President Abraham Lincoln declared Vicksburg “the key, the war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket.”
Jefferson Davis said : “Vicksburg is the nail head that holds the South’s two halves together.”
Vicksburg, Mississippi was the last confederate stronghold on the Mississippi. If it fell to the union the confederacy would be divided and their supply lines cut. US Grant tried many times to take the city, all failed. He then settled on an old fashion siege. After 47 days the confederate commander surrendered and 29,000 confederates were captured. Lincoln had the “key” in his pocket.
Casualties combines deaths, wounded, missing and captured. 29,620 of the Confederate casualties were missing or captured.
THANKS FOR VISITING, STEVE