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Lincoln most likely never said it. The quote is from Admiral (then Captain) Porter's recollections, allegedly stated while planning with McClellan the campaign to take New Orleans via a waterborne invasion.

However, the resulting invasion did not mark Vicksburg as a strategic target. On the army side, McClellan mentioned New Orleans, the forts guarding the approaches to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Mobile, and the occupation of Jackson Mississippi as well as linking up with the brown water navy from the north. On the navy side, Farragut had rather vague instructions to link up with the brown-water fleet to put pressure on Beauregard to abandon Corinth. After Corinth fell, secretary Welles of the Navy wrote Farragut "the value of Vicksburg has been greatly reduced" and ordered him to withdraw to the Gulf of Mexico.

The focus on Vicksburg would escalate slowly over a span of 6 months, which calls into question Porter's assertion. Making Porter's story even more suspect are conversations that he had with Grant later in his recollections that are demonstrably impossible. Chalk this quote up as one of those things people believe Lincoln said but never did ... such as "I can't spare this man, he fights!"

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Q: Why did Lincoln say Vicksburg is the key The war can never be brought to a close until the key is put in your pocket?
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Which of the following statements best summarizes the impact that the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg had on the war?

The Confederate losses at Gettysburg and Vicksburg occurred at almost the same time. They tended to weaken the resolve of the Southern commanders. It was shown that the South could fight on Northern soil anymore at Gettysburg and the loss at Vicksburg showed the South that North could attack them with impunity.


What are some famous quotes about Antietam?

The Battle of Vicksburg was won by the Union Army during the American Civil War. A famous quote from President Abraham Lincoln is: "Vicksburg is the key. The war can never be brought to a close until the key is in our pocketâ??.


Why did the north and south fight in the Battle of Vicksburg?

Command of the Mississippi River; which also cuts the Confederacy in half, if the North wins it.


Why did Grant take such an indirect route to Vicksburg when he had been so close in March?

Union attempts to capture the fortress city of Vicksburg, Mississippi was wrought with failures. As late as early part of 1863, four unsuccessful attempts by General Grant to strike Vicksburg from the rear by moving his army on transports through the rivers and bayous to the bluffs north or south of the city were tactics that met with little success. General Grant tried very innovative tactics to solve the problem of Vicksburg. By digging a canal across the mile wide peninsula, Grant hoped to bypass the Vicksburg artillery, move the army on transports and attack the city from the south. Earlier attempts at capturing Vicksburg were attempted by Union Admiral David Farragut. After he had captured New Orleans, he sailed north to Vicksburg but his fleet was repulsed. Grant then believed that a land assault might prove successful if the Confederate forces protecting the city could be drawn away by a battle elsewhere where they were needed. In early November of 1862, Grant decided to attempt this by marching an army of 31,000 troops towards Grand Junction in southern Tennessee. There the town had a railway that Grant thought could provide him to the Mississippi to a landing point south of Vicksburg. Grant planned to link up with a sizable army under General Sherman. Despite the best intentions, Vicksburg did not fall. A series of maneuvers by Grant and Sherman still were unable to launch an offensive attack on the well fortified city. Finally by cutting off the supply lines to Vicksburg, Grant lay siege to the city. In summary, the assaults on Vicksburg began in 1862 and it held out until July 4th 1863. The fall of Vicksburg was an important victory for the Union. The length of time it took for the Union's river and land campaigns on a city that even Lincoln deemed to be essential, was not a good sign for the power & leadership of the Union's campaign.


Why was fall of Vicksburg important?

It closed the Mississippi to southern traffic and allowed the Union boats to go unimpeded. It convinced Lincoln to appoint Grant as the overall commander of Union forces, and it opened the Deep South up to further invasion.

Related questions

Which of the following statements best summarizes the impact that the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg had on the war?

The Confederate losses at Gettysburg and Vicksburg occurred at almost the same time. They tended to weaken the resolve of the Southern commanders. It was shown that the South could fight on Northern soil anymore at Gettysburg and the loss at Vicksburg showed the South that North could attack them with impunity.


What are some famous quotes about Antietam?

The Battle of Vicksburg was won by the Union Army during the American Civil War. A famous quote from President Abraham Lincoln is: "Vicksburg is the key. The war can never be brought to a close until the key is in our pocketâ??.


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