| At the time of the Civil War, the Mississippi River was the single most
important economic feature of the continent; the very lifeblood of America. Upon the
secession of the southern states, Confederate forces closed the river to navigation, which
threatened to strangle northern commercial interests. President Abraham Lincoln told his
civil and military leaders, "See what a lot of land these fellows hold, of which
Vicksburg is the key! The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our
pocket.... We can take all the northern ports of the Confederacy, and they can defy us
from Vicksburg." Lincoln assured his listeners that "I am acquainted with
that region and know what I am talking about, and as valuable as New Orleans will be to
us, Vicksburg will be more so."
It was imperative for the administration in Washington to regain control of the lower
Mississippi River, thereby opening that important avenue of commerce enabling the rich
agricultural produce of the Northwest to reach world markets. |
Photo courtesy of National Archives
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