The FReeper Foxhole Revisits The Vicksburg Campaign (March - July, 1863) - July 8th, 2005

http://www.nps.gov/vick/vcmpgn/key.htm ^

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Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

Vicksburg is the Key!
Spring 1863

At the time of the Civil War, the Mississippi River was the single most important economic feature of the continent; the very lifeblood of America. Upon the secession of the southern states, Confederate forces closed the river to navigation, which threatened to strangle northern commercial interests.

President Abraham Lincoln told his civil and military leaders, "See what a lot of land these fellows hold, of which Vicksburg is the key! The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket.... We can take all the northern ports of 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."

It was imperative for the administration in Washington to regain control of the lower Mississippi River, thereby opening that important avenue of commerce enabling the rich agricultural produce of the Northwest to reach world markets.

It would also split the South in two, sever a vital Confederate supply line, achieve a major objective of the Anaconda Plan, and effectively seal the doom of Richmond. In the spring of 1863, Major General Ulysses S. Grant launched his Union Army of the Tennessee on a campaign to pocket Vicksburg and provide Mr. Lincoln with the key to victory.

Grant's March Through Louisiana
March 29 - April 30, 1863

The spring of 1863 signaled the beginning of the final and, for the Union, the successful phase of the Vicksburg Campaign as General Grant launched his Army of the Tennessee on a march down the west side of the Mississippi River from Milliken's Bend to Hard Times, Louisiana. Leaving their encampments on March 29, Union soldiers took up the line of march and slogged southward over a muddy road. Building bridges and corduroying roads, Grant's column pushed first to New Carthage then to Hard Times where the infantrymen rendezvoused with the Union fleet.



Porter's Fleet Passes the
Vicksburg Batteries
April 16, 1863

On April 16, while Grant's army marched south through Louisiana, part of the Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter prepared to run by the Vicksburg batteries. At 9:15 p.m. lines were cast-off and the vessels moved away from their anchorage with engines muffled and all lights extinguished to conceal the movement.


Rear Admiral Porter

As the boats rounded De Soto Point, above Vicksburg, they were spotted by Confederate lookouts who spread the alarm. Bales of cotton soaked in turpentine and barrels of tar which lined the shore were set on fire by the Confederates to illuminate the river. Although each vessel was hit repeatedly, Porter's fleet successfully fought its way past the Confederate batteries with the loss of only one transport and headed toward a rendezvous with Grant on the Louisiana shore south of Vicksburg.

Bombardment of Grand Gulf
April 29, 1863

It was Grant's intention to force a crossing of the river at Grand Gulf and move on "Fortress Vicksburg" from the south. For five hours on April 29, the Union fleet bombarded the Grand Gulf defenses in an attempt to silence the Confederate guns and prepare the way for a landing. The fleet, however, sustained heavy damage and failed to achieve its objective. Admiral Porter declared, "Grand Gulf is the strongest place on the Mississippi."



Not wishing to send his transports loaded with troops to attempt a landing in the face of enemy fire, Grant disembarked his command and continued the march south along the levee.

Crossing at Bruinsburg
April 30--May 1

Undaunted by his failure at Grand Gulf, Grant moved farther south in search of a more favorable crossing point. Looking now to cross his army at Rodney, Grant was informed that there was a good road ascending the bluffs east of Bruinsburg. Seizing the opportunity, the Union commander hurled his army across the mighty river and onto Mississippi soil at Bruinsburg on April 30--May 1, 1863. In the early morning hours of April 30, infantrymen of the 24th and 46th Indiana Regiments stepped ashore on Mississippi soil at Bruinsburg. The invasion had begun.

The landing was made unopposed and, as the men came ashore, a band aboard U.S.S. Benton struck up "The Red, White, and Blue." The Hoosiers were quickly followed by the remainder of the XIII Union Army Corps and portions of the XVII Corps--17,000 men. This landing was the largest amphibious operation in American history until the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. Elements of the Union Army pushed inland and took possession of the bluffs thereby securing the landing area. By late afternoon of April 30, 17,000 soldiers were ashore and the march inland began. Having pushed inland from the landing area at Bruinsburg, Union soldiers rested and ate their crackers in the shade of the trees on Windsor Plantation. Late that afternoon the decision was made to push on that night by a forced march in hopes of surprising the Confederates and preventing them from destroying the bridges over Bayou Pierre. The Union columns resumed the advance at 5:30 p.m. Instead of taking the Bruinsburg Road, which was the direct road from the landing area to Port Gibson, Grant's columns swung onto the Rodney Road, passed Bethel Church and marched through the night.



This section of the Rodney Road has changed little since the days of the Civil War. Imagine if you will, soldiers marching down this road tightly packed in columns of four; the stillness of the night broken by the sounds of marching feet, clanking accouterments, and the rumbling of wagons and artillery pieces. It was a clear, moon-lit night. Tension and fear were in the air for these soldiers were on enemy soil and the enemy was near, but where? As they marched along in the late night hours many of the soldiers dozed. One bluecoat recalled the night march as being "romantic in the extreme."

