16 Jul Vicksburg, MS

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in July 2025. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).
Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.

The Viking Daily newsletter showed today's weather forecast as "Mostly Sunny 94° F" and "Sunrise: 6:07 AM | Sunset: 8:11 PM."

Don woke at 6:15 am (MT already up).

At 7:30, we went to the River Café (Deck 5) for breakfast.

The Viking Daily newsletter said we were scheduled to dock in Vicksburg, Mississippi at 8:00 am, but we got there around 7:30.

Vicksburg, Mississippi is a city (pop. 21,573) in western Mississippi, located on a high bluff on the east bank of the Mississippi River across from Louisiana. The first Europeans to settle in the area were French colonists, who built an outpost here in 1719. In 1825, it was incorporated as Vicksburg, named for Methodist missionary Newitt Vick. During the , it was a key Confederate riverport until it was surrendered to in July 1863. That, along with the concurrent Battle of Gettysburg marked a turning point of the war. Vicksburg is known as the site of a key Civil War battle. The is commemorated at the vast , which encompasses the Vicksburg National Cemetery and the restored .
At the midpoint of the Civil War, Vicksburg became vital for both Union and Confederate forces due to its strategic location overlooking the Mississippi halfway between Memphis and New Orleans. said Vicksburg was “the nail-head that holds the South’s two halves together,” while told his cabinet, “Vicksburg is the key! The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket.” After the South lost Memphis and New Orleans to the Union in the spring of 1862, Vicksburg became even more important to the Confederacy. Several Union attempts to capture the city failed, until Gen. Grant led his troops south of Vicksburg and around to the east to approach from the higher plains. This strategy caught the Confederates off guard, and they retreated into the city. Grant slowly surrounded the city and engaged in siege tactics, cutting off all supply lines. By early July, Confederate troops were out of ammunition and surrendered Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. For the rest of the war, the area was under Union military occupation.

Wednesday, July 16, ‎2025, 7:34 AM - Vicksburg: view, from ship, of Mulberry Vicksburg apartment buildings near the dock.

The Mulberry Vicksburg is an amenity-heavy apartment complex housed in the buildings formerly occupied by Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Hotel and Harrah’s Casino on Mulberry Street in Vicksburg.

7:35 AM - Vicksburg: view, from ship, of tops of downtown buildings, to left of Mulberry Vicksburg, at far right (telephoto 93 mm and Cropped).

7:53 AM - Vicksburg: view, from ship, of tops of downtown buildings (left) and Mulberry Vicksburg (right).

7:37 AM - Vicksburg: view, from ship, of part of Mulberry Vicksburg (telephoto 93 mm ).

At 9:00, we went to the Living Room (Deck 1) meeting place for the 9:15 shore excursion "Vicksburg National Military Park."

Vicksburg National Military Park, established in 1899, preserves the site of the Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. The park, flanking the Mississippi River, also commemorates the greater , which led up to the battle. The park includes 1,325 historic monuments and markers, 20 miles of historic trenches and earthworks, a 16-mile tour road, two antebellum homes, 1344 emplaced cannons, the restored gunboat USS Cairo (sunk on December 12, 1862, on the Yazoo River).
The 116.28-acre Vicksburg National Cemetery is within the park. It has 18,244 interments (12,954 unidentified), made in 1866-1874.

As our bus entered the park's tour road, we saw several of the Ohio Memorials. We could see many of them from our seats on the right side of the bus.

The Ohio Memorials are along the tour road near the entrance to the park. 39 memorials and 20 markers denote the positions regiments held and where 11,984 Ohioans served throughout the Siege of Vicksburg.

9:32 AM - Vicksburg National Military Park: view, from bus window, of memorial for Ohio Eighty-Third Infantry Regiment, with greyhound above "Ohio" at the base.

The Ohio Eighty-Third Infantry Regiment of the Union Army was nicknamed “The Greyhound Regiment.” Its official name is near the top of the monument, and a greyhound is depicted above the word “Ohio” on the base.
For a clearer photo of the monument from the National Park Service, see https://www.nps.gov/vick/learn/historyculture/83rd-ohio-infantry.htm .

9:33 AM - Vicksburg National Cemetery: view, from bus window, of memorial for Ohio Fifty-Eighth Infantry Regiment (overexposed).

Vicksburg National Military Park: Ohio Fifty-Eighth Infantry monument (By Dsdugan - Own work, CC0, at https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127013748).

MT 9:30 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Minnesota state memorial, with statue of Peace at base.

Vicksburg National Military Park: statue of Peace at base of Minnesota State Memorial (By Judson McCranie, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83463495).

The Minnesota State Memorial honors troops from Minnesota that participated in the Vicksburg campaign. Dedicated in 1907, it features a 90-ft tall white granite column. At the base of the column is a raised bronze statue of a woman representing the “Statue of Peace.” She is seen holding a sword and a shield from both armies who have placed their weapons in her keeping.

9:38 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: memorial for Iowa Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps, with "Iowa" above columns.

Vicksburg National Military Park: memorial for Iowa Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps, with "Iowa "above columns and "3rd Brig, 1st Div., 5th Corps" below columns (By Gary Todd at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vicksburg_National_Military_Park,_Iowa_Monument,_3rd_Brig.,_1st_Div.,_5th._Corps_(10473590354).

9:38 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: area with trenches and Illinois Memorial on the far horizon.

9:39 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: unidentified memorial with Illinois Memorial on the far horizon.

9:40 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: a row of cannons.

MT 9:34 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: view ahead to Illinois Monument.

9:53 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial.

