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On July 4, 1863, the fortress city of Vicksburg, Mississippi finally was captured after a siege by forces under the command of US Grant. The term of "finally" is used inasmuch as Vicksburg had been under attack ever since the fall of New Orleans in 1862. Union forces had tried every way possible to do this. As one example, General Grant even attempted to alter the course of the Mississippi River over a two year period. This almost caused damage to one of Grant's most loyal supporter, General Sherman, whose troops were engaged in endless digging in the bayous and swamps surrounding the city.As it turned out, the capture of Vicksburg gave the Union control of the Mississippi River from St. Louis Missouri to New Orleans, however, truly its only advantage was one of propaganda value to the North. A look at the map shows three Rebel states west of the river, Arkansas, Texas and the western half of Louisiana.
The military high command of the Confederacy was not impressed with Vicksburg's military or logistical significance. In the Eastern Theater, General Lee was aware of this and from his point of view, Vicksburg was an obstacle for the Union's commercial traffic. Even Lee was incorrect on this, as Mississippi River commerce in 1860 was never surpassed in the years after the fall of Vicksburg.
Confederate generals in the Western Theater, considered Middle Tennessee of much more value than anywhere else within the Rebel west.
As for being a conduit of Southern trade, first thought to be West to East trade, there too was an error. The trade actually flowed in the opposite direction.
The loss of Vicksburg had already been accounted for, especially once the South's largest city, New Orleans, was lost in April of 1862.
Texas had access to Mexico and its own Gulf ports, and Arkansas had access to Texas. And as no major Union operations had even been attempted against Texas, the Mississippi River no military or logistical value whatsoever.
As an aside, the siege of Vicksburg brought great pain to the citizens there. Vicksburg did not celebrate the Fourth of July until 1945.
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoThe Union's capture of the Mississippi River divided the Confederacy. The Confederacy was then divided between the East and West and this helped bring an end to the Civil War.
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The capture of which city advanced the Union's goal of dividing the Confederacy in two?
The capture of New Orleans was a good start. It was actually the capture of Vicksburg that was the key moment - not a city, but a major river-port.
What was the river that separated the free states and the slave states during the civil war?
The Potomac divided the Confederacy from the Union, although Maryland was a slave-state, and so was DC at the beginning. The Ohio River divided the slave-states from free soil.
How does the anaconda plan would help the north win the war?
The Anaconda Plan was a Northern strategy to seize the Mississippi River, capture Richmond, capital of the Confederacy, capture Chatanooga, a railroad center, and essentially divide it into parts and squeeze it like an anaconda.
What three confederate states were cut off?
After the Union gained complete control of the Mississippi River with the capture of Vicksburg, the Confederate states of Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas were cut off from the rest of the Confederacy.
How did the union victory at Vicksburg affect confederacy?
the confederacy was split in two after it lost strongholds along the mississippi river.
What physical feature was vital in the unions plan to cut the confederacy in half?
The Mississippi River
What city on the Mississippi river did the us want to control of?
The Siege and Capture of Vicksburg gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, splitting the Confederacy in two.
The capture of which city advanced the Union's goal of dividing the Confederacy in two?
The capture of New Orleans was a good start. It was actually the capture of Vicksburg that was the key moment - not a city, but a major river-port.
Why was Vicksburg so important to the Confederacy?
Vicksburg was the only channel, at the time the only channel connecting the parts of the confederacy divided by the Mississippi. So long as it was held by the enemy, the free navigation of the river was prevented. Hence its importance. Points of the river between Vicksburg and Port Hudson were held as dependencies; but their fall was sure to follow the capture of the former place.
Why did David farragut's capture of New Orleans signifigants?
ANSWER The city was the most large city of the Confederacy. By its capture the Union sized the control of the Lower Mississippi, that, in addition to the progress made on the upper course of the river, was an important step forward to gain the whole control of the river and split in to two parts the Confederacy.
What opened the way for union forces to split the confederacy and gain complete control of the Mississippi river?
Grant's capture of Vicksburg did that.
Which major river split the confederacy in two parts?
There was no river that divided the Union and Confederacy. It was the 36°30′ north that divided the two. Any state above this line, except Missouri, could not keep slaves. Any state below the line could keep slaves.
Why was david farraguts capture of new orleanes significant?
It meant that the confederacy could no longer use the river to carry its goods to sea
Why was Davids Farragut capture new Orleans significant?
It meant that the confederacy could no longer use the river to carry its goods to sea
Was blockading Southern ports part of the Unions three part plan to conquer the South?
Yes. the Anaconda plan,as it is called, had these three parts: 1. Blockade southern ports 2. Cut the confederacy in half (take control of the Mississippi river) 3. Invade Virginia and capture the confederate capital (Richmond)
What was the river that separated the free states and the slave states during the civil war?
The Potomac divided the Confederacy from the Union, although Maryland was a slave-state, and so was DC at the beginning. The Ohio River divided the slave-states from free soil.
What river played important part for both sides during the American Civil War?
More than one. The Mississippi was the one that specially needed to be liberated, as it divided the Confederacy into two halves. Grant's capture of Vicksburg (the last Confederate river-port) in July 1863 is taken as one of the key milestones to Southern defeat. Early on, there was also combat on the Cumberland river. In the East, the James River and the Rappahannock had great strategic significance.