Battle of Port Gibson
May 1, 1863

Shortly after midnight the crash of musketry shattered the stillness as the Federals stumbled upon Confederate outposts near the A. K. Shaifer house. Union troops immediately deployed for battle and artillery, which soon arrived, roared into action. A spirited skirmish ensued which lasted until 3 a.m. The Confederates held their ground. For the next several hours an uneasy calm settled over the woods and scattered fields as soldiers of both armies rested on their arms. Throughout the night the Federals gathered their forces in hand and both sides prepared for the battle which they knew would come with the rising sun.

At dawn, Union troops began to move in force along the Rodney Road toward Magnolia Church. One division was sent along a connecting plantation road toward the Bruinsburg Road and the Confederate right flank. With skirmishers well in advance the Federals began a slow and deliberate advance around 5:30 a.m. The Confederates contested the thrust and the battle began in earnest.


General U.S. Grant

Most of the Union forces moved along the Rodney Road toward Magnolia Church and the Confederate line held by Brigadier General Martin E. Green's Brigade. Heavily outnumbered and hard-pressed the Confederates gave way shortly after 10:00 a.m. The men in butternut and gray fell back a mile and a half. Here the soldiers of Brigadier General William E. Baldwin's and Colonel Francis M. Cockrell's brigades, recent arrivals on the field, established a new line between White and Irwin branches of Willow Creek. Full of fight, these men re-established the Confederate left flank.

The morning hours witnessed Green's Brigade driven from its position by the principal Federal attack. Brigadier General Edward D. Tracy's Alabama Brigade astride the Bruinsburg Road also experienced hard fighting. Although Tracy was killed early in the action, his brigade managed to hold its tenuous line.

It was clear, however, that unless the Confederates received heavy reinforcements they would lose the day. Brigadier General John S. Bowen, Confederate commander on the field, wired his superiors: "We have been engaged in a furious battle ever since daylight; losses very heavy. The men act nobly, but the odds are overpowering." Early afternoon found the Alabamans slowly giving ground. Green's weary soldiers, having been reformed, arrived to bolster the line on the Bruinsburg Road.



Even so, late in the afternoon, the Federals advanced all along the line in superior numbers. As Union pressure built, Cockrell's Missourians unleashed a vicious counterattack near the Rodney Road which began to roll up the blue line. The 6th Missouri also counterattacked hitting the Federals near the Bruinsburg Road.All this was to no avail for the odds against them were too great. The Confederates were checked and driven back. The day was lost. At 5:30 p.m. battle-weary Confederates began to retire from the hard-fought field.

The battle of Port Gibson cost Grant 131 killed, 719 wounded, and 25 missing out of 23,000 men engaged. This victory not only secured his position on Mississippi soil, but enabled him to launch his campaign deeper into the interior of the state. Union victory at Port Gibson forced the Confederate evacuation of Grand Gulf and would ultimately result in the fall of Vicksburg.

The Confederates suffered 60 killed, 340 wounded, and 387 missing out of 8,000 men engaged. In addition, 4 guns of the Botetourt (Virginia) Artillery were lost. The action at Port Gibson underscored Confederate inability to defend the line of the Mississippi River and to respond to amphibious operations. Confederate Soldiers are buried at Wintergreen Cemetery in Port Gibson.

Grant's Army Pushes Inland
May 2-11, 1863


General John Pemberton

To support the army's push inland, Grant established a base on the Mississippi River at Grand Gulf. (Contrary to popular belief, the Union army relied heavily on supplies from Grand Gulf to sustain its movements in Mississippi. Only after reaching Vicksburg and re-establishing contact with the fleet on the Yazoo River did Grant abandon the supply line from Grand Gulf.) Instead of marching directly on Vicksburg from the south, Grant marched his army in a northeasterly direction with his left flank protected by the Big Black River.

It was Grant's intention to strike the Southern Railroad of Mississippi somewhere between Vicksburg and Jackson. Destruction of the railroad would cut Pemberton's supply and communications line and isolate Vicksburg. As the Federal force moved inland, McClernand's Corps was on the left, Sherman's in the center, and McPherson's on the right.

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Battle of Raymond
May 12, 1863

On the morning of May 12, 1863, Major General James B. McPherson's XVII Corps was marching along the road from Utica toward Raymond. Shortly before 10:00 a.m., the Union skirmish line swept over a ridge and moved cautiously through open fields into the valley of Fourteenmile Creek, southwest of Raymond. Suddenly a deadly volley ripped into their ranks from the woods which lined the almost-dry stream. During the course of the battle, McPherson massed 22 guns astride the road to support his infantry.



Confederate artillery also roared into action, announcing the presence of Brigadier General John Gregg's battle-hardened brigade. The ever-combative Gregg decided to strike with his 3,000-man brigade, turn the Federal right flank, and capture the entire force. Faulty intelligence led Gregg to believe that he faced only a small Union force, when in reality McPherson's 10,000-man corps was on the road before him.

Thick clouds of smoke and dust obscured the field and neither commander accurately assessed the size of the force in his front. Gregg enjoyed initial success, but as successive Confederate regiments attacked across the creek en echelon to the left, resistance stiffened and it became clear that a much larger Federal force was on the field. By early afternoon, the Confederate attack was checked and Union forces counterattacked.

Union brigades continued to arrive on the field and deploy in line of battle on either side of the Utica road. In piecemeal fashion, McPherson's men pushed forward at 1:30 p.m. and drove the Confederates back across Fourteenmile Creek. The fighting which ensued was of the most confused nature for neither commander knew where their units were or what they were doing.