The Illinois Memorial (also known as the Illinois State Memorial), dedicated in 1906, honors the Union Army soldiers from Illinois who fought in the siege of Vicksburg during the Vicksburg Campaign. In 1904, the government of Illinois had appropriated 20% of its annual budget for the erection of a monument. The memorial’s design was based on that of the Pantheon in Rome. It is the largest memorial on the battlefield. It has 47 steps, one for every day Vicksburg was besieged. Sixty bronze tablets line the interior of the memorial and bear the names of all 36,325 Illinois soldiers who made up approximately 20% of the Union forces who participated in the campaign.

MT 9:53 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial- Don going up steps.

MT 9:50 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - view up into dome with hole in it like Parthenon.

9:55 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - upper wall below dome, with arch at bottom.

9:55 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - part of bronze table including "Army of the Tennessee - Headquarters Gen U.S. Grant."

9:55 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - part of wall above arch, with inscription "Abraham Lincoln" and "Ulysses S. Grant."

MT 9:51 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - floor of interior with "Seal of the State of Illinois."

9:56 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - view, from top of steps across valley with trenches and old park headquarters building at the far right.

9:57 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - marble steps leading up to the façade.

9:57 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - sign outside for "Art That Honors" with text at top left that reads as follows:

"Just how important was Vicksburg to the war, and to those who fought here? Look around and you'll see. Hundreds of markers, plaques, and memorials tell the story of sacrifice and dedication--and celebrate the spirit of reconciliation between former enemies."

The caption of the large photo at left reads as follows:

"The Illinois State Memorial, dedicated in 1906, cost over $190,000--that's more than $4.6 million in today's dollars."

The small photos at the top right for "Messages in Stone and Bronze" has a caption that reads as follows:

"Classic Greek styles inspired many of the [symbols?] you see. The frieze below the eagle on the Illinois Memorial shows Clio, the Muse of History, flanked by [???] who represent the North and the South."

Below the eagle is the caption that reads as follows:

"The Missouri Memorial's central bronze figure, 'Spirit of the Republic' holds an olive branch, an offering of peace."

9:58 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Illinois Memorial - sign outside for "Standing Guard at Jackson Road" with text at top left that reads as follows:

"You are on the historic Jackson Road, a critical link between Jackson and Vicksburg during the Civil War. To guard this key entrance to the city, Confederate forces built a major fort here: the Third Louisiana Redan*. Look to your left at the end of the road--the high ground beyond is the old fort's wall.

"On May 22, 1863, Union troops swarmed down Jackson Road from the east to attack the Third Louisiana Redan. An innocent-looking ridge today, this once-massive structure posed a forbidding obstacle to Federal forces. The assault failed, and Grant's men withdrew to safety behind the ridge below the Shirley House (to your right)."

__________

* A redan (a French word for “protection” or “salient”) is a feature of fortifications. It is a work in a V-shaped salient angle toward an expected attack. It can be made from earthworks or other material.

At the bottom left is a photo for "Sharpshooter vs. Sharpshooter" with text that reads as follows:

"When the siege began, Union troops dug toward the Third Louisiana Redan. As the trench neared the fort, Confederate sharpshooters made life difficult for the

Federal digging crews.

"Lieutenant Henry Foster--known as 'Coonskin' for his racoon-skin cap--built a tower out of railroad ties facing the Third Louisiana Redan to protect his comrades.

"Union sharpshooters concealed ion Coonskin's Tower used a mirror to watch for Confederates taking aim at Federal soldiers below. Without becoming targets themselves, Foster and friends [beat?] their enemies to the [trigger?]."

Vicksburg National Military Park: photo from 1863, of Coonskin's Tower (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CoonskinToweratVicksburg.jpg).

The Vicksburg National Military Park’s Post on Facebook describes this photo as follows:
“Have you ever come up with a unique solution to a problem? That’s what Lieutenant Henry C. Foster of the 23rd Indiana Infantry did here at Vicksburg. This photo was taken shortly after the siege ended and you can clearly see Coonskin’s Tower standing in the middle. Henry Foster was one of the bast sharpshooters in the Army of the Tennessee. In order to fire down on Confederates in the trenches, Foster, and men from the 23rd Indiana, constructed this tower out of railroad ties. Foster used a mirror to locate an enemy soldier and would quickly pop up and fire down on the enemy. It was named Coonskin’s Tower after Foster’s nickname—earned from his trademark racoon-skin hat.”
”Sepia-toned photo of Coonskin’s Tower located along the Old Jackson Road. Coonskin’s Tower is visible in the background while a road is visible running parallel to the tower. A trench line with Gabions and tree trunks with cutouts are visible running perpendicular to the road. Damaged trees line the left side of the photograph and the far-right side in front of the trench works. A Union artillery battery is visible to the right of Coonskin’s Tower.

9:59 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: monument near Illinois Memorial for "Manning F. Force, Col 20th Ohio Infantry, Commanding 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division 17th Corps, June 4 July 4 1863, Given by His Son."

9:59 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: view back to Illinois Memorial.

10:00 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: view from Illinois Memorial to old park headquarters building around the road.

10:12 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: view from bus window of Shirley House with another sign for "Standing Guard at Jackson Road" (with 1863 photo that included Shirley House) at bottom left (Cropped).

Vicksburg National Military Park: 1883 photo showing Shirley House (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ShirleysWhiteHouseVicksburg1863.jpg).

