Earthen walls of Fort Garrott, Vicksburg National Military Park

VICKSBURG BATTLEFIELD TOUR STOP 14: FORT GARROTT

Fort Garrott is the best preserved earthen fort within Vicksburg National Military Park. Here is a stop where you can really get an idea of what one of these forts looked like, minus the wooden structures that would have been present during the war. It is also another excellent stop for you to get a good view of the battlefield. Once inside the fort, look across the field to where Union troops under General Hovey were massed. At Tour Stop 15, Hovey’s Approach, you will have the opportunity to get a view from the Union side.

Confederate cannon at Fort Garrott aims towards Union positions, Vicksburg National Military Park

Fort Garrott was never attacked during the initial two Union assaults on the Vicksburg forts (May 19 and 22, 1863) because the Union troops did not arrive at this position until afterwards. However, during the siege the soldiers at Fort Garrott suffered a number of casualties as a result of Union sharp shooters. The commander of the fort, Colonel Isham Garrott, was one of them. He had just been promoted to Brigadier General, but he died before ever receiving the message. A memorial to Garrott is located on the other side of the road next to the fort.

Garrott Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park

You can walk into the fort, and when you do there are two things you may notice. One, the fort is not that big, as far as holding men is concerned. In fact, none of the forts at Vicksburg are big. So why not just go around them? The forts were all situated along entrances into Vicksburg—roads and railroads. Sure, one guy could probably sneak his way into Vicksburg, but to transport an entire army along with wagons and horses you need a road. Thus, the Union army had to take control of the forts before being able to move into the city.

Entrance to Fort Garrott at Vicksburg National Military Park

Today’s terrain between the Confederate and Union lines is very similar to the way it was during the war

The second thing you may notice is that the interior of Fort Garrott is not all that deep. It appears that soldiers were pretty much even with the top of the fort wall, which would offer no protection from bullets. Two factors are at play here. First off, erosion has most likely lowered the walls somewhat and the dirt may have filled in the interior. Second, there would have been wooden structures around the fort that gave protection to the soldiers inside. Remember, the soldiers had to see over the walls in order to shoot, so it’s not like the interior was a deep pit.

Exhibit near the Visitor Centers shows how the earthen forts were constructed

Also located at Fort Garrott is the Georgia State Memorial. The granite monument was dedicated in 1962.

Georgia Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park

On the way to Tour Stop 15, Hovey’s Approach, you will pass the Indiana Memorial.

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