Grand Gulf and Port Gibson, Mississippi

We visited the Grand Gulf Military Monument out of Port Gibson, Mississippi. The town of Grand Gulf played a significant role in Mississippi history, only to fade away into obscurity with the passing of time. It was a one time boom town, major river port, theatre center, strategic Confederate stronghold during the Civil War and a virtual ghost town today. The next few pictures were taken in the museum and on the grounds of the monument.

Hearst used during the boom.

Civil War ambulance

Dug out Canoes

Still

Steam engine

Old Church

Organ in the old church

Beautiful old cemetery with the Spanish moss hanging from the trees.

The next pictures were taken at the Windsor ruins.  Windsor was built by Smith Coffee Daniell, II.  It took two years to be built and was completed two weeks after Smith died.  During the Civil War, Windsor was used by the Confederates as an observation post.  After the battle of Port Gibson, the Union used it as a hospital.

Old live oak tree in front of the Windsor ruins

The road to the Shaifer House

The Shaifer House was used as a hospital during the war.  A reporter wrote that all he could see as he approached the house was wounded on the porch and body parts laying all over the yard.

Pictures in Port Gibson

First Presbyterian Church

Known for the gilded hand that tops the steeple.

First made of wood replaced in the early 1900's by one made of metal.

Temple Gemiluth Chassed

1891 The oldest Jewish Synagogue in the state and the only one of its architectural style in Mississippi

Vicksburg, Mississippi

Being a Civil War buff and history lover, we decided to start the new year with a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi.  We had a wonderful day touring around the Vicksburg National Military Park.  The battle at Vicksburg was very important because it gave the Union control of the Mississippi river. It was hard victory for Grant.  Each state that had men fighting for both sides put up monuments to honor those men.  Here are pictures of a few of them.

In the park they show were the Union and Confederate lines were located.  The next picture is one of the monument for Grant.

This is a picture of a tunnel that the union forces built under a road to keep the confederates from seeing them across the road.

The next picture is of the Shirley House and the Illinois Memorial.  The Union called the Shirley House the white house.  It is the only surviving wartime structure in the park.  It was the headquarters for the 45th Illinois Infantry.

The next picture is a replica of the house where Lt. Gen. Pemberton signed his surrender papers.

The next pictures are of the ironclad gunboat Cairo that was sunk on the Yazoo River north of Vicksburg. Cairo was the first vessel every sunk by an electrically detonated torpedo.

Vicksburg is such a fascinating area!