The Shirley House is the only surviving structure in Vicksburg National Military Park that was around during the Civil War. The house was built in the late 1830s and was purchased by Judge James Shirley and his wife Adeline in 1951. When the fighting at Vicksburg began in May 1863, James and part of his family were stranded in Clinton, Mississippi, after the Union had cut rail service to Vicksburg. Adeline and one son were the only ones in the house. On May 18, 1863, the Confederate rear guard fell back into the Vicksburg defenses, and soldiers were ordered to burn all the houses in front of their defensive works so the Union could not use them. The Shirley barns and outbuildings were quickly burned to the ground, but the soldier assigned to destroy the Shirley House was shot dead by Union troops that arrived at the same time, before he could apply the torch.

With the Union Army now positioned all around the house, it took constant fire from Confederate artillery and was heavily damaged. However, it was from this location that the Union soldiers began digging trenches toward the Third Louisiana Redan, which was located a short distance down the Jackson Road.

The house fell into ruin due to neglect and decay in the decades following the Civil War. US government purchased the house in 1900 and restored it to its 1863 appearance.

10:12 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: view from bus window of Shirley House (right), with Illinois Memorial in left background.

10:16 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: Wisconsin State Memorial.

Vicksburg National Military Park: Wisconsin State Memorial, with insert of “Old Abe”) (By Hal Jespersen - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9064237).

The Wisconsin State Memorial (Wisconsin Memorial), erected in 1911, stands 122 ft tall. A bronze statue of “Old Abe” the war eagle, mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry, sits atop the monument. A relief tablet at the base of the column pictures Union and Confederate soldiers with hands clasped in friendship to symbolize the peace that now exists between the states.

10:24 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: view, from bus window, of Ohio Memorial for Seventeenth Infantry Regiment (Cropped).

Vicksburg National Military Park: Ohio Memorial for 70th Infantry Regiment (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/22-26-287-ohio.jpg).

The inscription reads as follows: “Seventieth Infantry, Major William B. Brown, 3d Brig., 1sr Div., 16th Corps.” On June 9, 1863, the regiment was ordered to Vicksburg, where it took part in the Siege of Vicksburg June 14 to July 4. The regiment, commanded by Maj William B. Brown, served as the rear guard of the army, keeping the back door open for the main force fighting its way into the city.

MT 10:20 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: view, from bus window, of Ohio Memorial for 53rd Infantry Regiment.

Vicksburg National Military Park: Ohio Memorial for 53rd Infantry Brigade (known as the Minié Ball Monument due to the shape of the top of its column) (By Dsdugan - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127013488).

The inscription above the “Ohio” on the base reads as follows:
“Fifty Third Infantry, Col. Wells S. Jones, 3d Brig., 1sr Div., 16th Corps.”
The Minié ball () was a revolutionary and deadly type of cylindrical-conical, hollow-based bullet designed by Claude-Etienne Minié in 1849. The development of the Minié bullet was significant because it was the first projectile small enough to be easily loaded into the rifled barrel of a muzzle-loading rifle. Besides enabling rapid reloading, it increased the effective range of rifles and could cause greater damage. Enfield rifled muskets, the most common weapons used during the Civil War, used the Minié ball.

1855 Minié ball design (Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=598859).

Next, the bus stopped at the USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum.

10:48 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo, side view.

One of seven shallow-draft , the USS Cairo was commissioned in January 1862. Named after towns along the upper Mississippi and Ohio rivers (Cairo, Illinois in this instance), the seven formidable gunboats prowled the Mississippi River and connecting shallow waterways, menacing Confederate supply lines and shore batteries. They were known as the “Seven Sisters.”
The Cairo’s career was short, seeing limited action in 1862. On the morning of December 12, 1862, the Cairo’s skipper, Lt. Commander Thomas O. Selfridge led a small flotilla of gunboats into the hazardous confines of the Yazoo River, a tributary that joins the Mississippi around Vicksburg, tasked with destroying Confederate batteries and clearing the river of torpedoes (underwater mines). As the Cairo reached a point seven miles north of Vicksburg, the flotilla came under fire. The aggressive Selfridge ordered his guns to the ready and called for full steam ahead. Seconds later, the Cairo was rocked by two explosions. The first tore a gaping hole into the port (left) bow of the wooden hulled ironclad. The second detonated near the armored belt amidships on the starboard (right) side. The hole in the bow was catastrophic, and the doomed ironclad took on water. Selfridge ordered the Cairo to be beached and the crew to abandon ship. Within 12 minutes, the Cairo slid from the river bank into 36 feet of water with no loss of life. The Cairo, also known as the “Hardluck ironclad,” was the first US ship in history to be sunk by a torpedo/mine.
As the centennial of the Civil War approached, a historian of the Vicksburg National Military Park was able to plot the approximate site of the wreck. By 1956, he was reasonably convinced he had found the Cairo, but three years passed before divers confirmed the find. Local enthusiasm and interest began to grow in 1960 when the pilothouse, a cannon, and several other artifacts were recovered. In 1964, after a failed attempt to lift the ironclad intact, the decision was made to recover the Cairo in three sections. In December 1964, the remains were put on barges and towed to Vicksburg. In 1965, the Cairo was again put on barges and towed to a shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, where parts were cleaned and stored but were exposed to the elements and hurricanes and began to deteriorate. In 1972, the US Congress authorized the National Park Service to reassemble the remnants for display and preservation in Vicksburg National Military Park. After delays halted progress until June 1977, the Cairo was moved to the park and partially reconstructed on a concrete foundation, along with a museum for recovered artifacts. This display is known as the USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum.

10:49 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo, view from bow (looking almost intact); this view shows more of the protective cover over the ship.

MT 10:50 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo, view of port side of bow (mostly destroyed).

