Flyer allowed me to learn even more about the CW. What a great coin and history. I learned:
The background: Before the American Civil War the Mississippi river was the most important commercial artery in the US. The civil war blocked the Mississippi to northern trade. Restoring that trade became one of the main Union objectives. In 1862 the only stretch of the river blocked to North ships ran between Vicksburg and Port Hudson. By the end of April, 40,000 Union soldiers were on dry land to the south of Vicksburg.
The Siege: On May 19th Grant started to assault on the city which was defended by Pemberton. Grant was not content to wait for hunger to force the surrender of Vicksburg. His men constructed a series of trenches and tunnels under the Confederate lines, and mines exploded.
The Surrender: In the end, a major attack was never needed. Inside Vicksburg food was running desperately low. On June 28th Pemberton men were not physically capable of fighting and, on July 3rd, he flew the white flag. Grant decided that the Confederate soldiers would be allowed to leave Vicksburg having given their promise not to fight again. This allowed reduction of stress on Grant’s supply lines (30,000 men would have been very difficult to transport north) and Grant hoped that 30,000 defeated men wandering around the Confederacy would damage morale.
The following day was Independence Day. 2,166 officers and 27,230 men surrendered at Vicksburg. One week later the first ship reached New Orleans from the north.
Thanks again Flyer for the icon and the history lesson!