Visiting Vicksburg Military Park
About the Vicksburg Military Park
I visited Vicksburg Military Park in late March of 2021. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was no admission fee, and the exhibits were closed. Still, I had plenty to see, as most of what interested me were the battle lines and the memorials.
Vicksburg Military Park is at the exact location of the Battle of Vicksburg, which was fought from March 29 to July 4, 1863. It was said, “Vicksburg is the key.” Once the Union took control of Vicksburg, they were able to control the Mississippi River.
Vicksburg Military Park has over 1,300 markers, miles of trenches, over 100 cannons, and the USS Cairo, which is a restored gunboat.
After stopping for a few minutes in the main lot, I entered the main gate to Vicksburg Military Park. Within 50 yards, there were already markers showing the Union and Confederate Lines as well as memorials and monuments for both sides. Rather than attempt to go through the park in order of appearance, I decided that it would be easier to break the park down by topic.
Visiting Vicksburg Military Park - Table of Contents
Disclaimer: Buzzin’ Around the World strives to provide accurate and up-to-date information based on our research at the time of publication. We respect all applicable laws and fair use principles. If you believe any information is incorrect or violates regulations, please contact us at buzzinaroundtheworld@gmail.com.
Affiliate Links and Reviews: We use affiliate links to generate income and may receive a commission at no additional cost to you when you use our links. We strive for honest and transparent reviews, even for products which we receive compensation.
Content Creation: Our content is based on our own travel experiences. All photos are our own unless otherwise stated. We sometimes utilize AI tools to assist with tasks like generating titles, summarizing content, and improving organization.
For more information: For more information, please click HERE to visit our private policy page. We can be reached at buzzinaroundtheworld@gmail.com.
The Lines
When I first entered Vicksburg Military Park, I had no idea what to expect. I was surprised to see how well labeled the lines and trenches were. Even after 150 years, it was still very easy to see where the trenches were located. I was also shocked by the minimal distance between the Union and Confederate trenches. In some locations, it appeared that less than 100 yards separated the two lines.
Union Lines
The Union lines are marked with blue signs that say “US” on the top of them. Each sign states the name of the division or brigade that occupied the trench. As I went through the park, I was amazed by how easy it was to see the locations of the trenches. The trenches were placed in strategic locations and flanked by cannons.
I read on one of the information markers that the Union had decided to concentrate their firepower with multiple cannons in small areas. On the other hand, the Confederacy spread their cannons out. As a result, it was much more difficult to take out the multiple Union cannons compared to a single Confederate Cannon. As you go through this page, you’ll see examples of multiple Union cannons and single Confederate cannons.
Even if you know little about the Civil War, you will still be able to get an idea of the type of battles that went on during the Siege of Vicksburg. To help people with little knowledge, there are hundreds of signs and markers.
Confederate Lines
Like the Union lines, the Confederate Lines are also marked. Each Confederate Line is marked with a red sign with “CS” for the Confederate States at the top. It is easy to see that the locations of the Confederate trenches were geared towards defense. Most of the time, their trenches were on the higher ground in strategically located places.
Unlike the Union lines, most of the Confederate trenches were only flanked by one or two cannons. Once the Confederacy’s cannon was destroyed, it was much more difficult for them to continue to defend their lines.
Located inside the Confederate lines is the Shirley House. This house is the only wartime structure that still exists inside the military park. On May 18, 1863, the Confederacy was instructed to burn all of the homes to the ground. The Shirley House was spared when a soldier who was tasked with destroying it was killed before he could ignite the home.
James and Adeline Shirley hid in the home for three days before they were rescued by Union soldiers. The Shirley House eventually became the headquarters for the Illinois 45th Infantry.
State Memorials and Monuments
There are 14 Confederate State Memorials (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia) and 18 Union State Memorials (Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wisconsin).
Kentucky, Mississippi, and Missouri are the only states that have both a Confederate and Union memorial. While Kentucky and Missouri had soldiers from their states that fought on both sides, Mississippi did not. The Union Mississippi memorial was designed by the state of Mississippi to honor the African Americans that fought for the Union in the Civil War.
Minnesota Memorial
Located .6 miles into the park, the Minnesota Memorial is the first state memorial that visitors encounter. The Minnesota Memorial was dedicated on March 24, 1907. The statue is of a woman holding a lowered sword and shield, which is supposed to represent peace.
Michigan Memorial
The Michigan Memorial is nicknamed “The Spirit of Michigan” and can be found 1.2 miles into the park. The obelisk of the Michigan Memorial is 37 feet tall and has the words “Michigan’s tribute of honors to her soldiers who served in the campaign and Seige of Vicksburg.” The Michigan Memorial was dedicated on November 10, 1916.
Illinois Memorial
Located 1.8 miles into the park, the most spectacular of the Union State Memorials is the Illinois Memorial. The Illinois Memorial has the name of every Illinois soldier that was part of the Siege of Vicksburg. To enter the memorial, visitors must walk up 47 steps which is the exact number of days of the Siege of Vicksburg. The Illinois Memorial was dedicated on October 26, 1906, and cost $194,423 ($5,802,647 in 2021 dollars.)
Wisconsin Memorial
The Wisconsin Memorial is located 2.9 miles into Vicksburg Military Park. Dedicated on May 22, 1911, an eagle nicknamed “Old Abe” sits on top of the memorial. Old Abe was the mascot of Wisconsin’s 8th Infantry. In addition to the names of all the soldiers from Wisconsin who participated in the Siege of Vicksburg, the Wisconsin Memorial also has a photo of a Union Soldier and a Confederate Soldier shaking hands in friendship.
