Why Didn't the Confederates Relieve Vicksburg?

Рет қаралды 11,686

Жыл бұрын

The surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863 split the Confederacy in half and is often considered a turning point of the American Civil War. But if Vicksburg was so strategically vital, why didn't Confederate leadership do more to relieve the siege and save the city?
A relief attempt WAS made, but it amounted to too little, too late. A more aggressive plan to save Vicksburg was debated at length in Richmond but never enacted. Would that plan have worked? And who was the key figure who opposed it? The Little Wars TV crew travels to Mississippi to explore this fascinating moment in Civil War history. Join us the entire month of July for an incredible "what if" wargaming experience and multiple battlefield tours!
It all starts July 4, 2023! Subscribe to never miss a wargame with us.

Пікірлер: 66

@nicholaswalsh4462 Жыл бұрын

Grant as a general honestly deserves better recognition among the general public. He is arguably one of the best generals in American history, the only American to force the surrender of THREE enemy armies and a general who could even turn defeat into opportunity.

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

He is criminally underrated. Everyone tends to remember him for his bloody and workman-like performance in the Overland Campaign. But his operations in the West were impressive. He should rank much higher than he seems to nowadays.

@nicholaswalsh4462 Жыл бұрын

@@LittleWarsTV I tend to find the Overland Campaign to be an admirable display of his quality. His casualties were heavy, yes, but he inflicted proportionately greater losses on Lee's Army and, more crucially, put Lee on the defensive and kept him there.

@herecomesaregular8418 Жыл бұрын

@@nicholaswalsh4462 His casualties were heavier in the Overland Campaign because for the first time he was squaring up against the general who was *actually* the bloodiest throughout the war: Robert E. Lee. If you were a soldier in Lee's army you stood a greater chance of becoming a casualty than any soldier in any other army, North or South.

@nicholaswalsh4462 Жыл бұрын

@herecomesaregular8418 indeed. I recall reading an article a few weeks ago that found that Lee's total casualties from when he took command in 1862 to the end of the war actually exceeded Grant's in total numbers. More than that, in virtually every battle Lee fought he got about 20% of his much smaller army killed or incapacitated and at Gettysburg it was as much as half his army. In the words of Billy Yank from Atun Shei's Checkmate Lincolnites, "If anyone deserves to be called a butcher it was Bobby Lee."

@MCK3274 Жыл бұрын

100% agree. I often wonder why historians will drone on and on about southern tactical decisions but fast forward Grant's strategy.

@nathanieltraynor6413 Жыл бұрын

PIERRE GUSTAV TUTANT BEAUREGARD really rolls off the tongue

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Best Civil War name ever? I think it could be…

@danielpeton5500 Жыл бұрын

Amen

@RodolfoGaming Жыл бұрын

@@LittleWarsTV Sherman has to take it, named after friggin Tecumseh no less

@adamkoslin9302 Жыл бұрын

@@LittleWarsTV The ridiculously-named Confederate brigadier States Rights Gist (who was from the ironically-named Union, South Carolina) would like a word. As would one "Orville Bumpus," memorably quoted in the Ken Burns ACW documentary.

@iratespartan13 Жыл бұрын

I think Vicksburg features Grant's operational acumen. Henry and Donelson his tactical skill and the final campaign showed he could put together a war winning strategic plan as well. Grant won at all three levels. Something no one else did in that war.

@johnfleet235 11 ай бұрын

Very few Generals history can operate like Grant did in the US Civil. I don't think Grant's skills as a General came from West Point. They came from the fact that US Grant was a man that paid attention to everything around him. For example, he was one the few Americans that actually noticed Mexican troops during the Mexican War.

@totalburnout5424 Жыл бұрын

I'm curious. And the question what would have happened if Lee's army had lacked Longstreet's troops...

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Certainly no invasion of PA!

@Doc_Tar Жыл бұрын

@@LittleWarsTV Would the transfer have happened before or after Chancellorsville?

@severuslupus9051 Жыл бұрын

Really happy to see you guy's cover Grant's Ulm, the most brilliant campaign ever fought on American soil.

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Grants May 1863 campaign is a master class

@WargamesTonight Жыл бұрын

A captivating 'what if' played by the engaging 'Grognards' of LWTV. Looking forward to this one!

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Thanks! We had a blast with this one travelling down to Mississippi!

@Eruidraith Жыл бұрын

Oh wow!!! You guys were RIGHT down the road from me!!! That's so cool! I love the Vicksburg battle park. It's really great. I love that you can walk/drive the old earthworks reconstructed with cannons

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

The battlefield was exceptional. Very impressive!

@get_the_lead_out Жыл бұрын

If you guys ever decide to take a trip to the Shiloh battlefield, drop me a line - I’m just a couple hours away in Memphis. Brice’s Crossroads and Corinth are also just down the street, and there is an interactive museum in Corinth. There is so much ACW history throughout Tennessee - it is second only to Virginia in the number of engagements fought. I hope you guys will consider publishing an ACW expansion to the LFOD rules - I’m sure you would get a lot of takers!

@trespasserswill7052 Жыл бұрын

The Corinth museum is my favorite of all Civil War museums.

@stefancarter1 Жыл бұрын

I’m really excited for this. I’m working on the Vicksburg campaign for the Altar of Freedom rules at the moment. Just slugging my way through all those brigades.

@jacksaell259 Жыл бұрын

Look forward to more videos on this topic from you guys! Grew up in Mississippi and used to spend my summers at the military park:)

@elliotlane3225 Жыл бұрын

Great background piece. Love how you guys give the context in an entertaining way. Looking forward to the 4 July game on an operational scale.

