had performed without distinction in his training at West Point and combated with the entrance to United States Army during the Mediterranean SeaMexican War. <ref>MeyerHowever, Ryan, ”The Confederate Gibraltar Falls”, Army Heritage Museum, 2007</ref> Whichever side could control Vicksburg would surely reign supreme on the Mississippi River during advent of the Civil War energized him and organized a company of volunteers to fight without the benefit of any formal connection to the warUnited States Army.

==Grant performed well around the training camps and quickly earned the rank of Colonel. In the western theater, Grant aggressively led his command into battle. After a triumphant assault on Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River in Tennessee, he was promoted to General by Abraham Lincoln. His exploits were trumpeted in the northern press who branded the brash general "Unconditional Surrender Grant," playing off his initials. <ref>Brands, H.W., <i>The Man to Break Who Saved the Confederate Fortress==Union: Ulysses S. Grant in War and Peace</i>, Doubleday, 2012, page 164</ref>

The man put Back in charge of wresting Washington, General-in-Chief Winfield Scott had devised a two-prong strategy for executing the Vicksburg stronghold from war that involved, first, blockading all Southern hands ports and, second, attacking incisively at the Confederacy the Mississippi River. For its emphasis on inevitably strangling the life out of its adversary, Scott’s scheme was Ulysses dubbed the Anaconda Plan. <ref>Allen, Thomas B, and Allen, Roger MacBride, <i>Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War</i>, National Geographic, 2009, page 23</ref> But while U.S. Grant. Prior naval forces moved swiftly to bottle up ports in the secession of South, the Southern states Grant had been a struggling Illinois businessman who had performed without distinction Union commander in his training at the West Point and , Major General Henry Halleck, did little to press the northern advantage in combat with securing the United States Army during the Mexican Warvital river artery. The advent of Moves against Vicksburg, perched high on defensive bluffs two hundred feet above the Civil Warwater, however, energized him and he organized a company of volunteers were delayed until Southern forces had ample time to fight without fortify the position. In the benefit spring of any formal connection 1863, Halleck was recalled to the United States Washington to replace Scott and Grant, and his Armyof Tennessee was given Vicksburg's job.

Grant performed well around ====Executing the training camps and quickly earned the rank of Colonel. In the western theaterVicksburg Campaign====It was no small assignment, Grant aggressively led as Abraham Lincoln had pointed out to his command into battle civilian and after military leaders, “See what a triumphant assault on Fort Donelson on lot of land these fellows hold, of which Vicksburg is the Cumberland River key! The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in Tennessee he was promoted to General by Abraham Lincolnour pocket... His exploits were trumpeted in We can take all the northern press who branded ports of the brash general Confederacy, and they can defy us from Vicksburg."Unconditional Surrender GrantLincoln assured his listeners that," playing off his initialsI am acquainted with that region and know what I am talking about, and as valuable as New Orleans will be to us, Vicksburg will be more so. " <ref>BrandsDe Togni, H.W.Elisa, ‘’’The Man Who Saved “The Key in Lincoln’s Pocket: Unlocking the Door to Union: Ulysses S. Grant in Victory,” <i>Civil War and Peace’’’, Doubleday, 2012Trust</i>, page 1642014</ref>

Back Grant examined his position and decided to lay siege to Vicksburg on May 18, 1863. As he later stated in Washingtonhis memoirs, General-in-Chief Winfield Scott had devised a two-prong strategy for executing "Vicksburg was so important to the war enemy that involvedI believed he would make the most strenuous efforts to raise the siege, first, blockading all Southern ports and, second, attacking incisively even at the Confederacy through the Mississippi River. For its emphasis on inevitably strangling the life out risk of its adversary, Scott’s scheme was dubbed the Anaconda Planlosing ground elsewhere. " <ref>AllenGrant, Thomas B and AllenUlysses S., Roger MacBride‘’’ Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant’’’, ‘’’MrCharles L. Lincoln’s High-Tech War’’’, National GeographicWebster & Company, 20091885–86, page 2337</ref> But while Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of U.S. naval forces moved swiftly to bottle up ports in the SouthGrant, the page 37. He was right. Union commander troops scored important victories in several skirmishes in the Westplaces like Champion Hill and Port Gibson, Major General Henry Halleck, did little to press and Jackson during the northern advantage in securing the vital river arteryVicksburg Campaign. Reinforcements for Confederate Lt. Moves against General John Clifford Pemberton inside Vicksburgnever materialized as hoped, and with food running out, perched high he surrendered the city on defensive bluffs two hundred feet above the waterJuly 4, were delayed until Southern forces had ample time to fortify the position1863. In the spring of 1863 Halleck was recalled to Washington to replace Scott and Grant The South also gave up 30,000 men, 60,000 much-needed rifles, and his Army roughly 12 percent of the Tennessee were given nascent nation's canon. <ref>De Togni, Elisa, “The Key in Lincoln’s Pocket: Unlocking the job of capturing Vicksburg.Door to Union Victory,” <i>Civil War Trust</i>, 2014</ref>