10:50 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo, sign for "Seven Ironclads in 100 Days."

Text at top left reads as follows:

"Meet the deadline or pay $200 a day. James Eads had agreed to these terms for the construction of seven new ironclads. To speed construction, a partner shipyard built three of the boats, including the one in front of you. Eads' shipyard built the other four boats. All seven boas were delivered 100 days later."

The caption of the photo at top right reads as follows:

"Ironclads were the backbone of the brown-water navy, a fleet designed to operate in rivers and shallow coastal waters."

The caption of the small photo Eads at bottom left reads as follows:

"James B. Eads, engineer and shipyard owner, was hired to build the ironclads at an average cost of $101,808 each [just over 3 million dollars today]."

The caption of the large photo, at bottom right, reads as follows:

"The ironclads under construction in the Union Marine Works shipyard [leased by Eads] at Carondolet, Missouri." [The Cairo was built by the Mound City Marine Railway and Shipyard, near Cairo in Illinois.]

10:51 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - more of the destroyed port side, from the bow.

10:51 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Torpedoed & Sunk"; text at top reads as follows:

" On December 12, 1862, Cairo was part of a mine-clearing expedition on the Yazoo River. Her commander, hearing small arms fire coming from up ahead, steamed around the rest of the boats and into unexplored waters. Suddenly, explosions tore holes in the boat--including the one you see in front of you. It sank quickly in 36 feet of water. No lives were lost and the crew was recovered by nearby vessels.

"What sank the USS Cairo? Some historians believe Confederates, lying in wait along the riverbank, detonated the mines (called torpedoes in the Civil War) electrically. Other experts think the underwater mines were strung on a line across the channel. When the Cairo hit the line, her forward motion pulled the torpedoes against the side of the boat where they detonated."

The caption at bottom reads as follows: "Cairo was 16 miles up the Yazoo River when she hit Confederate mines."

10:52 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - pilothouse atop the destroyed port side.

10:53 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Pilothouse" with text that reads as follows:

"Look up. That circle of sloping iron plates overhead shielded the Cairo's pilothouse. From this exposed perch atop the upper deck, the pilot steered the gunboat and the officer on duty kept watchful eye on the river. Orders to the engine room to change speed were sent using signal boards or by shouting through a speaking tube."

10:52 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - view through interior of boat toward paddlewheel at rear.

10:53 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - capstan with view of canons in gun ports and sign for "Capstan" at right.

10:53 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Capstan" with text that reads as follows:

"This powerful winch helped he crew haul leavy lines, move guns on the gun deck, and pull in the anchor. Steam from the boilers powered the capstan. In an emergency, this essential tool was turned by hand with wooden spokes inserted into the hub at the top."

10:53 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "A Crew of

immigrants" with text at top left that reads as follows:

"Had you stepped aboard he USS Cairo during the Civil War, the conversation may have surprised you. So many languages! Stroll the decks and you might have heard French, Danish, Russian, German, and accents from Ireland, England, and the Caribbean. Nearly half of the boat's sailors were immigrants.

"This group of men came from many walks of life. They were farmers, teachers and butchers. Most had no sailing experience. They learned their cuties on the job. U.S.-born or not, these Union sailors were fighting or the survival of the country they called home."

The list of "Personal Data" reproduced at the lower left shows where they were "Born," their "Citizen"[ship], "Age," and "Occupation."

The caption at bottom right reads as follows:

"When Cairo went down, her crew of 158 sailors and 17 officers had no time to save their personal possessions. Thousands of items sank with the boat--and were recovered during salvage operations."

10:53 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - guns on side with armor destroyed.

MT 10:54 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - Don with one of the guns on that side.

10:54 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Full Stem Ahead!" with text at top left that reads as follows:
"Steam-driven propulsion systems like the one you see here powered riverboats churning up and down western rivers in the mid-1800s. Cairo's engines and boilers are among the oldest and best surviving examples of this type of machinery."
The drawing at top right has call-outs of "piston" at left end, "oscillating arm" in the center, and "paddlewheel" at right.
The caption for the photo of the "Piston" at bottom left reads as follows: "The steam drove two huge pistons, one on either side of the engine compartment."

The caption for the photo of the "Oscillating Arm"" at bottom right reads as follows: "The pistons pushed oscillating arms that turned the paddle wheel. At full steam, Cairo's engines could move the 888-ton gunboat at about nine miles per hour."

10:54 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - view from pilothouse to paddle wheel.

10:54 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - view of paddle wheel from outside open starboard side.

10:55 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Wheelhouse" with text that reads as follows:

"The wheelhouse enclosed the paddle wheel. Wheelhouses were not armor-plated. They were vulnerable to cannon fire from batteries atop forts and along high riverbanks."

In the drawing, the "Wheelhouse" is shaded light green, and the "Latrine" is blue.

Text to the right of the drawing reads as follows:

"Water ran off the paddle wheel and into the latrine to supply a showerhead and 'flush' the commode."

10:55 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Officers' Quarters" with text that reads as follows:

"Cairo's officers slept separately from the enlisted men. Officers' quarters were on the gun deck on either side of the paddle wheel. Here they escaped the heat from the fireroom and boilers."

The green-shaded drawing for one of the "Officers' Quarters" in connected by lines to positions along the outer walls on either side of the paddle wheel.

The blue-shaded drawing for the "Captain's Quarters" at the far right is connected by a line to the blue area showing its position.

The text below that blue drawing reads as follows: "The captain's quarters wee directly behind the paddle wheel. This part of Cairo was lost during the salvage operation."

