Vicksburg National Military Park | FORT HILL

Confederate artillery at Fort Hill, Vicksburg National Military Park

Confederate artillery at Fort Hill, Vicksburg National Military Park

VICKSBURG BATTLEFIELD TOUR STOP 9: FORT HILL

Fort Hill marks the northern flank of the Confederate defenses, and it is the first stop on the Vicksburg National Military Park Battlefield Tour’s northern loop that deals with the Confederates at Vicksburg. The view high on the bluff above what used to be the Mississippi River gives you a good idea as to why Vicksburg was a strategically important city. From up here, Confederate guns could fire upon any Union ships that tried to pass. Ships were not very fast in the 1800s and made easy targets for artillery. Only the iron platting on the new ironclads gave running the gauntlet of Confederate guns much of a chance, and even then it was risky.

No land attack was ever mounted against Fort Hill, though Union gunboats often traded shots from the river with the Confederate gunners at the fort. On May 27, 1863, the ironclad USS Cincinnati (sister ship of the Cairo) was sunk by a barrage of fire from Fort Hill and a water battery located where the National Cemetery is today. This was the second time the Cincinnati had been sunk. After the siege, the ship raised and put back into service and was able to finish out the war.

The water you see today is a Yazoo River diversion canal, not the Mississippi River. The Mississippi changed course after a flood in 1876. The river was the original border between Mississippi and Louisiana, but if you look at a map today you will find that the border no longer matches up with the river in a number of places. This is all due to the river naturally changing its course over the years.

View of the Yazoo River from Fort Hill, Vicksburg National Military Park

View of the Yazoo River from Fort Hill, Vicksburg National Military Park

Graphic depicts the course of the Mississippi River during the Civil War

Graphic depicts the course of the Mississippi River during the Civil War

Part of Grant’s plan to take Vicksburg required that a fleet of navy ships pass by the city. He had taken his army by land south of Vicksburg and west of the Mississippi River and needed ships to carry the men back across the river. In the early morning darkness of April 16, 1863, Admiral David Dixon Porter attempted to sail past the guns at Vicksburg with a fleet of seven ironclads, three transports, and a ram boat. Hugging the far western shore, the boats floated down single file in hopes of not being detected. However, they were spotted and Confederate guns opened fire. Amazingly, only one transport was sunk.

Once done at Fort Hill, you will pass two sites worth stopping at on your way to Tour Stop 10 (Stockade Redan). The first is the Tennessee State Memorial.

Tennessee Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park was dedicated in 1996

Tennessee Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park was dedicated in 1996

Another stop you may want to make is at the hill opposite Tour Stop 6, Thayer’s Approach. There is a pullout parking area located here. If you recall the Thayer’s Approach stop, Union troops initially attempted to storm up the hill during an all-out attack on May 22nd, which, to no surprise, was unsuccessful. During the siege they attempted to dig a trench up the hill to just underneath the Confederate position. The plan was to then dig a tunnel under the position, pack it with gunpowder, and blow the whole place up. However, the Confederates surrendered before this was done. From this hill you can see the lay of the land from the Confederate’s point of view. There is also an information panel and a memorial to Major William Martin, who was killed near this spot. He was part of the 26th Louisiana Infantry that manned the hill.

View towards Union General John Thayer's position at Vicksburg Battlefield Tour Stop 6

View towards Union General John Thayer’s position at Vicksburg Battlefield Tour Stop 6

Memorial to Major William Martin at Vicksburg National Military Park

Memorial to Major William Martin at Vicksburg National Military Park


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Last updated on January 19, 2022
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