The battle of Vicksburg was the turning point in the war in the west. Unlike many civil war battles Vicksburg did not have multiple names; it was know as Vicksburg by both north and south. The battle took place in Mississippi’s Warren County at Vicksburg. From May 18 to July 4 in the year of 1863 Major General U.S. Grant (Union) attempted to lay siege on Vicksburg. His opponent was Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton. Grant’s troops came upon Vicksburg he trapped Pemberton’s troops in the town. The siege went on through the month of June. On July 4, 1863 the Confederates surrendered. The number of casualties for the south was tremendous. The Confederates suffered 31,275 troops dead while the Union only lost 4,550 people. It was because of this that they surrendered. The Union now controlled the Mississippi river splitting the confederacy in half. Grant’s success made his reputation even better. This eventually led to his appointment as General-in-Chief of the Union Armies....
