Question of the Week: 6/5-6/11/17
The Siege of Vicksburg took place during May, June, and the early days of July in 1863.
Is there a particular soldier/civilian account or quote that stands out to you for its insight or irony from this siege?
The Siege of Vicksburg took place during May, June, and the early days of July in 1863.
Is there a particular soldier/civilian account or quote that stands out to you for its insight or irony from this siege?
“Living in a cave underneath the ground for six weeks . I do think a child could have passed through what I did and forgotten it.”-Lucy McRae, age ten in 1863.
Well, when it comes to irony and Vicksburg, I can’t help but think of Brigadier General Martin Green, commanding a brigade in John Bowen’s division. When warned by his men not to look over the earthworks at the Union lines, he said “A bullet has not been molded that will kill me” and looked out anyway. He was shot in the head immediately, so obviously that bullet had indeed been molded.
These two quotes aren’t ironic, but they were very perceptive. Grant and Sherman stood on the bluffs outside Vicksburg shortly after Grant’s brilliant campaign had forced Rebels into trenches around the besieged city. Sherman said to Grant, “Until this moment I never thought your expedition a success. I never could see the end clearly until now. But this is a campaign. This is a success, if we never take the town.”
Seven weeks later, after Gen. Pemberton surrendered the city and 30,000 troops, Prez Lincoln said of the Mississippi, “The father of waters again goes unvexed to the sea.”
Second this
Definitely was one of Lincoln’s most famous powerful qoutes, I agree. I have a problem with the literature on Vicksburg, or lack of I should say. Most of us can’t afford Ed Bearss masterpiece so while Powell did hid superb trilogy on Chickamauga, Ezra and Hartwig have Antietam, Anyone know of any Complete Vicksburg books coming down the pipeline? All these Vicksburg books try to cover the whole campaign in 280pgs, too much gets left out.