Vicksburg, MS Day Trip–National Military Park

Vicksburg, Mississippi is about 70 miles from Monroe, Louisiana, so a day trip was in order.

Vicksburg located on the Mississippi River was a vital area for control of the river for the Federal government to ensure survival of the Union during the Civil War.

Vicksburg National Military Park has a very informative Visitors Center with life size exhibits and artifacts from the siege of Vicksburg are displayed. The 16 mile tour road has over 1,340 monuments, markers and plaques. The tour road includes a restored Union gunboat (USS Cairo) and the Vicksburg National Cemetery. Allow at least two hours for the tour.

Cannons line the sidewalk adjacent to the Visitor Center parking

The entrance to the National Military Park

The rolling hills in the battlefield

USS Cairo Museum the Union ironclad named for Cairo, IL and commissioned on January 16, 1862. It was struck by two underwater torpedoes north of Vicksburg in the Yazoo River on December 12, 1862. It sank in less than 12 minutes without losing any lives. Raised in 1964, having been preserved in the mud and silt it was later restored. It is the last of the ironclads.

Vicksburg National Cemetery is the second largest national cemetery. The remains of 17,00 Civil War Union soldiers are buried in the 16 acres. That is the larger number than any other national cemetery. www.nps.gov/vick