- Source: Mississippi River in the American Civil War
The Mississippi River was an important military highway that bordered ten states, roughly equally divided between Union and Confederate loyalties.
Both sides soon realised that control of the river was a crucial strategic priority. Confederate general Braxton Bragg said "The river is of more importance to us than all the country together." In April 1862, the Union secured two key points, New Orleans at the mouth of the river and a double-bend on the Kentucky-Tennessee line, leaving only the middle section in Confederate hands. When the major river-ports of Memphis and Vicksburg fell (followed automatically by Port Hudson), the liberation of the Mississippi was complete, and Abraham Lincoln declared "The Father of Waters again goes unvexed to the sea."
This split the Confederacy in two, with the western half forced to operate as a separate department, the Trans-Mississippi Theater, greatly inhibiting supplies and communications, and tilting the odds decisively in favor of the Union.
State loyalties
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois were solidly pro-Union, despite some "Copperhead" (Peace Democrat) sentiment in the last-named. Missouri was a slave-state, beset with guerrilla fighting throughout the war, with a Confederate government-in-exile. Kentucky, also a slave-state (and Lincoln's birthplace), was briefly claimed by the Confederacy during a short-lived dual government, but never left the Union. Slave-holding Tennessee was Confederate, though the eastern counties harboured much pro-Union sentiment. Arkansas had initially stayed in the Union, but resented Lincoln's demand for troops, and seceded. Mississippi was deeply Confederate, as was Louisiana, though in the latter case, New Orleans came under a Union government within a Confederate state, following the fall of the city in April 1862.
Plans for control of the river
At the outbreak of war, the Union General-in-Chief, Winfield Scott, proposed an advance down the Mississippi that would cut the Confederacy in two, though the necessary rivercraft had yet to be built. Along with the policy of blockading the entire Southern coastline, the plan was derided as the ‘Anaconda’, slowly constricting the life out of the Confederacy. Most Union generals believed that the war could be won quickly by an early march on Richmond, while the commander in the west, General Henry Halleck, considered the Tennessee River to be more significant than the Mississippi. Also Winfield Scott would soon be retiring. Eventually, however, the strengths of the plan were increasingly recognised, and it became Union strategy.
As the Confederate Navy had to build almost its entire fleet from scratch, its operations on the Mississippi would be largely defensive.
Battles
= New Madrid/Island Number Ten (February 28 – April 8, 1862)
=The Confederates had fortified a tight double-bend in the river, with garrisons at New Madrid, Missouri, and Island Number Ten. Union Major-General John Pope arrived unexpectedly, before winter was over, easily took New Madrid, and then ordered two gunboats to run the island batteries, covering his crossing to the east (Tennessee) bank, whereupon the outnumbered enemy surrendered.
= New Orleans (April 16-28, 1862)
=Captain David Farragut of the Union Navy's West Gulf Blockading Squadron attacked the city's outer fortifications, Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, at first obstructed by a defensive boom. When the boom was broken by gunboats, the fleet forced its way in, opposed by ironclads and fire-rafts, eventually enabling the infantry to occupy the city and set up a Union government for the rest of the war.
= Memphis (June 6, 1862)
=The Memphis garrison had been much depleted, following the Union capture of the rail junction at Corinth, so the Union fleet was opposed only by Confederate gunboats and rams, poorly equipped, which were destroyed in two hours. One Union boat, Queen of the West, was disabled. The Union forces were able to capture and repair four Confederate craft for their own use.
= Baton Rouge (August 5, 1862)
=Confederate area commander Earl Van Dorn had been hoping to re-take Louisiana's abandoned state capital Baton Rouge. A force under Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge attacked at dawn, killing Union commander Thomas Williams, and driving his men into defensive lines, protected by their gunboats. But the Confederate ram CSS Arkansas had broken down and it became a one-sided naval battle, forcing Breckinridge to withdraw.
= Vicksburg (December 26, 1862 - July 4, 1863)
=After several failed initiatives, including an attempt to divert the river itself, General U.S. Grant marched down the west (Louisiana) bank, accompanied by gunboats that managed to run the Vicksburg batteries and ferry his army across to the east bank. From there, he pursued the enemy into their lines and besieged them until they surrendered.
Principal actions:
Snyder’s Bluff (April 29 – May 1)
Diversionary feint to distract the Confederates from sending support downstream to Grand Gulf. A Union fleet moved up the Yazoo, attracting heavy fire, before retreating through the swampy terrain.
Port Gibson (May 1)
After crossing to the east bank at Bruinsburg, Grant drove the Confederates back from one defensive position to the next, establishing a beachhead and forcing the enemy to abandon the port of Grand Gulf.
Jackson (May 14)
Grant’s move on the Mississippi state capital caused Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston to evacuate the city, enabling Grant to destroy its factories and rail communications.
Champion Hill (May 16)
Seen as the pivotal battle of the campaign. The Confederates occupied a high vantage-point, led by Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman, who died in action, but Grant swept them off the crest.