==Executing ==Lincoln Finally finds His Man====Vicksburg's loss severed the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas from the Confederacy's remainder. But the implications of the Vicksburg Campaign==range far beyond the material and strategic losses. What sealed the South's ultimate fate was that Abraham Lincoln had finally found a general who was willing to fight, a commander who would hound Robert E. Lee’s army to the ends of the Confederacy - unlike George Meade who felt it more prudent to allow his victorious army to remain in Pennsylvania after Gettysburg rather than chasing and destroying the rebel invaders.

It That very day - July 4, 1863 - Ulysses S. Grant was no small assignmentpromoted to Major General, and he would soon replace Halleck as Abraham Lincoln had pointed out to the Union General-in-Chief. It would be Grant's relentless pursuit of Lee and his civilian and military leadersArmy of Northern Virginia, “See what a lot of land these fellows holdpressing the North's vastly superior resources against his understaffed foes, of which Vicksburg is that would bring the key! The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocketan end...We can take all the northern ports The Battle of Gettysburg ensured that the Confederacy, and they can defy us from Vicksburg." Lincoln assured his listeners that, "I am acquainted with that region and know what I am talking about, and as valuable as New Orleans will be to us, Vicksburg will be more so." <ref>De Togni, Elisa, “The Key in Lincoln’s Pocket: Unlocking would not win the Door to Union Victory,” Civil War Trust, 2014</ref>; the Siege of Vicksburg ensured the Confederacy would lose the war.

Grant examined his position and decided to lay siege to Vicksburg on May 18, 1863. As he later stated in his memoirs, "Vicksburg was so important to the enemy that I believed he would make the most strenuous efforts to raise the siege, even at the risk of losing ground elsewhere." <refyoutube>Grant, Ulysses S., ‘’’Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant’’’, Charles L. Webster & Company, 1885–86, page 37<https://ref>Ulysses Swww. Grant, Personal Memoirs of Uyoutube. S. Grant , page 37. He was right. Union troops scored important victories in several skirmishes in places like Champion Hill and Port Gibson and Jackson during the Vicksburg Campaign. Reinforcements for Confederate Lt. General John Clifford Pemberton inside Vicksburg never materialized as hoped and with food running out he surrendered the city on July 4, 1863. The South also gave up 30,000 men, 60,000 much-needed rifles and roughly 12 percent of the nascent nation's cannon. <ref>De Togni, Elisa, “The Key in Lincoln’s Pocket: Unlocking the Door to Union Victory,” Civil War Trust, 2014<com/ref> watch?v==Lincoln Finally finds His Man== The loss of Vicksburg severed the states of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas from the remainder of the Confederacy. But the implications of the Vicksburg Campaign range far beyond the material and strategic losses. What sealed the South's ultimate fate was that Abraham Lincoln had finally found a general who was willing to fight, a commander who would hound Robert E. Lee’s army to the ends of the Confederacy - unlike George Meade who felt it more prudent to allow his victorious army to remain in Pennsylvania after Gettysburg rather than chasing and destroying the rebel invaders. That very day - July 4, 1863 - Ulysses S. Grant was promoted to Major General and he would soon replace Halleck as the Union General-in-Chief. It would be Grant's relentless pursuit of Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia, pressing the North's vastly superior resources against his undermanned foes, that would bring the war to an end. The Battle of Gettysburg insured that the Confederacy would not win the Civil War; the Siege of Vicksburg insured the Confederacy would lose the war. ==References==1eSgimZ8GKQ<references/youtube> [[Category:Wikis]][[Category:United States History]] [[Category:19th Century History]] [[Category:Military History]][[Category:Civil War]]{{Contributors}}

====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====*[[Interview:African American Soldiers During the Civil War: Interview with Author Bob Luke]]

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