Preservation Gains at Vicksburg

Sometimes the improvements in battlefield preservation are small changes to the way the preserved space is taken care of such that we can much better understand what happened there.  Our imaginations don't have to work so hard when the ground is closer to what it was at the time, we appreciate much better what the participants had to overcome, and we are humbled.

Such has been the change at Vicksburg with some very modest removal of trees.  Approximately 90 acres in three key military engagements sites were restored to their battlefield appearance through the funding of the Freinds of the Vicksburg National Military Park.  While there is no desire to take the battlefield back to the blasted and barren landscape at the time of the battle, it makes sense to help visitors come away with an accurate picture of the historical event.

Here is an aerial photo of the impact on one of the key action areas at Vicksburg.  You can see the modest amount of trees removed and the deep gullies that separate the two forces lines.  This is right in front of the Illinois monument along the Old Jackson Road.

Here is the impact - an impossible view before the tree removal.  The Civil War Trust troops move from the Union line on the right and begin the challenging walk to  the top of the Confederate works.  All the markers showing the furthest progress of the Union attackers makes more sense when you can come up to them from the direction of the attack.

Here are views of the Union artillery positions and the change.

Here is the view looking back from the formerly forested area back towards Battery DeGolyer.

Star of the West

I did not expect to run into naval history in the middle of Mississippi on a visit to Fort Pemberton during a recent trip to Vicksburg.  I had to take a picture of the flag of the Star of the West.  I was told that the actual flag is much larger, but was reduced (folded?) for the display.

Yes, the same ship that was turned back at Fort Sumter and captured by Van Dorn in Texas ended up being sunk in the river in front of Fort Pemberton to stop the Union Navy from proceeding to the Yazoo.

I also found some excellent pictures of Fort Pemberton. (There are also many good links on this page.)

http://www.civilwaralbum.com/vicksburg/fort_pemberton.htm

The flag is on display in a cool local museum - The Museum of the Mississippi Delta.

https://museumofthemississippidelta.com/

They have a nice model of the Fort Pemberton in the museum too.  You can see the Star of the West before it is sunk to block the river at the top portion of the photo on the river.

Of course, the whole reason for the need for this defensive activity was the Brown Water Navy and the decisive Eads ironclads.   What a joy to be able to see the Cairo again and get this photo with the man who found and raised it - Ed Bearss.

This is all inspiration for some naval gaming and just in time for 2 new ACW naval games from GMT.

Brandy Station - June 9, 1863 - 150th Anniversary

I thought it would make sense to start a Civil War blog.  If nothing else I can pull things together from the web in one place.  I couldn't think of a better date than following the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Brandy Station.

My ancestor, George C. Hupp was wounded at Brandy Station (also known as Beverly Ford.)   He was a Sergeant in K Company 8th Illinois Cavalry.  The medical records show that he was hit by shell fragments that broke his lower right back and killed his horse.  Since he didn't get married until after the war, we Hupps are fortunate that he survived the wound and the war.

Since Brandy Station was the first battle of the Gettysburg campaign, George missed being with the 8th when Marcellus Jones of the 8th Illinois fired the first shot at Gettysburg on July 1.  George was in a hospital in Baltimore recovering at the time.

Below is a photo of George Hupp.  You can make out the sergeant stripes and coat piping as the dark lines in the black and white of the photo.