Union strength of numbers, however, prevailed. The Confederate right flank along the Utica road broke under renewed pressure, and Gregg had no alternative but to retire from the field. His regiments retreated through Raymond and out the Jackson road bivouacking for the night near Snake Creek. There was no Federal pursuit as McPherson's troops bedded down for the night in and around the town.

The fight at Raymond cost Gregg 73 killed, 252 wounded, and 190 missing, most of whom were from the 3rd Tennessee and the 7th Texas. McPherson's losses totaled 446 of whom 68 were killed, 341 wounded, and 37 missing.

Battle of Jackson
May 14, 1863

The engagement at Raymond led Grant to change the direction of his army's march and move on Jackson, the state capital. It was Grant's intention to destroy Jackson as a rail and communications center and scatter any Confederate reinforcements which might be on the way to Vicksburg. McPherson's Corps moved north through Raymond to Clinton on May 13, while Major General William T. Sherman pushed northeast through Raymond to Mississippi Springs. To cover the march on Jackson, Major General John A. McClernand's Corps was placed in a defensive posture on a line from Raymond to Clinton.



Late in the afternoon of May 13, as the Federals were poised to strike at Jackson, a train arrived in the capital city carrying Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston. Ordered to Jackson by President Jefferson Davis, Johnston was to salvage the rapidly deteriorating situation in Mississippi. Establishing his headquarters at the Bowman House, General Johnston was appraised of troop strength and the condition of the fortifications around Jackson. He immediately wired authorities in Richmond, "I am too late." Instead of fighting for Jackson, Johnston ordered the city evacuated. Gregg was ordered to fight a delaying action to cover the evacuation.

A heavy rain fell during the night which turned the roads into mud. Advancing slowly through a torrential rain, the corps of Sherman and McPherson converged on Jackson by mid-morning of May 14. Around 9 o'clock, the lead elements of McPherson's corps were fired upon by Confederate artillery posted on the O. P. Wright farm. Quickly deploying his men into line of battle, the Union corps commander prepared to attack. Suddenly, the rain fell in sheets and threatened to ruin the ammunition of his men by soaking the powder in their cartridge-boxes. The attack was postponed until the rain stopped around 11:00 a.m. The Federals then advanced with bayonets fixed and banners unfurled. Clashing with the Confederates in a bitter hand-to-hand struggle, McPherson's men forced the Southerners back into the fortifications of Jackson.

Sherman's corps meanwhile reached Lynch Creek southwest of Jackson at 11 o'clock and was immediately fired upon by Confederate artillery posted in the open fields north of the stream. Union cannon were hurried into position and in short order drove the Confederates back into the city's defenses. The stream was bank full and Sherman's men crossed on a narrow wooden bridge. Reforming their lines, the Federals advanced at 2:00 p.m. until they were stopped by canister fire. Not wishing to expose his men to the deadly fire, Sherman sent one regiment to the right (east) in search of a weak spot in the defense line. These men reached the works and found them deserted, only a handful of state troops and civilian volunteers were left to man the guns in Sherman's front.



At 2:00 p.m., Gregg was notified that the army's supply train had left Jackson and decided to withdraw his command. The Confederates moved quickly to evacuate the city and were well out the Canton Road to the north when Union troops entered Jackson around 3 o'clock. The "Stars and Stripes" were unfurled atop the capitol by McPherson's men, symbolic of Union victory.

Confederate casualties in the battle of Jackson were not accurately reported, but estimated at 845 killed, wounded, and missing. In addition, 17 artillery pieces were taken by the Federals. Union casualties totaled 300 men of whom 42 were killed, 251 wounded, and 7 missing.

Not wishing to waste combat troops on occupation, Grant ordered Jackson neutralized militarily. The torch was applied to machine shops and factories, telegraph lines were cut, and railroad tracks destroyed. With Jackson neutralized and Johnston's force scattered to the winds, Grant turned his army west with confidence toward his objective--Vicksburg.

Battle of Champion Hill
May 16, 1863

Early on the morning of May 16, 1863, General Grant received news that Confederate forces were at Edwards Station preparing to march east. He ordered his columns forward. Moving westward from Bolton and Raymond, blueclad soldiers slogged over rapidly drying roads in three parallel columns. About 7 a.m. the southernmost column made contact with Confederate pickets near the Davis Plantation and shots rang out. The battle of Champion Hill,the decisive engagement of the Vicksburg campaign, had begun.



Once contact had been made, Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, the Confederate commander, quickly deployed his three divisions. The Confederate battleline, three miles in length, ran from southwest to northeast along the military crest of a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. The crest of Champion Hill, on the left of the line, was picketed as a security measure. Pemberton's position was suited for defense and was especially formidable against attacks via the Middle and Raymond roads. The Confederate commander, however, was unaware that a strong Union force was pushing down the Jackson Road toward his unprotected left flank. If unchecked, this Union force would capture Edwards and cut the Confederates off from their base of operation--Vicksburg.

Shortly after 9 a.m. a courier brought warning of the Federal advance along the Jackson Road. Confederate troops were shifted to the left to cover Champion Hill and protect the vital crossroads. As the Confederates hastened into position on the crest of Champion Hill, Federal soldiers near the Champion house swung from column into double line of battle. Union artillery was wheeled into position and unlimbered. The bloodshed began in earnest when the guns roared into action.