10:56 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - view from rear toward the paddle wheel, with now-vacant area of the captain's quarters above the channel though which water from the paddlewheel exited to the rear.

10:56 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Paddle Wheel" with text that reads as follows:

"Cairo's 15-foot-wide paddle wheel is made up of four, 22-foot-diameter 'spiders'--the web-like iron arms and circles that form the spokes of the wheel. The paddles, or 'buckets,' were probably simple wood planks. If damaged, they could be easily replaced by the boat's carpenter."

Text above the drawing reads as follows: "The paddle wheel churned within a well near the back of the boat."

10:56 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Steering an Ironclad" with text that reads as follows:

"Rudders on either side of the paddle wheel steered the gunboat. These sturdy wooden fins were controlled by cables attached to the wheel in the pilothouse. Well-aimed enemy fire could cut the steering cables and disable the gunboat."

The small photo at the far right, captioned "Restored rudder" has a line to its position at the rear of the boat.

10:56 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - view, from the exposed front corner of the port side, toward the paddle wheel.

MT 10:59 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - other side with iron plates and guns.

10:57 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - top part of this sign, for "Plenty of Firepower," has text that reads as follows:
"Ironclads like the USS Cairo came equipped with 13 heavy cannon. It took a crew of six men to position and fire each gun. As Cairo prowled the rivers north of Vicksburg, it could use its cannon to pound Confederate forts, battle enemy gunboats, and sink shipment of supplies headed to Confederate armies."
On the drawing at the right, the color-coded key shows the different types of cannon as green for "32-pounder Navy smoothbore" (green), "42-pounder Army rifle" (red), "8-inch Navy smoothbore" (yellow), and 30-pounder Parrot rifle" (blue). A blue arrow at bottom right indicates "You Are Here."
The bottom part of this sign, for "Armor Plated," has text that reads as follows:
"Interlocking iron plates, like the ones you can see to the left of the cannon, protected the pilothouse and sloping casemates from enemy fire. Behind the 2-1//2 inch thick plates were white oak planks 12 to 25 inches thick. When the iron plates took a hit, their wooden backing kept them from shattering."
In the drawing at the right, green is for "Armor plating," and blue is for "Railroad iron." Text to the right of this drawing for "More Iron Needed" pointing to the blue portion, reads as follows: "Look to your right beyond the walkway. Cairo's crew added these iron railroad rails to protect the boat's exposed forward casemate."

10:57 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign for "Hog Chains" with text that reads as follows:

"Ironclad gunboats had long, flat-bottomed hulls to navigate shallow rivers. Loaded with heavy boilers, engines and guns, the hull tended to droop at the ends from uneven weight. This caused the center of the boat to hump up like a hog's back--called 'hogging.' Hog chains kept the bow and stern from sagging." The larger oval shows detail of how a "hog chain" was attached leading to the bow and stern, and the smaller oval shows the location where they were attached at the top.

10:57 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - gun mounts on bow near port side, with armor removed.

10:58 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - view of gun deck, from inside.

11:06 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - sign outside the gunboat for "The Brown Water Navy" with main text too hard to read; text box at right for "From Timberclads to Ironclads"; the main text at left is hard to read, but parts of it read as follows:

"[???] the United States Navy was faced with the daunting task of taking the Mississippi River from the Confederacy. With few ships capable [of ...ing] the shallow inland waters, necessity gave birth to the Brown Water Navy. This diverse fleet included cottonclads, timberclads, ironclads, and [???] ironclad gunboats (such as the USS Cairo) that prowled the muddy Mississippi and its many tributaries, disrupting Confederate supply lines, [...ing] fortifications, and supporting the Union Army.

"[????] came from varied segments of Northern society and enlisted for different reasons. Most were from the poor working class of Northern cities. [Some] were of foreign birth, fleeing hunger and economic turmoil. Others were the formerly enslaved seeking freedom and a new life. Regardless of backgrounds, brown water sailors served with distinction in often harsh on board conditions, making the Union victory on the Mississippi possible."

Text accompanying photos at far right reads as follows:

"USS Tyler

"Purchased by the War Department in 1861, the civilian steamer A.O. Tyler was fitted with thick oak sides, twelve cannon, and renamed the USS Tyler. It was one of the three timberclads in its first class and saw extensive action throughout the Mississippi River Valley, including the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and the Vicksburg Campaign. The 570 ton Tyler was sold at public auction in 1865."

"USS Signal

"Tinclad gunboats were river steamers protected by a thin one-inch layer of iron. Able to withstand small arms fire, they were no match for large cannons. The 190 ton Signal served throughout the Vicksburg campaign, and was lost in 1864 on the Red River."

"USS Red Rover

"The 650 ton Red Rover started life as a Confederate steamer. After capture by Union forces, it was refitted and became he US Navy's first hospital ship. With nurses, operating rooms, and modern sanitary conditions, it served the entire war on the Mississippi and was sold in 1865."

"USS Choctaw

"Pictured here off Vicksburg in 1863, the 1,020 ton Choctaw was one of the most powerful ironclads operating on the Mississippi. As a testament to its strength, it withstood over 50 strikes form Confederate cannon during the fight at Grand Gulf, Mississippi. The Choctaw was scrapped in 1866."

"USS Essex

"The imposing 640 ton ironclad Essex fought throughout the Vicksburg campaign,. After the fall of the fortress city, it continued to operate on the Mississippi. In 1865 the Essex was sold, Without armor and guns, the Essex returned to its pre-war civilian name, New Era. The New Era was sold for scrap in 1870."

