Tour: Vicksburg Expedition

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Explore the Vicksburg National Military Park with Vicksburg's quintessential tour guide, Ed Bearss. For more than a decade Ed worked at the Vicksburg National Military Park, including serving as the battlefield’s chief historian. Today, Ed is considered the premier expert on the campaign and siege of Vicksburg. Drawing upon his depth of experience, Ed will take you to the key locations on the battlefield and share his knowledge of Vicksburg and the fascinating personal stories of the men who fought and died for possession of these hallowed grounds in the Spring of 1863.

TOUR CONTENTS

Price: $9.99

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Tour Content

Pictures

Audio

Augmented Reality

Quiz questions

Tour Details

Genre: Civil War

Language: English

Duration: 2 or more hours

Mode: Driving

Intended Audience: All

Vicksburg Expedition

Explore the Vicksburg National Military Park with Vicksburg's quintessential tour guide, Ed Bearss. For more than a decade Ed worked at the Vicksburg National Military Park, including serving as the battlefield’s chief historian. Today, Ed is considered the premier expert on the campaign and siege of Vicksburg. Drawing upon his depth of experience, Ed will take you to the key locations on the battlefield and share his knowledge of Vicksburg and the fascinating personal stories of the men who fought and died for possession of these hallowed grounds in the Spring of 1863.

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Battery De Golyer

Following the failed Union assaults on May 19 and 22, Grant resolved to lay siege to Vicksburg. Tap the story button to hear how siege warfare was conducted during the Civil War.

Stories
Siege Warfare

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Shirley House

You are now at the site of the only building in the park still standing from the time of the Vicksburg siege. The residence of Alice Shirley was nicknamed the “White House” by the Union soldiers who dug a honeycomb of shelters into its yard.

Stories
Shirley House

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Third Louisiana Redan

The 3rd Louisiana Redan was a Confederate strong point known to Union troops as "Fort Hell." This position, and the Great Redoubt to the south, guarded the entrance of the Old Jackson road into the defenses of Vicksburg.

Stories
The 3rd Louisiana Redan

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Ransom's Gun Path

A brigade under the command of Brigadier General Thomas E. G. Ransom manned this section of the Union siege lines. Here more about Ransom's story by tapping the story button.

Stories
Thomas Ransom

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Stockade Redan Attack

On May 19th, 1863, Grant issued an order to attack the Vicksburg defenses. Here at the Stockade Redan, Sherman's Regulars of 1st Battalion, 13th United States Infantry were the first to attack. Tap the stories button to learn more about their story.

Stories
May 19th Attack

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Thayer's Approach

The attack on the Stockade Redan (tour stop 5) on the afternoon of May 19th was a disastrous affair. Still, Grant hoped to break the Confederate defenses and avoid a long siege. He ordered an attack for May 22nd. Listen to Ed describe the portion of the attack that occurred on this part of the battlefield.

Stories
Thayer's approach

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Battery Selfridge

During the siege of Vicksburg, Union Admiral David Porter assisted Grant by sending ashore heavy naval cannon along with officers and gunners to crew them. One such battery was located here under the command of Lieutenant Commander Thomas O. Selfridge.

Stories
The Navy at Vicksburg

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Vicksburg National Cemetery

Today these hallowed grounds contain the remains of veterans from five conflicts. Of the more than 17,000 Union soldiers that rest here, 13,000 are unknown. Many of the Confederate soldiers who fell during the siege are interred in Vicksburg's Cedar Hill Cemetery nearby.

Stories
Vicksburg National Cemetery

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Fort Hill

From your vantage point here at Fort Hill you can understand why no effort was ever made to assault this fortress. The emplacements here seemed impregnable to both land and river assault.

Stories
Running the batteries

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Stockade Redan

The Stockade Redan was the scene of the two Union assaults. One on May 19th and and the other on May 22nd. At tour stop 5 you heard about the attack on the 19th. Now listen as Ed explains what happened on the 22nd.

Stories
The Forlorn Hope

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Great Redoubt

The fighting here at the Great Redoubt on May 22nd was short but intense. Six color bearers of the Union army's 7th Missouri were killed while planting the regiment's colors on the slopes of the Great Redoubt. Ed describes the assault.

Stories
Attack on the Great Redoubt

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Second Texas Lunette

The Confederate strong point here took its name from the unit charged with its defense. Listen to Ed explain the events that occurred here during the attack of May 22nd.

Stories
Union assault on May 22nd

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Railroad Redoubt

Just as they did at the 2nd Texas Lunette, Union troops hurled themselves at the defensive strong point known as the Railroad Redoubt. This key position controlled the access point of the Southern Railroad of Mississippi into Vicksburg.

Stories
Assualt on the Railroad Redoubt

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Surrender Interview Site

You are now at the surrender interview site, where Grant and Pemberton first met to discuss the surrender of Vicksburg.

Stories
Surrender Interview

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Pemberton Circle

The statue at this stop depicts John C. Pemberton, the Confederate commander of the Army of Vicksburg.

Stories
John C. Pemberton

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Grant's Headquarters Area

The life of Union General Ulysses S. Grant is one of the most remarkable in American history. Listen to Ed, as he recounts some of the high and low points of Grant’s amazing career.

Stories
Ulysses S. Grant

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U.S.S. Cairo

USS Cairo was a City-class ironclad gunboat constructed for the Union Navy by James Buchanan Eads during the American Civil War. She was the lead ship of the City-class gunboats, sometimes also called the Cairo class, and was named for Cairo, Illinois.

Stories
U.S.S. Cairo

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Visitor Center

Due to the vast scope of events, which unfolded here over the grueling 47-day siege, touring the battlefield in chronological order is impossible. To help give you a sense of time, we have highlighted the essential time periods being discussed at each tour stop in the text-based descriptions. The audio tour is designed to begin playing as you approach each tour stop. You can also manually control the audio stories by tapping the stories button and using the display controls. Also, some tour stops contain augmented reality images that you can activate by tapping the AR button. Before departing the visitor center, be sure to listen to the historical background of Vicksburg to understand it's importance in the history of the Civil War. Last, but not least, be sure to keep your eyes on the road at all times while driving and don't attempt to interact with your phone until you are safely parked. Enjoy your tour. Note: AR Photo Opportunity Tap the AR button to take a picture with President Lincoln. You can resize and move Lincoln to position him for the perfect photo opp.

Stories
Historical Background

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Drive to tour stop 10

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Memorial Arch

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