On your holiday to Mississippi, you will probably not come across a place more pretty than Vicksburg. There are also not many places in the state that have steered the course of the Civil War and carved the destiny of the nation.
Vicksburg commands gorgeous views of the Mississippi River. Life here goes on at a languid pace, much like the gentle breeze that blows over the river and creates little ripples. There is music in the air as well—the lilting notes of delta blues spill out of bars and clubs strewn around the city while the thumping beats of rock-and-roll fill the air around the town. But beneath all this beauty and charm of Vicksburg, lies a tumultuous history. Union troops, led by General Ulysses S. Grant, captured Vicksburg from the clutches of the Confederates after a bitter 47-day siege. The Confederates not only suffered their most crushing defeat but also lost control over the Mississippi River. These events are commemorated at the Vicksburg National Military Park and the Vicksburg National Cemetery.