11:06 AM -Vicksburg National Military Park: USS Cairo - set of three signs outside the gunboat; the following cropped versions of this photo concentrate on various parts of the signs.

11:06 AM (Cropped) -Vicksburg National Military Park: sign at left for "Seven Ironclads in 100 Days" has text at top that reads as follows:

"Meet the deadline or pay $200 a day. James Eads had agreed to these terms for the construction of seven new ironclads. To speed production, a partner shipyard built three of the boats, including the Cairo. Eads' shipyard in Saint Louis (pictured here) built the other four. All seven were delivered within 100 days."

The photo of Eads to the right of that text has a caption that reads as follows: "James B. Eads, engineer and ship yard owner, was hired to build the City Class boats at an average cost of $101,808 each."

11:06 AM (Cropped) Vicksburg National Military Park: -The bottom section below of the sign at the left is for "Andrew H. Foote (1806-1863)" with text that reads as follows:

"Foote took command of the Mississippi River flotilla in August 1861. In cooperation with the land forces of Ulysses S. Grant, he led the success[ful] assault on Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River, and was wounded in the leg during the subsequent attack on Fort Donelson while in command of the U.S.S. Saint Louis. For his success, Foote was promoted to rear admiral in July 1862.

"On February 14, 1862, Foote's gunboat flotilla steamed up the Cumberland river to exchange 'iron valentines' with the water batteries near Fort Donelson. Foote maneuvered his gunboats very close, intending to shell the Confederate batteries into submission. The cumbersome vessels, however, moved so slowly that they became easy targets for the Confederate artillerymen and were forced to withdraw.

"From a total of just under 400 rounds fired, Confederate gunners hit the St. Louis, Foote's flagship, 59 times, the Carondolet 54 times, the Louisville 36 times, and the Pittsburg 20 times."

The photo at the bottom has an inserted caption that reads as follows: "Union City Class Ironclads."

11:06 AM (Cropped) Vicksburg National Military Park: -The sign in the center is for "City Class Ironclads" with the subheading "The Seven Sisters" and text that reads as follows:

"From their first action at Forts Henry and Donelson in 1862, to the Red River Expedition of 1864, the formidable City Class gunboats provided valuable assistance to the Union campaign on the Mississippi River. Despite an 880 ton displacement, the boats drafted a mere six feet of water and it was said they 'could navigate in a heavy dew.' The Cairo is the only surviving example of the original seven City Class gunboats."

The sign then shows photos of the other six "sisters" with the following texts:

"U.S.S. Pittsburg

"Launched: October 1861 in St. Louis, Missouri

"Actions: Attack on Fort Donelson, Feb 1862. Siege of Island Number 10, March 1862. Bombardment of Fort Pillow, April 1862. Yazoo and Steele's Bayou expedition, November-December 1862. Ran past batteries at Vicksburg April 1863. Severely damaged at Grand Gulf, April 1863. Red River expedition, Mar-May 1864.

"Fate: Sold November 1865. Abandoned 1870."

"U.S.S. Saint Louis

"Launched: October 1861 in St. Louis, Missouri

"Actions: Hit 59 times and disabled during attack on Fort Donelson, Tenn, Feb 1862. Siege of Island Number 10, March 1862. Bombardment of Fort Pillow, April 1862. Battle of Memphis, June 1862. Renamed Baron de Kalb, Sep 1862. Attack on Fort Hindman, Ark., Jan 1863. Yazoo and Steele's Bayou expeditions, November-December 1862. Attack on Fort Pemberton, March 1863. Capture of Haynes Bluff, Miss., May 1863. Yazoo river expedition, May 1863.

"Fate: Sunk by torpedo in Yazoo River, May 1863.

"U.S.S. Mound City

"Launched: October 1861 in Mound City, Illinois.

"Actions: Siege of Island Number 10, March 1862. Bombardment of Fort Pillow, April 1862. Expedition on White River B[???] hit resulting in death of 103 crewmen, June 1862. Yazoo River expedition, August 1862. Steele's Bayou expedition, March 1863. Ran past Vicksburg batteries, April 1863. Red River expedition, March-May 1864.

"Fate: Sold November 1865. Scrapped 186[5].

"U.S.S. Cincinnati

"Launched: October 1861 in Mound City, Illinois.

"Actions: Attack on Fort Henry, Feb 1862. Siege of Island Number 10, March 1862. Bombardment of Fort Pillow, April 1862. Renamed and sunk during Fort Pillow. Raised and refitted. Attack on Fort Hindman, Jan 1863. Sunk by batteries at Vicksburg, May 1863. Raised and refitted, Aug. 1863. Tombigbee River, Alabama May 1865.

"Fate: Sold 1866. Sank at moorings 1866."

"U.S.S. Carondolet

"Launched: October 1961 in St. Louis, Missouri

"Actions: Attack on Fort Donelson, Tenn Feb 1862. Siege of Island Number 10, March 1862. Engaged batteries at Fort Pillow, April 1862. Battle of Memphis, June 1862. Bombardment of St. Chares, Ark June 1862. Severely damaged in engagement with CSS Arkansas on Yazoo River, July 1862. Yazoo River expedition, Dec. 1862. Ran past Vicksburg batteries, April 1863. Bombardment of Grand Gulf, April 1863. Red River expedition, Mar-May 1864.

"Fate: Sold November 1865. Hull became [Wharfboat?]."

