Monument to Thomas Selfridge at Vicksburg National Military Park
VICKSBURG BATTLEFIELD TOUR STOP 7: BATTERY SELFRIDGE
Battery Selfridge is unique in that it was manned entirely by navy personnel. It is named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Thomas Selfridge, one of the naval officers in charge of the battery. He was also the commander of the USS Cairo, a Union ironclad ship, when it sunk in the Yazoo River in December 1862. A monument to Selfridge and the Navy Memorial located at this stop on the Vicksburg Battlefield tour. The Navy Memorial is the tallest monument in the park at 202 feet tall. At the base are sculptures of four naval officers: David Farragut, Andrew Foote, Charles Davis, and David Porter.
Navy Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park
Notice that the cannons on display are facing into the woods. This is an example of how the terrain has changed since 1863. None of these trees would have been here during the Civil War. The battery would have had a clear view of Confederate forts and other earthworks.
Parrott gun at Battery Selfridge aims towards what is now forest
On the way to the next tour stop, the Vicksburg National Cemetery, you will come to the USS Cairo Exhibit and Museum. While this is not an official stop on the tour—it doesn’t even have anything to do with the siege of Vicksburg—it is hands down the coolest exhibit in the park. Be sure to check it out. It’s also the best place to park to see the National Cemetery.
The Battery Selfridge tour stop is the last Union position on the northern loop of the Vicksburg National Military Park Battlefield Tour.
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Last updated on January 18, 2022
