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Historic Sites in Mississippi
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Natchez National Historical Park
Natchez National Historical Park celebrates the history of
Natchez, Mississippi and interprets the pivotal role the city
played in the settlement of the old southwest, the Cotton
Kingdom, and the Antebellum South. The park is made up of three
units. Fort Rosalie is the location of an 18th Century
fortification built by the French and occupied by the British,
Spanish and Americans. The William Johnson House was a house and
business owned by William Johnson, a free black man, whose diary
tells the story of everyday life in antebellum Natchez. Melrose
was the estate of the John T. McMurran who rose from being a
middle class lawyer to a position of wealth and power in
antebellum Natchez. Melrose is the only unit currently open to
the public. For information call: (601)442-7047
Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park was established on February 21,
1899, to commemorate one of the most decisive battles of the
American Civil War, the campaign, siege and defense of
Vicksburg. The Vicksburg campaign was waged from March 29 to
July 4, 1863. It included battles in west-central Mississippi
at: Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, Big Black
River and 47 days of Union siege operations against the city of
Vicksburg. Located high on the bluffs, Vicksburg was a fortress
guarding the Mississippi River. It was known as "The Gibraltar
of the Confederacy." Its surrender on July 4, 1863, coupled with
the fall of Port Hudson, Louisiana, divided the South, and gave
the North undisputed control of the Mississippi River. Today,
the battlefield at Vicksburg is in an excellent state of
preservation. It includes over 1,300 monuments and markers,
reconstructed trenches and earthworks, one antebellum structure,
over 125 emplaced cannon, restored Union gunboat, USS Cairo, and
the Vicksburg National Cemetery. Like most Civil War areas,
Vicksburg National Military Park exists as a lasting memorial to
the soldiers and civilians that suffered through the widespread
tragedy and conflict of the Civil War. It is a vivid legacy of
America's past, a place where students can learn and individuals
reflect upon the dramatic events that shaped a young and
developing nation. Orientation to the park begins at the park
visitor center with an 18 minute film. Visitors can then drive
the historic 16 mile tour road through Union and Confederate
siege lines. Halfway through the park, visitors get a close-up
view of the Union gunboat, the USS Cairo. The 175 foot long
ironclad was sunk on December 12, 1862, by underwater
Confederate mines just North of Vicksburg in the Yazoo River.
Raised in 1964, the restored city class gunboat offers visitors
a unique opportunity to view original cannons, cannon carriages,
engines, boilers and pilot house, via a reconstructed gundeck.
The nearby USS Cairo Museum houses a variety of military and
personal artifacts, which were recovered with the Cairo during
its salvage operation. Adjacent to the USS Cairo is the
Vicksburg National Cemetery. Established in 1866, it contains in
excess of 18,000 graves, of which over 12,000 are unknown.
Soldiers from the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War
I, World War II and the Korean War are interred here. For
information call: (601)636-0583
Tupelo National Battlefield
Here, on July 13-14, 1864, Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest tried
to cut the railroad supplying the Unions march on Atlanta.
Established as a national battlefield site Feb. 21, 1929;
transferred from War Dept. Aug. 10, 1933; changed to national
battlefield and boundary changed Aug. 10, 1961. The Battle of
Tupelo, which was a part of a larger strategy by Gen. William
Tecumseh Sherman to protect the railroad that was his supply
line, broke out on July 14, 1864, when Federal troops under Gen.
A.J. Smith battled Confederates under Gen. Nathan Bedford
Forrest. Both sides also battled the heat that ultimately forced
the Federal retreat. Tupelo National Battlefield was
estqablished as a national battlefield site on February 21,
1929. It was transferred from the War Department Aug. 10, 1933,
and changed to a national battlefield Aug. 10, 1961. For
information call: (601)680-4025
Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
The Confederate cavalry was employed with extraordinary skill
here during the battle of June 10, 1864. The site commemorates a
battle initiated by Union forces to keep Confederate troops from
disrupting Union supply routes. For information call:
(601)680-4025
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