"U.S.S. Louisville

"Launched: October 1861 in St. Louis, Missouri

"Actions: Attack on Fort Donelson, Tenn Feb 1862. Siege of Island Number 10, March 1862. Battle of Memphis, June 1862. Engagement with CSS Arkansas above Vicksburg, July 1862. Drumgould's Bluff, Yazoo River, Dec 1862. Attack on Fort Hindman, Ark Jan 1863. Steele's Bayou expedition, March 1863. Ran past Vicksburg batteries, April 1863. Bombardment of Grand Gulf, April 1863. Bombardment of Vicksburg, May-June 1863. Red River expedition, March-May 1864.

Fate: Sold November 1865."

11:06 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: -Another sign for three ships with photos and text that reads as follows:

"USS Tyler

"The Tyler served in the Western Flotilla for the entire Civil War in the West. Built in 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio, it was active at the Bombardment of Forts Henry and Donelson, Pittsburg Landing (battle of Shiloh), and a hard-fought contest with he CSS Arkansas off Vicksburg, Mississippi in June of 1862. This converted steamer also took part in several expeditions up the mine-laden Yazoo River."

"USS Rattler

"Formerly the wooden river steamer Florence Miller, this vessel was purchased by the US Navy in 1862. She was outfitted with cannon and thin armor similar to the other "tinclads" in her class. In January of 1863, Rattler served as flagship of a flotilla of tinclads and Army transports carrying 6,000 men of General William T. Sherman's Corps during the Yazoo Pass expedition, an abortive attempt to bypass and isolate Vicksburg by means of bayous north of the city. Rattler subsequently took part in the attack on Fort Pemberton, the Red river campaign, and raids up the Black, Tensa, and Ovachita rivers. In September 1863, her commanding officer and sixteen crew were captured while ashore attending church in Rodney, Mississippi. The ill-fated Rattler sank during a storm in December, 1864."

"USS Tuscumbia

"The USS Tuscumbia was built in 1862 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and commissioned at Cairo, Illinois, after in April, 1873, she carried Admiral David D. Porter and Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman on a reconnaissance expedition up the Yazoo River to determine the practicality of landing a force above Vicksburg at Hayne's Bluff. Tuscumbia withdrew under heavy fire from Confederate shore batteries, prompting the decision to sift operations below Vicksburg to Grand Gulf. Tuscumbia participated in the run past the Vicksburg batteries on the night of 16 April and 17 April 1863, towing the damaged transport Forest Queen to safety. On 20 April, Tuscumbia reconnoitered the Mississippi from New Carthage to Grand Gulf and took part in the attack on the Confederate works at Grand Gulf on 29 April. During the attack, Tuscumbia suffered five casualties and was put out of action after taking 81 hits. She was quickly repaired and bombarded Vicksburg batteries on 19 May and 22 May. During the attack on the 22nd, Benton, Mound City, Carondolet, and Tuscumbia silenced three water batteries and destroyed four guns. She was ordered to Memphis in May 1864 and assigned patrol duty between Cairo and the head of the Tennessee River. Tuscumbia survived the war and was sold at auction in November 1865."

11:07 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: - sign, just across the road from USS Cairo, for "Final Resting Place With Dignity" with main text at top left that reads as follows:

"Gaining control of Vicksburg and the Mississippi River cost so many lives--more than 10,000 Union dead. In the aftermath of battle, the dead were often buried hastily in makeshift graves. At hundreds of Civil War battle sites the remains of fallen soldiers lay nearly forgotten, scattered in woods, fields, and roadside ditches.

"National cemeteries were created in 1862 to provide a remedy, proper and honorable burials for the men who died in service. Established in 1866, Vicksburg National Cemetery holds the remains of 17,000 Union servicemen--more than any other national cemetery--and about 1,000 veterans of other U.S. conflicts."

Caption in bottom right corner of photo at left reads as follows: " Officer's Circle, 1940 Postcard."

Text over photo at top right reads as follows:

"To Honor and Remember

"At the close of he Civil War, the federal government conducted a massive search for the temporary graves of Union soldiers and sailors. The remains of nearly 300,000 men were eventually reburied in national cemeteries. Many have never been identified--their graves marked by simple square blocks."

The caption below the photo reads as follows: "Soldiers prepare bodies for burial."

Text beside the photo at bottom right reads as follows:

"National cemeteries were initially for Union burials only. The remains of about 5,000 Confederate veterans who died at Vicksburg lie in Cedar Hill Cemetery, in an area called 'Soldiers Rest.' "

The inscription on base of the statue at bottom right reads, in part: "Confederate ...."

Recognizing the need to address the proper burial of Civil War dead, Congress passed legislation to establish Vicksburg National Cemetery in 1866, The following year internments began at the cemetery. More than 17,000 troops are buried there, the largest Union cemetery in the nation. Of these burials, the identity of almost 13,000 soldiers and sailors are unknown. The cemetery also protects the final resting place of a significant number of United States Colored Troops that served with distinction in the Civil War. The time period for Civil War internments was 1866 to 1874. This national cemetery also contains the remains of veterans of the Mexican-American War, Spanish-American War, the First and Second World Wars, and the Korean War. It was closed to burials in 1961.
Many Confederates who died in the Siege of Vicksburg are buried in a section of the nearby Cedar Hill Cemetery known as “Soldiers’ Rest.” This burial site contains the graves of some 5,000 Confederate soldiers, with 1,600 identified.

11:07 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: - part of Vicksburg National Cemetery, with graves of unidentified soldiers marked by simple square blocks.

11:08 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: - view back to USS Cairo, under the canopy that protects it from the elements (and made it hard to take photos in the shade). The (dark) sign in the foreground is for "U.S.S. Cairo Museum."

11:12 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: entrance to National Cemetery.

