A general theme of our trip so far is the friendliness of the people we have met.  Tonight we had a very nice dinner at Anchuka Cafe.  Our waitress could not assure us that any of their salad dressings are gluten-free.  So she made some from scratch.  We had good salads and really good shrimp and grits:

The main plan for the day was to learn (more) about the seige at Vicksburg, grab a peak at the Mississippi River and poke our nose(es) into Louisiana, just to say we were there. Mission accomplished.

The Battle and subsequent siege of Vicksburg was very important in the Civil War. Control of the Mississippi was paramount to both sides.  For the South, it provided for transportation of goods and materials, kept the North from doing the same, kept the CSA united along the southern states and allowed trade with Mexico.  The North controlled most of the river, but not at Vicksburg.  The South used the geography of Vicksburg and the surrounding area to its advantage.  The city was high above the river to the west and protected by hilly terrain on the east.  The North made taking control of Vicksburg a priority.  General US Grant was in charge.  Yeah, yeah, the one buried in Grant’s Tomb. Oh wait, did I give away the answer?

The North made two prolonged attacks in May of 1863.  The South repelled both.  The sides reached a stalemate and the North ‘laid siege’ to the city.  The South surrendered the city about 45 days later.  We spent about a half-day at the Vicksburg National Military Park.  The driving tour takes you along the lines of the North and then lines of the South.   It becomes clear how the terrain allowed the smaller army of the South to fend off the North.  It’s also clear how the terrain kept the South boxed in allowing the siege to succeed.

It was an educational day.  And we had two nice meals, at the Cafe and at “The Mad Baker”.  Plus two museums, a quick visit to LA and a quick peek at the river.  They have a great park from which to view the river, but it was closed off, for unknown reasons.  So we sort-of borrowed the parking lot of a business to take a photo.