Big Black River Bridge (May 17)
Confederates’ last chance to avoid being driven back into their lines. General Pemberton took a position on the river, but was routed by Grant, burning the bridges as he went, but losing many prisoners.
= Port Hudson (May 22 – July 9, 1863)
=General Nathaniel Banks had been ordered upstream to aid General U.S. Grant who was besieging Vicksburg. His orders were to capture Port Hudson, the only other remaining Confederate stronghold on the river, but his assault failed, and he settled into a siege - at 48 days, the longest in American history up till then. The eventual Confederate surrender completed the liberation of the river.
List of locations and landmarks
This is a list of notable places on the Mississippi River between roughly St. Louis, Mo. and the Gulf of Mexico at the time of the American Civil War, listed from north to south. Where locations are opposite each other at the same point along the River, the westernmost is listed first. Steamboats of the era were fueled by wood (and coal as well) and the wood-fueled steamers burned something like 70 cords of wood per day. Therefore, there were "hundreds of wood yards" along the Mississippi during the steamboat era, "one every several miles on the busiest sections of the river."
Columbia, Missouri
Chippewa, Illinois
Venice, Illinois
Brooklyn, Illinois
St. Louis, Missouri
Illinoistown, Illinois
Cahokia, Illinois
Carondolet, Missouri
Jefferson Barracks
Columbia, Illinois
Oakville, Missouri
Finestown, Missouri
Jefferson, Missouri
Kimmswick, Missouri
Dicksons, Illinois
Widow Beard's Island
Smiths, Illinois
Huger, Illinois
Clifton, Missouri
Illinois, Missouri
Harlow, Illinois
Peverlys, Missouri
Harrisonville, Illinois
Herculaneum, Missouri
Joachim Creek
Platin Bock, Missouri
Selma, Missouri
Hardscrabble, Illinois
Cliffdale, Missouri
Rush Tower, Missouri
Penitentiary (Illinois)
Isle du Bois Creek
Fort de Chartres
Establishment Creek
Prairie du Rocher, Illinois
Frenchmans, Missouri
Little Rock, Missouri
Rivière au Vases
Kaskaskia, Illinois
St. Mary's Landing, Missouri
Prattes Landing, Missouri
Chester, Illinois
St. Mary's River
Mancoes, Illinois
Liberty, Illinois
St. Omer's Island
Baileys Landing, Missouri
Lagoarses Island
Devil's Bakeoven
Breesville, Illinois
Big Muddy River
Apple Creek
Birmingham, Missouri
Crawfords Ferry, Missouri
Union Point, Illinois
Devils Tea Table (?!!!)
Sheppards Landing, Missouri
Bainbridge, Missouri
Hamburg Landing, Illinois
Devil Island
Clear Creek
Clear Creek Landing, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Rock Island, Illinois
Cape La Croix, Missouri
Thebes, Illinois
Commerce, Missouri
Santa Fe, Illinois
Powers Island
West Philadelphia, Missouri
Goose Island
Mound City, Illinois
Fort Holt
Cairo, Illinois
Cairo and Fulton Railroad
Bird's Point, Missouri
Fort Jefferson
Little Mayfield Creek
Ohio City, Missouri
Bickwiths Landing, Missouri
First Chickasaw Bluff
Mayfield River
Norfolk, Missouri
Iron Bank
Baldwinsville, Missouri
Columbus, Kentucky
Belmont, Missouri
Wolf Landing, Missouri or Wolf Island Landing
Wolf Island
St. James, Missouri
Chalk Bank
James Landing, Missouri
Taylor Landing, Kentucky
Mills Point, Missouri
Second Chickasaw Bluff
Little Obion River
Hickman, Kentucky
James Bayou
New Madrid, Missouri
Smith's Landing, Missouri
Point Pleasant, Missouri
Island No. 10
Obionville, Tennessee
Donaldson Point
Island No. 10
Madrid Bend
Chepousa Creek
Smiths Landing
Point Pleasant, Missouri
Obionville, Tennessee
Reelfoot Lake
Mrs. Merrifeather's Landing
Cypress Bend
Riddles Point, Missouri
Solitude, Missouri
Gayoso, Missouri
Walkers Bend
Little Prairie, Missouri
Booths Point, Tennessee
Mitchell Landing
Reelfoot River
Cottonwood Point, Missouri
Bearfield Point
Dyersburg, Tennessee
Needham's Cutoff
Hales Store
Redfoot River
Hales Point
Canadian Reach
Deer River
Mill Bayou
Ashport, Tennessee
Friendship Bar
Plum Point
Osceola, Arkansas
Fort Wright
Flour Island
First Chickasaw Bluff
Fulton, Tennessee
Fort Randolph
Randolph, Tennessee
Pecan Point
Second Chickasaw Bluff
Bentons
Devils Race
Third Chickasaw Bluff
Devil's Elbow
Oldham, Arkansas
Fort Harris
Greenock, Arkansas