Grant arrived near the Champion house around 10 o'clock. After surveying the situation, he ordered the attack. Two Union divisions, 10,000 men in battle array, moved forward in magnificent style with flags flying. The long blue lines extended westward beyond the Confederate flank. To meet this threat, Confederate troops shifted farther to the west creating a gap between the forces defending the Crossroads and those defending the Raymond Road.

By 11:30, the Northerners closed in on the Confederate main line of resistance. With a cheer they stormed the position. The fighting was intense as the battle raged on Champion Hill. The lines swayed back and forth as charge and countercharge were made. But the strength of numbers prevailed; and the blue tide swept over the crest of Champion Hill shortly after 1 p.m.



The Confederates fell back in disorder to the Jackson Road followed closely by the hard-driving Federals. The powerful Union drive captured the Crossroads; and, on the right, severed the Jackson Road escape route. Confronted by disaster, Pemberton ordered his two remaining divisions to counterattack. Leaving one brigade to guard the Raymond Road, the Confederates marched from their right along the Ratliff Road toward the Crossroads. With characteristic abandon the 4,500 soldiers of Brigadier General John S. Bowen's division attacked. With fury and determination they hit the Federals near the Crossroads. At the point of bayonet they drove the Federals back three-quarters of a mile and regained control of Champion Hill. The attack, however, was made with insufficient numbers and faltered short of the Champion house.

Grant exerted himself to prevent a breakthrough and ordered up fresh troops to drive back the Confederates. In addition, the Federals along the Middle and Raymond roads began to drive hard. All morning they had operated under instructions to "move cautiously," but now were thrown forward. In a matter of moments, Confederate resistance was shattered and Pemberton ordered his army from the field.

With only one avenue of escape open to them, the Confederates fled toward the Raymond Road crossing of Bakers Creek. Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman's Brigade, acting as the rear guard for the Confederate army, was ordered to hold its ground at all cost. In so doing, General Tilghman was killed. His brigade, along with the rest of Major General William W. Loring's division, was cut off from Edwards and eventually made its way to Jackson by a circuitous route.

The victorious Federals gained control of the Bakers Creek bridge late in the afternoon and, about 8 p.m., entered Edwards. This smashing victory cost Grant 410 killed, 1,844 wounded, and 187 missing out of 32,000 men. But victory at Champion Hill guaranteed the success of his campaign.

May 16, 1863, was a disastrous day for Pemberton. His army lost 381 killed, 1,018 wounded, and 2,441 missing out of the 23,000 men he carried into battle. In addition, 27 artillery pieces were lost.

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Battle of Big Black River Bridge
May 17, 1863

Pemberton ordered Bowen's division and a fresh brigade commanded by Brigadier General John Vaughn to hold the bridges across Big Black River long enough for Loring to cross. Unbeknownst to Pemberton, however, Loring was not marching toward the river. Instead, Federal troops appeared early in the morning and prepared to storm the defenses. McClernand's XIII Corps quickly deployed astride the road and artillery opened on the Confederate fortifications with solid shot and shell.



The Confederate line was naturally strong and formed an arc with its left flank resting on Big Black River and the right flank on Gin Lake. A bayou of waist-deep water fronted a portion of the line and 18 cannon were placed to sweep the flat open ground to the east. As both sides prepared for battle, Union troops took advantage of terrain features and Brigadier General Mike Lawler, on the Federal right, deployed his men in a meander scar not far from the Confederate line of defense.

Believing that his men could cover the intervening ground quickly and with little loss, Lawler boldly ordered his troops to fix bayonets and charge. With a mighty cheer the Federals swept across the open ground, through the bayou, and over the parapets. From beginning to end, the charge lasted three minutes.

Overwhelmed by the charge, Confederate soldiers threw down their rifle-muskets and ran toward the bridges across the river. In the panic and confusion of defeat, many Confederate soldiers attempted to swim across the river and drowned. Luckily, Pemberton's chief engineer, Major Sam Lockett, set the bridges on fire effectively cutting off pursuit by the victorious Union army. Badly shaken, the Confederates staggered back into the Vicksburg defenses and prepared to resist the Union onslaught.

Confederate losses at the Big Black River Bridge were not accurately reported, but 1,751 men, 18 cannon, and 5 battleflags were captured by the Federals. Union casualties totaled only 279 men of whom 39 were killed, 237 wounded, and 3 missing. Grant's forces bridged the river at three locations and, flushed with victory, pushed hard toward Vicksburg on May 18.

First Assault on Fortress Vicksburg
May 19, 1863

Anxious for a quick victory, Grant made a hasty reconnaissance of the Vicksburg defenses and ordered an assault. Of his three corps, however, only one was in proper position to make the attack--Sherman's corps astride the Graveyard Road northeast of Vicksburg. Early in the morning Union artillery opened fire and bombarded the Confederate works with solid shot and shell.



With lines neatly dressed and their battle flags blowing in the breeze above them, Sherman's troops surged across the fields at 2:00 p.m. and through the abatis (obstructions of felled trees) toward Stockade Redan. Although the men of the 1st Battalion, 13th United States Infantry, planted their colors on the exterior slope of Stockade Redan (a powerful Confederate fort which guarded the road), the attack was repulsed with Federal losses numbering 1,000 men.