11:13 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: Vicksburg National Cemetery - sign for "An Act to Establish and to Protect National Cemeteries, Approved February 22, 1867" with text of "Section 3" which lists the penalties for "any person who shall willfully destroy, cut, break, injure, or remove any tree, shrub, or plant within the limits of any of said National Cemeteries."

11:13 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: Vicksburg National Cemetery - grave markers with names and a few simple stone blocks for unidentified soldiers.

11:33 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: Vicksburg National Cemetery - cannon and sign (red for Confederate) for "C.S. - Forney's-Bowen's Div., Army of Vicksburg, Lowe's (Missouri) Battery; Captain Schuyler Lowe; Lieut. Thomas B. Catron." with text that reads as follows:
"One section under Sergt. William A. Fisher, served one six pounder gun in this lunette from about May 23, to the end of the defense, July 4, 1863. Casualties in battery during the campaign and defense, killed 4, wounded 5, captured 5, total 14; Lt. John McCarty killed June 2, but the casualty not reported. Capt. Schuyler Lowe severely wounded June 2."

11:13 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: Vicksburg National Cemetery - Missouri monument near Lowe's Battery.

Missouri’s monument dedicated to both Union and Confederate armies (By Dsdugan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127039563).

This monument with “Missouri” at the top is located in the National Cemetery near Lowe’s Battery. It features a bronze figure that represents “The Spirit of the Republic,” as well as bronze reliefs depicting both Union and Confederate soldiers. The monument was dedicated in 1917, during the National Peace Jubilee.

11:37 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: Vicksburg National Cemetery -- our guide said this was the oak tree where peace was signed.

The famous oak tree, located midway between the Union and Confederate lines, was the site of the July 3, 1863, meeting between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and to discuss terms for the surrender of Vicksburg. The tree became a historic artifact, with many souvenirs made from it. Due to its popularity with relic hunters, the original tree was destroyed by relic hunters seeking souvenirs shortly after the event. In 1864, it was replaced by the Surrender Monument marking the spot. Because that monument also fell prey to souvenir hunters, it was replaced in 1867 by a marble obelisk in the form of an upturned cannon.

11:50 AM Vicksburg National Military Park: trenches.

Around noon, we left the National Military Park and drove trough the historic district of Vicksburg.

12:02 PM Vicksburg: Old Courthouse.

Old Courthouse of Warren County in Court Square, Vicksburg (By David.rorick - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35782456.)

The Old Courthouse of Warren County, occupying the entire Courthouse Square on one of the highest bluffs in Vicksburg, was a symbol of Confederate resistance during the Siege of Vicksburg. Its construction began in 1858 and was completed in 1860. During the Civil War, the building was one of the main targets in Vicksburg. As hard as the Union tried, the building suffered only one major hit. Following the construction of the new Warren County Courthouse in 1939, the building was neglected. Throughout the 1940s, there were public efforts to preserve the old courthouse led by Eva Whitaker Davis, founder of the Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society. Prison inmates helped Davis clean and repair the building for use as a museum. In 1948. It was reopened as The Old Courthouse Museum.

12:03 PM Vicksburg: sign for "Old Court House Museum."

12:04 PM Vicksburg: Bethel A.M.E. Church.

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Vicksburg Bethel A.M.E. Church from northwest (By Ammodramus - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64532401.)

The Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church is a historic AME church in Vicksburg. The congregation was established in 1864, the first AME church in Mississippi. Its first church was a preexisting church building built in 1828, which was demolished to make way for the present building, which was completed in 1912. The church has a Romanesque Revival design, a common style for church buildings built in Mississippi at the time. It features a four-story tower on the north side topped by a crenellated pyramid roof, stained glass rose windows on three sides, and a cross gabled roof with a corbelled parapet. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 and listed as a Mississippi Landmark the same year.

12:04 PM Vicksburg: Bethel A.M.E. Church (photo identified by the rose window, in an attempt to get the histori.al marker, unfortunately not legible).

12:09 PM Vicksburg: our guide Mary and bus driver near mural on the flood wall by where our ship was docked.

The Vicksburg Riverfront Murals is a series of murals painted between 2002 and 2012 on the Mississippi River flood walls facing Levee Street. The murals were intended to depict the city’s historical significance, as well as its envisioned future role in the region’s commerce and culture.

12:09 PM Vicksburg: mural depicting jazz musicians on left end of Vicksburg Riverfront Murals near to "Entrance" between sections of the wall.

12:09 PM Vicksburg: MT taking photo of section of Vicksburg Riverfront Murals just to the right of that one, extending to the right to the next break in the wall.

MT 12:05 PM Vicksburg: section of Vicksburg Riverfront Murals just to the right of that one, extending to the right to the next break in the wall.

MT 12:06 PM Vicksburg: high water marks on flood wall.

12:10 PM Vicksburg: mural for "Vicksburg, Mississippi" on flood wall.

12:13 PM Vicksburg: levee where we had to walk down steps from flood wall to board the Viking Mississippi ship, with a red tent at end of gangway.

After lunch back onboard the Viking Mississippi, we went at 2:45 to the meeting place in the Explorers' Lounge (Deck 2) where we went up stairs to the Bridge on Deck 4 for the Bridge Tour. (This was not shown in the Viking Daily newsletter, but we knew about it from previous cruises and asked at Guest Services to make a reservation.)

2:53 PM Viking Mississippi: Bridge.

2:53 PM Viking Mississippi: Bridge - part of our small group with member of bridge crew who led the tour.

MT 3:16 PM Viking Mississippi: Bridge - MT at the controls.