One of the significant battles of the Civil War is the Siege of Vicksburg. It is here that Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant defeated Confederate Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton. Vicksburg National Military Park is located about 3 hours north of New Orleans. You may visit it separately or as part of your tour of the Natchez Trace Parkway (see link).
Our journey began by first watching Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary. We wanted to be familiar with all aspects of the Civil War before visiting. We had read to allow at least 3 hours for a visit. I have decided that this can definitely be an all day trip or even a two day trip, depending upon how much of a history buff you are.
I believe this is the most well preserved battlefield in the United States. There is a 16 mile driving tour, that preserves two-thirds of the entire original battlefield, including Confederate and Union lines which is unlike anything I have ever seen. There are also two museums, one at the Visitor Center and one at the USS Cairo. The USS Cairo is an “ironclad”, the first major United States Navy warships, entirely surrounded by cannons. It was recovered from the Yazoo River and historically rebuilt. There are 1,325 historic monuments and markers and 18,244 individuals are buried here.
This was a side trip for us while on the Natchez Trace Parkway. We traveled with our dog and thus did not get to go inside the museums. We skipped the Visitor Center and went straight to the 16 mile driving tour. One of the most beautiful monuments is from the state of Illinois, dedicated in 1906, it is an entire memorial made of beautiful white marble and modeled after the Roman Pantheon. You may park along the road in multiple places to visit both Confederate and Union viewpoints of the siege. When you arrive at the USS Cairo section of the tour, there are picnic tables by the museum and ship. We had lunch here and then entered the cemetery to pay respects to the thousands that died here. At this point, there is a side exit, at milepost 8 to leave the park. Due to time constrains and in order to get back to the Natchez Trace Parkway, we had to end our journey here. Note that this is halfway through the tour and we were there about 5 hours and did not get to see the museums. It is an incredibly moving and historic site that definitely needs a full day, if not two to see and experience completely. We plan to return.
Fees
Per Vehicle – $8.00 (valid 7 days)
Per Individual – $4.00 (Pedestrian, biker, motorcycle, jogger, etc.)
Bus Passenger/Church Van – $4.00 per person
Tips
Dog Friendly. The park allows leashed dogs. There is not a section where your dog may be off leash due to all of the visitors. Dogs are not allowed in the museums. At the USS Cairo, you may walk with your dog near the ship, but if you would like to go inside, you must not have your dog. We took turns watching the dog so that each of us would walk through this preserved masterpiece.
Picnic. There are designated picnic areas at the Visitor Center and at the USS Cairo. They have picnic tables and some areas have shade. We had our cooler and had lunch at the USS Cairo area. These are the only areas you are allowed to have a picnic at.
Pictures. View the Vicksburg National Military Park Gallery here.