Grant Seeks to Storm the
Vicksburg Stronghold
May 22, 1863

Undaunted by his failure on the 19th and realizing that he had been too hasty, Grant made a more thorough reconnaissance then ordered another assault. Early on the morning of May 22, Union artillery opened fire and for four hours bombarded the city's defenses. At 10:00 the guns fell silent and Union infantry was thrown forward along a three-mile front. Sherman attacked once again down the Graveyard Road, McPherson in the center along the Jackson Road, and McClernand on the south along the Baldwin Ferry Road and astride the Southern Railroad of Mississippi. Flags of all three corps were planted at different points along the exterior slope of Confederate fortifications. McClernand's men even made a short-lived penetration at Railroad Redoubt. But the Federals were again driven back with a loss in excess of 3,000 men.



The Siege of Vicksburg
May 26 - July 3, 1863

Following the failure of the May 22 assault, Grant realized that Vicksburg could not be taken by storm and decided to lay siege to the city. Slowly his army established a line of works around the beleaguered city and cut Vicksburg off from supply and communications with the outside world. Commencing on May 26, Union forces constructed thirteen approaches along their front aimed at different points along the Confederate defense line. The object was to dig up to the Confederate works then tunnel underneath them, plant charges of black powder, and destroy the fortifications. Union troops would then surge through the breach and gain entrance to Vicksburg.



Throughout the month of June, Union troops advanced their approaches slowly toward the Confederate defenses. Protected by the fire of sharpshooters and artillery, Grant's fatigue parties neared their objectives by late June. Along the Jackson Road, a mine was detonated beneath the Third Louisiana Redan on June 25, and Federal soldiers swarmed into the crater attempting to exploit the breach in the city's defenses. The struggle raged for 26 hours during which time clubbed muskets and bayonets were freely used as the Confederates fought with grim determination to deny their enemy access to Vicksburg. The troops in blue were finally driven back at the point of bayonet and the breach sealed. On July 1, a second mine was detonated but not followed by an infantry assault.


Confederate Lines, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 19 May 1863. In this assault against bitter resistance the 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry, lost forty-three percent of its men, but of the attacking force, it alone fought its color up the steep slope to the top. General Sherman called its performance "unequalled in the Army" and authorized the 13th Infantry to inscribe "First at Vicksburg" on its color. Although it took two more months of hard fighting to capture Vicksburg and split the Confederacy, no episode illustrates better the indomitable spirit of Americans on both sides.

Throughout the weary month of June the gallant defenders of Vicksburg suffered under the constant bombardment of enemy guns from reduced rations and exposure to the elements. Reduced in number by sickness and battle casualties, the garrison of Vicksburg was spread dangerously thin. Soldiers and citizens alike began to despair that relief would ever come. At Jackson and Canton General Johnston gathered a relief force which took up the line of march toward Vicksburg on July 1. By then it was too late as the sands of time had expired for the fortress city on the Mississippi River.

The Fortress Surrenders
July 4, 1863

On the hot afternoon of July 3, 1863, a cavalcade of horsemen in gray rode out from the city along the Jackson Road. Soon white flags appeared on the city's defenses as General Pemberton rode beyond the works to meet with his adversary--Grant. The two generals dismounted between the lines, not far from the Third Louisiana Redan, and sat in the shade of a stunted oak tree to discuss surrender terms. Unable to reach an agreement, the two men returned to their respective headquarters. Grant told Pemberton he would have his final terms by 10 p.m. True to his word, Grant sent his final amended terms to Pemberton that night. Instead of an unconditional surrender of the city and garrison, Grant offered parole to the valiant defenders of Vicksburg. Pemberton and his generals agreed that these were the best terms that could be had, and in the quiet of his headquarters on Crawford Street, the decision was made to surrender the city.



At 10 a.m., on July 4, white flags were again displayed from the Confederate works and the brave men in gray marched out of their entrenchments, stacked their arms, removed their accouterments, and furled their flags, at which time the victorious Union army marched in and took possession of the city.

When informed of the fall of Vicksburg, President Lincoln exclaimed, "The Father of Waters again goes unvexed to the sea."

The fall of Vicksburg, coupled with the defeat of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in the battle of Gettysburg fought on July 1-3, marked the turning point of the Civil War.

Additional Sources:

www.americancivilwar.com
www.civilwarprints.com
www.army.mil
www.battleofchampionhill.org
www.swcivilwar.com
The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Vicksburg Campaign (March - July, 1863) - July 15th, 2003

[snippy_about_it]

'Vicksburg is the key. The war can never be brought to a close until the key is in our pocket. '

US President Abraham Lincoln

'Vicksburg is the nail head that holds the South's two halves together.'

Confederate President Jefferson Davis

[snippy_about_it]

"FALL IN" to the FReeper Foxhole!



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We here at Blue Stars For A Safe Return are working hard to honor all of our military, past and present, and their families. Inlcuding the veterans, and POW/MIA's. I feel that not enough is done to recognize the past efforts of the veterans, and remember those who have never been found.

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The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

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Good morning ladies. Flag-o-Gram.

