5. Vicksburg (1863)
"Vicksburg is the nail that holds the South's two halves together" Jefferson Davis Vicksburg sits on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, and, due to its location, it became a key Confederate stronghold during the American Civil War. Whoever controlled Vicksburg controlled the Mississippi, which, at the time, was the most economically important feature of the country. Lincoln understood its importance. Taking the river would cut the Confederacy in half, cutting a vital supply line and severely weakening Richmond, VA. The Anaconda Plan was devised by General-in-Chief Winfield Scott at the beginning of the war, as a way of strangling the south. His plan consisted of two ideas. The first was to block all ports belonging to the seceded states. The second was to send a force of around 80,000, using the Mississippi as a highway, to take forts near New Orleans. The second stage started off well, with the Union taking Baton Rouge, Natchez and Memphis, leaving Vicksburg as the only point on the river not in their hands. Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton had a force a little less than 30,000 and strengthened Vicksburg for the imminent arrival of the commander of the West, Ulysses S. Grant. Vicksburg had the advantage of being built on a high bluff by the river, surrounded by swamps, which made it difficult to approach. Grant's initial plans failed. He attempted to split his Union army of the Tennessee in two, attacking from two sides, and digging canals to ship his men from north of the city, to south of the city. His third idea involved taking his army down the western bank of the Mississippi. One night a small fleet sailed down the river past Vicksburg. They were spotted and subjected to artillery fire, however, Grant, noticing that the shots were only hitting the upper parts of the boats, realised that the guns couldn't be aimed any further down. He ordered the ships to keep close to the eastern bank, meaning the shots were flying straight over. He finally had a way to transport his troops over to the eastern bank. Grant took the state capital, Jackson, from Pemberton, forcing him to retreat to Vicksburg. Victories at Champion Hill and Big Black River prepared them for the final assault. On May 25, Grant began the siege. The roads were blocked, 77,000 troops were used double the Confederates and artillery fire pounded the city, both from cannons and Union gunboats on the river. It lasted until July 4, when, with supplies running low, Pemberton surrendered. Along with the Battle of Gettysburg, which ended one day before the siege forced surrender, the taking of Vicksburg put the Union in control of the war. It cut the Confederacy in half and led to Grant later being named General-in-Chief of the Union armies.