Grant Tries to Take Vicksburg by Storm.

Prof. Hess (Lincoln Memorial), author of Civil War Logistics, Civil War Field Artillery, and many other valuable works, gives a thought-provoking, insightful look at U.S. Grant’s two unsuccessful attempts to storm Vicksburg before settling down for a protracted siege.

Hess’s treatment is based upon an impressive number of eye-witness accounts found in memoirs, letters, diaries and other papers, and regimental histories, official documents, and scholarly literature to give us a very detailed, at times almost minute-by-minute look at these actions. Naturally, he sets Grant’s attempt to storm the city within the overall military situation, the strategic, political, logistical, and geographic factors that converged to shape the events, even touch upon the psychological influences.

Pemberton, of course, plagued as he was by a confusing chain-of-command and the lack of support from Joseph E. Johnston, was out-generaled by Grant’s impressive logistical skill and high operational tempo. After losing five battles in little more than two weeks, he fell back on the defenses of Vicksburg. This was a devastating blow to his morale and that of his troops. This naturally elated Grant and his troops, which in turn led to overconfidence, and thus the attempts to storm the city in the hope of averting a protracted siege.

The attacks are described in great detail, from both sides. During them, there were lost opportunities, fierce fighting, command failures, and heavy loses, leading Grant to call off the effort and initiate a close siege. The failure of the attempt to storm the city boosted Confederate morale. Pemberton proved quite effective in directing the defense. Arguably, had Grant not tried to storm Vicksburg, and immediately imposed a siege, the city may have fallen sooner.

Storming Vicksburg is an excellent book.

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Note: Storming Vicksburg is also available in hardcover and e-editions.

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