A promotion I've been anticipating has come through. Effective yesterday.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (R) signs a book of condolences as British Ambassador to the U.S. David Manning looks on at the British Embassy in Washington July 7, 2005. The world recoiled in shock on Thursday after bombs tore through London's transport system killing 37 people in a coordinated rush-hour attack. Countries in Europe and the U.S. stepped up security after the blasts and vowed to hunt down the militants who caused carnage in Britain, the closest U.S. ally, host to the G8 rich nations' meeting and EU president. REUTERS/Larry Downing

[The Mayor]

July 8, 2005

Look At The Birds

Read:
Matthew 6:25-34

Look at the birds of the air . . . . Are you not of more value than they? —Matthew 6:26

Bible In One Year: Isaiah 4-6

When you shift your mind into neutral and just let it idle, where do your thoughts go? Do you worry about money? We are to be careful with money, but Jesus taught that we are not to be full of care about it. If you have put your faith in the Lord, you don't have to worry about life's necessities. God Himself has assumed responsibility for your food and clothing—and all your needs.

When Jesus spoke of our need for food, He pointed to the birds, and said, "They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26). That doesn't mean we get what we need by doing nothing. Birds must scratch and search for food. The point is, they don't worry about it.

Jesus instructed us to center our lives on God's kingdom. Then clothing, food, and drink will be ours as well. Look at it this way: Whether or not you live only for money, you'll ultimately leave it or it will leave you. But if you focus your life on God and doing His will, all these other things will be provided.

Does your concern for making money and keeping it overshadow your concern for doing God's will? If so, stop and look at the birds. —Haddon Robinson

Children of the heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e'er was given. —Berg

Poverty of purpose is far worse than poverty of purse.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Jesus' Parables About Money
How Can I Know What God Wants Me To Do?

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on July 08:
1545 Don Carlos, son of Spanish king Philip II
1819 Alexander Hays, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
1819 Vatroslav Lisinski, composer
1821 William Harvey Lamb Wallace, Brig General (Union volunteers)
1824 Waldimir "Kriz" Krzyzanowski, Brig General (Union volunteers)
1826 Benjamin Henry Grierson, Major General (Union volunteers)
1826 Robert Kingston Scott, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
1838 Count Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin invented rigid dirigibles
1839 John D Rockefeller US capitalist; founded Standard Oil
1893 Fritz Perls father of Gestalt therapy
1898 Alec Waugh London, novelist (Island in the Sun); brother of Evelyn
1907 George W Romney (Gov-R-Mich)/US Secretary of HUD (1969-73)
1908 Louis Jordan Ark, alto saxman (Caldonia)
1908 Nelson A Rockefeller (Gov-R-NY) 41st VP (1974-77)
1914 Billy Eckstine jazz singer (Tenderly, A Fool in Love)
1915 Charles Hard Townes Greenville SC, physicist, developed lasers
1917 Glenn Langan Denver Colo, actor (Amazing Colossal Man, Margie)
1918 Craig Stevens Liberty Mo, actor (Craig-Dallas, Peter Gunn)
1918 Nelson Mandela Transkei South Africa, jailed political activist
1931 Jerry Vale singer (Arriverderci Roma)
1931 Roone Arledge TV executive (ABC)
1933 Marty Feldman London England, comedian (Young Frankenstein)
1935 Steve Lawrence Bkln, singer/actor (Go Away Little Girl, Lonely Guy)
1935 Vitaly I Sevastyanov USSR, cosmonaut (Soyuz 9 Soyuz 18B)
1942 Phil Gramm, (Sen-R Texas, 1985- )
1944 Jaimoe "Johnny" Johanson drummer (Allman Brothers)
1948 Kim Darby N Hollywood, actr (True Grit, Enola Gay, Rich Man Poor Man)
1948 Raffi, children's singer (Baby Beluga)
1951 Anjelica Huston actress (Prizzi's Honor, Ice Pirates)
1958 Kevin Bacon Phila Pa, actor (Diner, Footloose, Tremors)

---

Deaths which occurred on July 08:
0810 Pepin son of Charlemagne, king of Italy, dies (birth date unknown)
0975 Edgar, King of England (959-75), dies
1153 Eugene III, [Bernardo], Italian Pope (1145-53), dies
1249 Alexander II, king of Scotland (1215-49), dies at 51
1538 Diego de Almagro, Spanish conquistador (Chile/Peru), dies at about 63
1623 Gregory XV, [Alessandro Ludovisi], bishop of Bologna/Pope, dies at 69
1695 Christiaen Huygens, inventor/astronomer, dies at 66
1822 Percy Bysshe Shelley, English poet (Prometheus unbound), drowns at 29
1859 F J Oscar I, King of Sweden/Norway (1844-59), dies at 60
1943 Jean "Max" Moulin, French resistance fighter, executed
1957 William Cadbury chocolate maker, dies at 89

1959 Dale Buisand & Chester Ovnand 1st Americans killed in Vietnam War

1985 Phil Foster comedian (Frank De Fazio-Laverne & Shirley), dies at 72
1991 James Franciscus actor, dies at 57 of emphysema
1994 Dick Sargent, actor (Darren-Bewitched), dies of cancer at 64
1994 Kim Il Sung, "president"/Great Leader/Murdering Oppressor of North-Korea (1948-94), dies at 82
1997 Charles Drake, geologist, dies of heart attack at 92
1999 Pete Conrad, Astronaut (third man to walk on the moon) motorcycle accident
2000 F.M. Esfandiary, "chronic optimist," died at age 69. "There is no scarcity, there is only the psychology of scarcity."

