Why was Vicksburg important to the civil war?

Answer 1

The only significance of Vicksburg was the Propaganda value the Northern press made of it. In fact the several failed attempts to capture Vicksburg showed that the Union armies of the West were inept at best for their foolish bayou campaigns to capture a city that had no logistical or military value. The western part of the Confederacy had ports in Texas and the use of Mexico and its ports to go it alone. The Union had to now garrison troops to hold Vicksburg. Union cargo was insignificant regarding the Mississippi. Military use of the river did not help win the war. lle refused to support it and western theater Confederate generals believed that Middle Tennessee was more important. The fact that Pemberton was placed in charge of Vicksburg gives one an idea of its importance. Pemberton was a least of all the South's generals.

Answer 2

Vicksburg was one of the last two Confederate strongholds on the Mississippi River. After failing at direct assault, Grant led his forces on an arduous march through the swamps to surround the city, cutting them off from reinforcements a supplies, forcing their surrender after a long siege. Once Vicksburg surrendered, so did Port Arthur, the Mississippi River fell into Union hands, preventing the Southern states East of the Mississippi from receiving reinforcements and supplies from the Western Southern states, Texas and Arkansas. It also meant that the North could strike anywhere along the Mississippi Valley with complete impunity. It completed Winfield Scott's Anaconda Plan, and eventually led to the collapse of the South's ability to supply its army with food, ammunition, and other war matériel, forcing the South's surrender due to starvation and lack of gunpowder.

Careful analysis of the claim of the loss of food and ammunition must involve the fact that in truth, the supplies went from east to west. The west already had adjusted to this, and had ample supplies of food and ammunition via Mexico. As an aside, and point out the arms side, when the Union captured Vicksburg, they discovered vast amounts of top notch British made rifles ans ammunition. This indicates that at Vicksburg and in Texas, the "Mexican-British" connection was strong.

Answer 3

The city of Vicksburg was located in a pivotal area that made it important both to the union and to the Confederacy. The Confederacy lost of the battle of Vicksburg, which was a major loss.