Vicksburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Welcome to the Vicksburg Battlefield! To President Abraham Lincoln, this site was the key to winning the entire Civil War. Confederate President Jefferson Davis felt the same! So let’s find out why it was so important, what happened here, and what it all meant. Note: The tour is over 15 miles long, with more than 44 audio stories, and takes about 1–2 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

Former soldiers from both sides of the war sat side by side at this historic 4-day event. This time they sat in peace. It was certainly a bittersweet moment and one the veterans wanted to commemorate. So they built this arch!

That’s the Minnesota Memorial. The statue at the base of the pillar is a statue of peace. She holds a sword and shield that have since been laid down by both armies. They’re in her hands for safe keeping, preventing any future battles on this soil.

The statue at its base is “The Spirit of Michigan.” This memorial honors the Michigan men who fought here, but its location is of particular importance. One of their leaders, Captain Samuel DeGolyer, was mortally wounded near here during the fighting on the 28th of May. I’ll talk in more detail about that soon.

L. B. Jenney, a veteran who actually fought in the battle here! Inside, we’ll find the names of every Illinois soldier who fought here. Jenney intended to create not just a memorial, but a temple to those brave souls, many of whom gave their lives for their country on this battlefield.

Here, Union engineers tried an unusual tactic to advance on a Confederate position during the fighting. Under General Grant’s orders, they dig a trench to the Confederate fort. Then they place a mine laden with 2,200 pounds of gunpowder in the trench and light the fuse!

That’s the Wisconsin Memorial. Direct your eyes at the top of this monument, and there’s ‘Old Abe,’ war eagle and official mascot for the 8th Wisconsin Infantry. Believe it or not, Old Abe was a real bird! The 8th WIsconsin would carry him proudly onto the battlefield, tethered to a five-foot poll painted red, white and blue. He was a good old bird, granted honorable discharge in 1864. A true war veteran who witnessed 42 battles!

Goodspeed was born in Ohio, but served and was killed fighting for West Virginia. Quite a few men from Ohio and Pennsylvania actually fought under the West Virginia flag. That’s because when recruitment numbers were filled, new recruits looked for other states with open positions.

Pull over and park when you see it. This memorial honors the thousands of African-American soldiers who fought for the Union and for their freedom. And yet, all was not equal, even in the Union army. Units were segregated and Black soldiers were paid less and given worse equipment. But still they fought shoulder to shoulder with their white comrades in the heat of battle.

Park in the lot when you see it. It’s impossible to miss! That statue depicts none other than the man himself, Major General Ulysses S. Grant.

It’s the small granite obelisk coming up on our right. These men trained in Lincoln, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln once worked as a lawyer!

It’s the US Navy Monument, honoring the officers and sailors who fought in Vicksburg. Grant’s army gets most of the credit for the siege of Vicksburg, but he couldn’t have done it without help from the Navy. The gunboats brought Grant’s men down the Mississippi. They sneaked past rebel defense lines in the dead of night. They carried Grant’s army across the Mississippi at Bruinsburg.

This is the Vicksburg National Cemetery, the final resting place for 17,000 Union soldiers. For many, it’s their second burial ground. How come? During the war when a soldier was killed, their comrades dug a grave close to the action. There wasn’t time to do anything else! A simple wooden cross with their name carved on it sufficed as a grave marker. Hundreds of markers like that dotted the landscape. When the war ended, the US government tried their best to locate all these markers and made every effort to give these men a proper burial.

It's not hard to imagine why Confederates were stationed here. Open landscape, clear views of the river, and a bend that caused warships to slow down. A perfect lookout point. In fact, Fort Hill was so well fortified that no land battle ever took place here. It was that secure.

Missouri was a state divided. Both the Union and the Confederacy recognized it as their own. 109,000 men joined the Union, 30,000 joined the Confederacy. Neighbors turned against one another.

Like a few other memorials on this battlefield, the base of this one is adorned with the figure of a woman. But who is she, and why is she here? The women on these monuments serve as protectors to the warriors. They’re modeled after Greek or Roman goddesses representing peace and reconciliation.

The men depicted here are being led forward by a woman who represents the state of Alabama itself.

Who’s the fort named after? Colonel Isham W. Garrott that’s who! He was the commander of a volunteer regiment from Alabama. Fort Garrott is never blasted like other forts. But Union snipers hide behind trees, waiting to shoot any sign of movement. One day, Garrott himself moves. A bullet kills him instantly. He never knew he’d just been promoted to Brigadier General.

From here we can see the Kentucky Monument. This iconic memorial depicts two essential figures: Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Both men were born in Kentucky, so the bluegrass state honors them both. Feel free to walk up the path to get a closer look at the monument, and click Learn More to hear more about it.