---

GWOT

Iraq
08-Jul-2003 2 | US: 2 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant 1st Class Craig A. Boling Camp Wolf Non-hostile - illness - heart attack?
US Private Robert L. McKinley Homburg Hospital Non-hostile - illness - heatstroke

08-Jul-2004 7 | US: 7 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Specialist William River Emanuel IV Samarra Hostile - hostile fire - mortar attack
US Specialist Sonny Gene Sampler Samarra Hostile - hostile fire - mortar attack
US Sergeant Robert E. Colvill Jr. Samarra Hostile - hostile fire - mortar attack
US Private 1st Class Collier Edwin Barcus Samarra Hostile - hostile fire - mortar attack
US Specialist Joseph M. Garmback Jr. Samarra Hostile - hostile fire - mortar attack
US Specialist Shawn M. Davies Camp Black Jack (Baghdad) Non-hostile - illness - heart attack
US Specialist Jeremiah W. Schmunk Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire

Afghanistan
A Good Day

http://icasualties.org/oif/
Data research by Pat Kneisler
Designed and maintained by Michael White
//////////
Go here and I'll stop nagging.
http://www.taps.org/
(subtle hint SEND MONEY)

---

On this day...
0951 Paris is founded
1497 Vasco da Gama departs for trip to India
1654 1st Jewish colonist arrive in US (Jacob Barsimson in Manhattan)
1663 King Charles II of England granted a charter to Rhode Island
1693 NYC authorizes 1st police uniforms in American colonies
1709 Battle of Poltava; Russians defeat Swedes
1758 English and Colonial assault on France at Ticonderoga, NY

1776 Col John Nixon gave 1st public reading of Dec of Independence

1777 Vt becomes 1st state abolishing slavery, adopts male sufferage
1796 US State Dept issues 1st American passport
1816 Frost in Waltham, MA
1835 Liberty Bell cracks (again)
1853 Commodore Matthew Perry sails his frigate Susquehanna into Tokyo Bay
1861 CS Gen Sibley is given command of rebel troops in NM territory
1862 Odore R Timby patents revolving gun turret
1870 Congress authorizes registration of trademarks
1870 Gov Holden of NC declares Casswell County in a state of insurrection
1876 White terrorists attack Black Republicans in Hamburg SC, killing 5
1889 John L Sullivan wins by KO in 75 rounds in last bare-knuckle bout
1889 Wall Street Journal begins publishing
1891 61ø F, the highest temp for July 1891, in Baltimore & Phila

1896 William Jennings Bryan "cross of gold" speech at Dem convention

1900 1st night baseball, league game (Zanesville at Grand Rapids)
1905 Part of Angel Island allocated for Immigration Detention Center
1907 Florenz Ziegfeld staged 1st `Follies' on NY Theater roof
1912 Pitcher Rube Marquard loses after winning 19 straight games
1919 Pres Wilson returns to NYC from Versailles Peace Conference
1923 Harding becomes 1st sitting president to visit Alaska (Metlakahtla)
1932 Depression low point of Dow Jones Industrial Average, 41.22
1932 G Neujmin discovers asteroid #1255 Schilowa
1933 Public Works Administration becomes effective
1943 4th day of battle at Kursk: Gen Model uses last tank reserve
1943 American B-24 bombers bomb Japanese-held Wake Island for the first time.
1947 Demolition begins in NYC for UN HQ in NYC
1948 500th anniversary Russian orthodox church celebrated in Moscow
1950 Gen Douglas MacArthur named commander-in-chief, UN forces in Korea

1950 Leroy Deans awarded 1st Order of Purple Heart in Korea

1957 CDC incorporates
1957 Irish premier Eamon de Valera arrests Sinn-Fein leaders
1961 Portuguese steamer "Save" breaks up off Mozambique, 227 die
1963 US bans all monetary transactions with Cuba
1967 Billie Jean King concludes Wimbeldon sweep (singles, doubles & mix)
1969 Thor Heyerdahl & reed raft Ra II land in Barbados 57 days from Morocco
1969 US troop withdrawal begins in Vietnam
1975 Pres Ford announced he'll seek Republican nomination for pres
1975 Quake damages over 2,000 temples in Pagan, Burma. 20-foot-high seated Buddha of Thandawgya decapitated
1977 Sabra Starr finishes longest recorded belly dance (100 hrs)
1979 Voyager 2 takes 1st ever photo of Jupiter's satellite Adrastea (J14)
1981 Senate confirms Sandra Day O'Conner to Supreme Court (99-0)
1982 Billy Martin records his 1,000th career win as a manager
1982 Porn star John Homes convicted of receiving stolen property
1984 John McEnroe beats Jimmy Connors for Wimbeldon singles
1986 Farthest thrown object-an "Aerobie" flying ring, 1,257)
1986 NASA establishes Safety, Reliability Maintain & Quality Assurance
1987 Kitty Dukakis, revealed addiction to amphetamines for 26 years
1988 Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit in 1992

1990 12:34:56 on 7/8/90 (1234567890)

1991 Iraq discloses for the first time that it is carrying out a nuclear weapons program, including the production of enriched uranium
1997 NATO invites Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic to join
1998 Khalifi Athmani (24), a leading member of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), was killed in Algeria
2003 Mizban Khadr Hadi (No. 23), a high-ranking member of the Baath Party regional command captured.