Mound City, Arkansas
Fort Rectory
Woppenaughkee Bar
Paddy's Hen and Chickens
Fort Pillow
Hopefield, Arkansas
Memphis and Arkansas Railroad
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis and Ohio Railroad
Railroad to Charleston
Ft. Pickering
Presidents Island
Grayson, Arkansas
Norfolk, Mississippi
Dark Corner, Mississippi
Blue Point, Mississippi
Bledsoe's Landing, Arkansas
Cow Island
Cat Island
Buck Island
Coldwater River
Commerce, Mississippi
Council Bend, Arkansas
Walnut Bend, Arkansas
Austin, Mississippi
Sterling, Arkansas
Clarks Bar
Burdows Chutes
Ship Island
Battle Island
St. Francis Island
St. Francis River
Big Prairie, Arkansas
Prairie Island
Helena, Arkansas
Delta, Mississippi
Hunts Bar
Yazoo Pass
Horseshoe Bend
Friars Point, Mississippi
Kosciusco, Mississippi
Old Town, Arkansas
Lavonia, Arkansas
Laconia, Arkansas
Barneys, Arkansas
Concepcion, Mississippi
Concordia, Mississippi
Victoria, Mississippi
Montgomery's Point
White River
Monty's Landing, Arkansas
Arkansas River
Napoleon, Arkansas
Prentiss, Mississippi
Indian Point
Cypress Bend
Bolivar, Mississippi
Willow Bar
Choctaw Bend
Williams Bayou
Masons Bayou
Gaines Landing, Arkansas
Greenville, Mississippi and Old Greenville, Mississippi
Spanish Moss Bend
Columbia, Arkansas
Chicot Island
Point Chicot
Physic Island
Lake Village, Arkansas
Lakeport, Arkansas
Eggs Bend
Kentucky Bend
Point Worthington
Mathers Bend
Grand Lake, Arkansas
Princeton, Mississippi
Searahs Island
Bunch's Bend
Stack Island Reach
Stack Island
Talalula, Mississippi
Providence, Louisiana
Pecan Grove, Louisiana
Tompkins, Louisiana
Milliken's Bend, Louisiana
Paw Paw Island
Yazoo River
Young's Point
Vicksburg and Shreveport Railroad
De Soto, Louisiana
Walnut Hills
Vicksburg and Jackson Railroad
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Warrenton, Mississippi
Bayou Vidal
New Carthage, Louisiana
Palmyra Bend and Palmyra Island
Point Pleasant
Big Black Island
Big Black River
Grand Gulf, Mississippi
Railroad to Port Gibson, Mississippi
Bayou Pierre
Bruinsburg, Mississippi
St. Joseph, Louisiana
Rodney, Mississippi
St. Joseph, Louisiana
Coles Creek
Fairchild Creek and Selsertown, Mississippi
Rifle Point
Vidalia, Louisiana
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez Island
Catherine Creek
Hutchins Landing, Mississippi
Glasscock Island
Ellis Cliff
Dead Mans Bar
Deep Bar
Union Point, Louisiana
Red River
Homochitto River
Fort Adams
Mansura, Louisiana
Red River Landing, Louisiana
Sister Island ("washed away")
New Cut-Off
Tunica Bend
Ragourci Bend
The Village, Louisiana
Morganzia, Louisiana
Bayou Sara
Point Coupee, Louisiana
Road to Woodville
St. Francisville, Louisiana
Point Coupee Reach
Waterloo, Louisiana
Hermitage, Louisiana
Lake Fausse
Port Hudson, Louisiana
Prophet Island (aka Profit Island)
West Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Atchafalaya River
Bruly Landing, Louisiana
Plaquemine, Louisiana
Manchac, Louisiana
Iberville, Louisiana
Bayou Goule, Louisiana
Khorassan, Louisiana
Claiborne Island
New River, Louisiana
Bayou Fourche
Port Barrow, Louisiana
Donaldsonville, Louisiana
Bringiers, Louisiana
Convent, Louisiana
Jefferson College
Cantrells, Louisiana
Edgard, Louisiana
Bonnet Carre, Louisiana
Red Church, Louisiana
Germantown, Louisiana
Kenner Landing, Louisiana
Carrollton, Louisiana
New Orleans and Jackson Railroad
New Orleans
New Orleans and Opelousas Railroad
Lafayette, Louisiana
Cosmopolite, Louisiana
McDonough, Louisiana
Algiers, Louisiana
Fort Ieon (?)
English Turn
Woodville, Louisiana
Fort St. Philip
Jackson, Louisiana
Gulf of Mexico
See also
Wisconsin in the American Civil War
Iowa in the American Civil War
Illinois in the American Civil War
Missouri in the American Civil War
Kentucky in the American Civil War
Tennessee in the American Civil War
Arkansas in the American Civil War
Mississippi in the American Civil War
Louisiana in the American Civil War
References
Further reading
Fiske, John (1900). The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War. Boston, New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
External links
Ribbon map of the Father of Waters (1866)
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