1. “Vicksburg is the key!” –President Abraham Lincoln

2.  The war in the West was fought at the same time at the war in the East  East = Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania West = Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and Texas  The Union plan was to take control of the Mississippi River…

3. WHY WOULD THE UNION WANT CONTROL OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER?

4.  April of 1862, 700 men and 18 ships set out to take New Orleans for the Union  Led by David Farragut, these men battled their way past Fort Jackson and Fort St. Phillip  By April 29 th Farragut had subdued New Orleans, but most of the Confederate military and supplies had been sent to Vicksburg already

8.  In early May of 1862, Farragut approached the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi.  By the middle of May Grant’s troops had laid siege to the city.  Life in the city soon became difficult. Food and medicine began to run out.

13.  Hunger and disease were rampant; horses, dogs and rats became food  The Confederate soldiers threatened to mutiny  Vicksburg surrendered on July 4 th, 1863 (10 months after Antietam)

14.  “When we moved to the caves, I brought…”  “Today I saw some soldiers who were…”  “Tonight for dinner I had…”