---

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

US : Liberty Bell Day [1835]
National Video Games Day
Be Nice to New Jersey Week (Day 6)
Nude Recreation Week (Day 5)
National Canned Luncheon Meat Week (Day 6)
Baked Beans Month
Beans Beans the musical fruit,
the more you eat, the more you toot.
The more you toot, the better you feel.
So lets have beans for every meal.

---

Religious Observances
Old Catholic : Feast of St Elizabeth (St Isabella) of Portugal, widow
Feast of St. Grimbald.
Feast of St. Kilian.

---

Religious History
1663 Following restoration of the English monarchy, a new charter was issued to theAmerican colony of Rhode Island. It guaranteed religious freedom regardless of 'differencesin opinion in matters of religion.'
1741 Influencing the start of New England's 'Great Awakening,' colonial Americantheologian Jonathan Edwards preached his classic sermon, 'Sinners in the Hands of an AngryGod,' at Enfield, CT.
1792 Birth of Lowell Mason, Presbyterian pioneer of congregational singing. He composedover 1,000 hymn tunes, including BETHANY ('Nearer, My God, To Thee'), DENNIS ('Blest Be theTie That Binds'), and HAMBURG ('When I Survey the Wondrous Cross').
1948 The Moscow Conference convened to celebrate the 500th anniversary of theindependence of the Russian Orthodox Church from control of the Eastern OrthodoxPatriarchate of Constantinople.
1959 Meeting in Oberlin, OH, the Congregational Christian and the Evangelical andReformed churches adopted a united statement of faith. (The two groups merged to form theUnited Church of Christ in 1961.)

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

---

Deceased fan rests in recliner with a beer
July 6, 2005 — James Henry Smith was a zealous Pittsburgh Steelers fan in life, and even death could not keep him from his favorite spot: in a recliner, in front of a TV showing his beloved team in action.

Smith, 55, of Pittsburgh, died of prostate cancer Thursday. Because his death wasn't unexpected, his family was able to plan for an unusual viewing Tuesday night.
The Samuel E. Coston Funeral Home erected a small stage in a viewing room, and arranged furniture on it much as it was in Smith's home on game day Sundays.

Smith's body was on the recliner, his feet crossed and a remote in his hand. He wore black and gold silk pajamas, slippers and a robe. A pack of cigarettes and a beer were at his side, while a high-definition TV played a continuous loop of Steelers highlights.

"I couldn't stop crying after looking at the Steeler blanket in his lap," said his sister, MaryAnn Nails, 58. "He loved football and nobody did (anything) until the game went off. It was just like he was at home."
Longtime friend Mary Jones called the viewing "a celebration."
"I saw it and I couldn't even cry," she said. "People will see him the way he was."

Smith's burial plans were more traditional -- he'll be laid to rest in a casket.

---

Thought for the day :
"Books - the best antidote against the marsh-gas of boredom and vacuity."

[Valin]

Pemberton and his generals agreed that these were the best terms that could be had, and in the quiet of his headquarters on Crawford Street, the decision was made to surrender the city.


July 1863 the month that the south lost the war.

[SAMWolf]

Morning everyone.

[stand watie]

GM, snippy!

free dixie,sw

[Samwise]

[alfa6]

Anaconda Bump for the Friday Freeper Foxhole

A British F-O-G in solidarity with the Brits

And a bit of humor as well regards the French and Londoner's

Pigeon Pad update tomorrow, hopefully I will be done.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[alfa6]

A promotion I've been anticipating has come through. Effective yesterday.

A big ol lift of the alfa6 lid on the promotion.

Seriously I hope that it was a real promotion with some of this ...

... and not one of theose 'virtual" propmotions

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

An Iraqi Army Soldier from the 3rd Company, 2nd Squadron, 4th Task Force, searches a house for weapons and contraband during Operation Salam Al Tuz III, during Operation Salam Al Tuz III, in Tuz, Iraq, June 20, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Suzanne M. Day.

United States Marine Lance Corporal David Fierro, 21, of El Paso Texas, from 2D MP Battalion, Bravo Company, 5th Platoon launches the Dragon Eye sky plane along the MSR Lyman Road, on June 29, 2005. (U.S.M.C. photo taken by LCpl Brian A. Jaques)

U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordinance Team, from the 506th Air Expeditionary Group, blows up a weapons cache discovered near Tuz, Iraq on June 25, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Suzanne M. Day. 050625-F-9629D-155 (Released)

[snippy_about_it]

A promotion I've been anticipating has come through. Effective yesterday.

Great news! Congratulations.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Mayor.

[PzLdr]

Grant is, unfortunately, remembered as a butcher devoid of tactical skill, as a result of the campaign that took him from the Wilderness to Petersburg and beyond. That picture is false. Grant's maneuver plans in that campaign were, on several occasions, ruined by less than skilled subordinates . As the Vicksburg campaign proves, Grant was was master of strategic and tactical maneuver. IMHO, the Vicksburg campaign was the most brilliant ever executed on American soil.

[snippy_about_it]

Sure, post donuts on my day off!

[snippy_about_it]

!!!!!