We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Vicksburg which was very comfortable and the interior was lovely. We enjoyed our breakfast before heading back over to the Vicksburg National Military Park.
The Vicksburg National Military Park has a very small visitor center. It was small, but a great way to start off our visit. The kids picked up their Junior Ranger books and then we learned all about the Siege of Vicksburg.
There were five informational displays.
During the Siege of Vicksburg, Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton led the Confederate Army and Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant led the Union Army.
Outside the visitor center is a wonderful cannon display. The kids really enjoyed checking them. While we were all looking at the cannons Delaney figured that her head could fit inside the cannon. Then of course Braxton had to see if his head fit inside too. Alyssa appeased me by checking out if her head fit inside the cannon too. There were two retired couples checking out the cannons too and they got the biggest kick out of our kids antics.
Look at all of these cannons. It is amazing that there was this much firepower during the Civil War. Think of the damage these could do!
The busts below were all lined up in a row and they reminded me of the singing busts in the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland.
Rhode Island State Memorial by Francis Edwin Elwell - Infantryman picks up the fallen flag.
In the grass around the Pennsylvania State Memorial were these delicate purple sego lilies. The sego lily is the Utah state flower. Even though we lived in Utah for five years, but we actually never saw a real sego lily. It was so cool spotting these delicate flowers!
These two were so excited when they found dandelions. Of course they had to make a wish before they blew the seeds away.
Massachusetts State Memorial by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson - The bronze infantryman is standing on a 15 ton boulder brought from Massachusetts to Mississippi. It was the first state memorial placed in the Vicksburg National Military Park.
Here is Thayer's Approach. Under Gen. John Thayer's order his Union brigade dug a trench up this 200-ft. high ridge. Can you image the danger these men faced as the Confederate redoubt stared down at them. The Union soldiers took shelter from enemy fire in the tunnel pictured below.
Love how beautiful this plague is!
Gustavus Lightfoot
We pulled over next to Thayer's Approach and got out to investigate the tunnel next to it. The kids were so excited to go exploring. It really was a neat part of the Vicksburg National Military Park!
Looks like that tunnel might actually be a little spooky. (Never told the kids men might have died inside there after getting wounded along the trench in Thayer's Approach.) This photo cracks me up! My kids are the coolest!
The view from this bluff was absolutely stunning!
At this point we rounded the bend of the bluff and were in Confederate Army part of the road tour. There weren't as many monuments and markers on the Confederate side so I don't have as many pictures as the Union side.
Missouri State Memorial by Victor S. Holm - Since Missouri was a border state it had men enlist in both the Union and Confederate armies. This is the only state memorial dedicated to both armies in the Vicksburg National Military Park. It has been erected on the site of where two opposing Missouri regiments fought each other. The bronze plague on the left depicts the Missouri Federals attacking this spot and the bronze plaque on the right portrays the Missouri Confederates defending it. The "Spirit of the Republic" angel rises above the war and stands above a Roman galley which symbolizes the ship of state.
This memorial was created in Rome, Italy.
We were unable to travel the last loop of the road tour which is located across Clay Street from the main part of the Vicksburg National Military Park. Next visit we will be sure to see too.
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