Vicksburg National Military Park Vicksburg National Military Park, Clay St, Vicksburg, MS, USA

Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates one of the most decisive Civil War battles; the campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg.

The Vicksburg campaign was waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. It included battles in west-central Mississippi at Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, Big Black River and 47 days of Union siege operations against Confederate forces defending the city of Vicksburg. Located high on the bluffs, Vicksburg was a fortress guarding the Mississippi River. It was known as "The Gibraltar of the Confederacy." Its surrender on July 4, 1863, coupled with the fall of Port Hudson, Louisiana, divided the South, and gave the North undisputed control of the Mississippi River.

Today, the battlefield at Vicksburg is in an excellent state of preservation. It includes 1,325 historic monuments and markers, 20 miles of reconstructed trenches and earthworks, a 16 mile tour road, antebellum home, 144 emplaced cannon, restored Union gunboat-USS Cairo, and the Vicksburg National Cemetery.

At the Visitors Center, a 20-minute film which recounts the campaign is shown on the hour and half hour beginning at 8:05 am. Guided tours are available and reservations are recommended. The park commemorates the campaign, siege and defense of Vicksburg in 1863 and includes over 1,340 monuments. 
Group friendly. 

All major credit cards are accepted.

Monuments and Commemoration

Quickly after the siege ended, both Union and Confederate veterans began planning how to remember the sacrifices of the battle. Today, Vicksburg National Military Park is home to over 1,300 monuments, tablets, and markers, earning the title of The largest Outdooor Art Gallery in the World.

• State Monuments: Many of the states who sent troops to fight at Vicksburg have erected monuments and memorials in thier honor.
• Memorial Arch: Dedicated in 1920, the Memorial Arch was built as a lasting tribute to a Veterans' and Peace Reunion in 1917.
• Navy Monument: A massive obleisk, this monument pays tribute to the vital role the US Navy played in the campaign for Vicksburg.
• African American Monument: Dedicated in 2003, this monument honors the sacrifices of the African Americans who served in the campaign.
• Monument Artists: Dozens of prominent artists helped design the monuments and memorials, who's contributions help visitors understand the feelings and emotions of commemoration.