Tennessee Memorial
The Tennessee Memorial is located on Confederate Avenue and is one of the newer memorials. The unpolished stone in the shape of Tennessee was dedicated on June 29, 1996.
Missouri Memorial
The Missouri Memorial is also on Confederate Avenue and is unique as only Missouri (and Kentucky) had soldiers that fought for both the Union and Confederacy and was dedicated on October 17, 1917. The memorial stands at 42 feet tall which signifies the two units (27 Union and 15 Confederate) that participated in the Siege of Vicksburg.
Arkansas Memorial
The Arkansas Memorial is also on Confederate Road and was dedicated on August 2, 1954. Written on the Arkansas Memorial is the phrase, “To the Arkansas Confederate Soldiers and Sailors a part of a nation divided by the sword and reunited at the altar of faith.”
Louisiana Memorial
The Louisiana Memorial is located on Confederate Avenue and was dedicated on October 18, 1920. On top of the 81-foot memorial is an eternal flame.
Mississippi Memorial
The Mississippi Memorial is located on Confederate Avenue and was dedicated on November 13, 1909. With a height of 76 feet, the Mississippi Memorial has bronze sculptures and depicts the various actions of the Mississippi Confederate Soldiers during the Siege of Vicksburg.
Alabama Memorial
The Alabama Memorial is located on Confederate Avenue and was dedicated on July 19, 1951. The granite displaying the name of the state is from the same query that the granite for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC came from. The bronze statue shows seven men fighting and being inspired by a woman who is supposed to represent the State of Alabama.
Kentucky Memorial
The Kentucky Memorial is one of the newest ones at Vicksburg Military Park, having been dedicated on October 20, 2001. The memorial is located between the Union and Confederate lines on Kentucky Avenue. Kentucky had soldiers that fought on both sides, and the memorial depicts this. In the middle of the memorial are bronze statues of Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln. Both men were born in the state of Kentucky.
Georgia Memorial
The Georgia Memorial is located on Confederate Avenue and was dedicated on October 25, 1962. All of the Georgia Civil War Memorials are identical, so you will see the same design in Gettysburg and other Civil War sites. The 18-foot-tall memorial has “We sleep here in obedience to law; When duty called, we came, When country called, we died” written on the base.
Iowa Memorial
The Iowa Memorial is located 15.3 miles into the park. It was the last memorial that I saw during my visit to Vicksburg Military Park. The memorial was dedicated on November 15, 1906, and has six bronze plates that represent various events from the Siege of Vicksburg.
Individual Memorials and Monuments
There are hundreds of individual monuments that honor different people, infantry, and brigades. Below are some photographs of various individual monuments and memorials at Vicksburg Military Park.
The Surrender of Vicksburg
Confederate General John C. Pemberton surrendered Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. The location where Pemberton and Ulysses S. Grant finalized the surrender can be seen at Vicksburg Military Park.
Nearby, there are plaques that show the total count of troops that were killed and wounded.
Vicksburg National Cemetery
Vicksburg National Cemetery is the final resting place of over 17,000 Civil War soldiers. Most of the soldiers during the Civil War were buried close to where they died, and often the tombstones or crosses were made out of wood or any materials that could be found nearby.
As a result of neglect and poor record keeping, many of the soldiers’ identities were lost, and today they are listed as unknown soldiers.
Sometimes unknown soldiers would be identified by their battalion number, as is shown in one of the photos below.
During my visit, I spent some time walking around the cemetery and reminding myself that every one of these markers was a living, breathing human being that died fighting for our country.
The USS Cairo Museum
The USS Cairo was a gunboat that was used to patrol the Mississippi River during the Civil War. On December 12, 1862, Cairo was sunk by a Confederate gunboat during a battle in the Yazoo River.
Lying at the bottom of the Yazoo River, the USS Cairo was preserved, thanks to a protective cocoon of mud.
In the 1950s, the Cairo was located, and it was raised in the early 1960s. Today, the gunboat is on display at the USS Cairo Museum at the Vicksburg Military Park.
Unfortunately, during my visit, the USS Cairo Museum was closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Below are the photos I was able to take from outside the protective fence.
Buzzin' Around the World's Affiliate Partners
Affiliate Partner of the Month - Viator
Viator is my favorite website for booking tours and packages. With over 300,000 unique tours to choose from, everyone should be able to find something on Viator that interests them. I like Viator because anytime I have an issue with a tour company, Viator has intervened and helped on my behalf. I highly recommend using Viator for booking your tours and vacation packages.
Book Through the Link Below to Help Buzzin' Around the World Earn Commission
Earn $200 in Travel Rewards with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card is one of the few rewards cards that does not charge an annual fee. Cardholders can earn 1.25 points for every dollar spent while enjoying 0% APR for 15 months.
Currently, Capital One is offering a signup bonus of 20,000 points (worth $200 in travel rewards) when the cardholder spends $500 in the first three months. If you are interested in this card, I would appreciate it if you would sign up with the link below, as I earn a referral bonus of 10,000 points. Those points are worth $100 in travel rewards and will help me continue to bring great content to Buzzin’ Around the World.
Once again, the Capital One VentureOne card is one of the few reward cards without an annual fee and is the perfect card for someone who is just starting to get into the travel points game.