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Terry Winschel: Below you is the muddy water of the Mississippi
river, the objective of this campaign. The Mississippi was referred to in 19th century
America, as the spinal column of America, the “trunk” of the American tree if you
will, with limbs and branches stretching from the Alleghany’s , the Canadian border, and
the rocky Mountains. Control of this waterway was essential to both the administrations
if Washington and Richmond. With victory here in Vicksburg in July 1863, the North would
gain a major objective of its overall grand strategy often referred to as the Anaconda
Plan. By gaining control of the Mississippi river they divided the Confederacy in tow
along the line of the Mississippi river severing Confederate communication lines that ran east-west
through the city of Vicksburg, achieved a major objective of the Anaconda Plan and effectively
sealed the doom of Richmond.
We are standing at Navy Circle, one of several detached units of Vicksburg National Military
Park. From this location to access the main entrance to the park, simply take interstate
20 east to exit number 4B which is known as Clay street.