I read that Mrs. Grant, her children, and their slaves escaped in a railroad car heading back toward Tennessee
Yes. Grant defeated Van Dorn.
Grant's march on Vicksburg was interrupted by Van Dorn's capture of a vast Union supply-depot at Holly Springs.
Capturing a huge Union supply depot at Holly Springs, Mississippi, which slowed-down Grant's campaign to take Vicksburg. Van Dorn was killed soon afterwards, not in action, but in a private duel.
Cavalry General Earl Van Dorn led a raiding party into General US Grant's supply base in Holly Springs, Mississippi. The raid was a success and the base, commanded by Colonel R.C. Murphy was caught by surprise. Van Dorn's troops burned over over one million dollars worth of food, supplies and equipment.
It was the location of a large Union supply depot in the winter of 62/63, as Grant tried to move South into Mississippi. The depot was captured by Confederate General van Dorn, seriously disrupting Grant's plans.
It was the site of major Union supply depot, and it was captured by Earl van Dorn, causing a bad setback for Grant at the beginning of his advance on Vicksburg.
By capturing his supply-base.
During the early part of the US Civil War, Confederate General Earl Van Dorn played a role, for the most part in the West and the Trans-Mississippi theaters. He was part of the Confederate defeat at Pea Ridge, Arkansas and later launched an unsuccessful assault on Federal troops in Corinth, Mississippi. He, however, did make his mark at the expense of US Grant. As a cavalry officer, he led a strike force that destroyed the supply base of US Grant at Holly Springs, Mississippi. This action forced the Union to abandon early efforts to capture Vicksburg. Historians note Van Dorn as one of the most controversial Confederate generals of the entire war and led to his premature death. He resigned his commission in the US army in 1861 and held the rank of major general. He held various posts in Texas, Louisiana, and Virginia before being transferred back to the West. His disaster at Pea Ridge ended Confederate hopes of an assault on St. Louis. This also impacted the Battle of Shiloh, as he was prevented from reinforcing General Albert Sidney Johnston. His ill fated assault on Corinth resulted in a military investigation, however, he was cleared of military misconduct. His premature death was due to being murdered in 1863. Apparently he was involved in an extra marital affair with a physician's wife. The doctor, George B. Peters shot and killed General Van Dorn at his Tennessee headquarters. He is best remembered as a gallant calvary officer.
CSS Virginia was a Confederate ironclad warship. Horatio Van Cleve was a Union General during the war. Earl Van Dorn was a Confederate General during the Civil War. The siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi was a battle during the war.
General Earl Van Dorn lost the Confederate attempt to control northwestern Arkansas. He later lost the Second Battle of Corinth. He was never given command of another Confederate army. He did receive the command of a cavalry unit in 1863. That same year he was murdered by a man claiming Van Dorn was having an affair with his wife.
Union General Horatio Van Cleve and Confederate General Earl Van Dorn were military leaders during the Civil War. Vicksburg, Mississippi was the scene of a battle during the Civil War.
The address of the Camp Van Dorn World War Ii Museum is: Po Box 1113, Centreville, MS 39631-1113