@timehrat8557 Жыл бұрын

Illinois Memorial Monument largest there, my ancestor fought with the 47th ill vol inf company A Jhon t Bowen. my great grandma got to talk to him, but she said he never said anything abought the war other than he hated the heat.

@MrFlyXwire Жыл бұрын

Great lead-in video on an excellent battlefield park here in the 'West'. I recognize the Altar Of Freedom Vicksburg Campaign map board shown (looks great) - will this upcoming strategic game be a stand-alone system now, or to use Greg's [standard] Gibraltar of the West generation system (ultimately for generating tabletop games)? Would almost like the strategic game board to have the option of playing out unto itself (without needing to stage the pitch-battles as generated). In any case, looking forward to the next video(s) coming!

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Same map, new rules!

@MrFlyXwire Жыл бұрын

@@LittleWarsTV Holly Smokes! 😃

@MrArmour Жыл бұрын

Oh, I am looking forward to this!

@davidfinch7407 Жыл бұрын

If you simulate what would have happened if Hood and or Picket was sent west, you should also at least discuss what would have happened in the east with all of those veteran troops missing.

@BillsWargameWorld Жыл бұрын

Another Awesome video!

@jaredmolberg7125 Жыл бұрын

Informative and entertaining as always, this is great content fellas. 👍🏻

@davidnemoseck9007 Жыл бұрын

Can't wait to see the game!

@adamkoslin9302 Жыл бұрын

Can't wait!!!!! Love your guys' ACW content.

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Probably the club’s favorite period to wargame over the years!

@davidharper4570 11 ай бұрын

The answer is Grant’s use of combined arms, a naval flotilla of gunboats and a large force of infantry.

@arcticseanachai2283 Жыл бұрын

I’m so hyped!

@BillsHistoricSites-ip3su Жыл бұрын

Very nice

@jwhite146 Жыл бұрын

Lee thought he could not send Longsteer. And the Confederate leadership had too much infighting to stop Grant

@joshstreet6819 Жыл бұрын

With this big What if scenario the bigger question arises without Longstreet would Lee start the invasion of Pennsylvania (which was one of the factors in why Longstreet didn't go west) or would he hold off and wait for Longstreet to return from Vicksburg with his corps before starting?

@YOUPIMatin123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for making non-US discover this very armerican war ( and others! )

@HenT8991 Жыл бұрын

Love these operational campaigns with the tactical battles. Also poor Pemberton, not a great general but I think he gets too much hate. The blame for the situation Pemberton was in really falls on the Confederate President. While I like Johnston, he really was much too cautious and was never really going to get his ideal ground for fighting. He's got a great memoir though. Also General Lee's focus on Virginia didn't help in this campaign. Hope this version of the south has good wagons

@andrewtodd5919 Жыл бұрын

Similar to the arrival of Longstreet at Chickamauga. Rebels on equal terms or close manpower wise may have altered events

@anathardayaldar Жыл бұрын

Every other opinion about Gettysburgh was "Lee should have flanked to the right." But no game of it ever had enough room to the south of the map to give it a try. I hope LWTv applies this video's promised high level operational style to this idea. What if Lee listened to Longstreet?

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Funny you should mention this…while we are exploring the big what if of Vicksburg, our friends at Marks Game Room will be exploring Lee listening to Longstreet at Gettysburg!

@GrinnandWinn 11 ай бұрын

Longstreet did not listen to Lee. The order was to attack up the axis of the Emittsburg road. Longstreet changed the direction of the attack. He attacked, en echelon, perpendicularly, to Lee’s desired line of attack. The ordered line of attack would have crushed the Federal position on Cemetery Ridge.

@travisbayles870 5 ай бұрын

Vicksburg is the nail that holds the Souths two halves together President Jefferson Davis Confederate States of America

@HistoryBoy-ui5nb Жыл бұрын

Question: Will all of Pickett’s original division (Spring 1863 setup) be in play or will it only be Pickett's Gettysburg/June 1863 setup? In particular, will Pickett's division have Course's Brigade and Jenkins' Brigade? Also, I wish to share that my 4xgrandfather's brother on my grandfather's mother side was in the 17th SCV. He and his reigment, part of Evans’s Brigade, was transfered from the defenses of Charleston, South Carolina to Johnson's Army of Relief.

@batesmt25 Жыл бұрын

Gonna be good 👍🏼

@jamesellis4664 Жыл бұрын

When you come down to it the south just did not have the resources or enough men to defeat the north. But the fact that they held out for four years says alot about southern tenacity.

@liberalman8319 11 күн бұрын

If it was that obvious, they should never have started the war.

@HenT8991 Жыл бұрын

Also can't fault Lee's lack of enthusiasm in wanting to send Longstreet to support Vicksburg. I'm sure he has Chancellorsville in his head and how the absence of Longstreet and half of his corps was sorely missed And not to mention he has two new Corp commanders in Ewell and Hill who aren't exactly accustomed to Lees style of orders. Lee likes to give a lot of operational "leeway" haha

@bigsarge2085 Жыл бұрын

✌️

@larrysmith703 Жыл бұрын

Would like to hear how Steve from your club say his name that could be a grudge match who can say it in the best southern accent?

@LittleWarsTV Жыл бұрын

Haha that would be quite the showdown. We have some amazing (or terrible…) southern accents in this club!

@hamsteronthepaintingtable6465 Жыл бұрын

😂 looking forwrd to this one 🙂

@GrinnandWinn 11 ай бұрын

The Confederates should have preserved the force they had at Vicksburg. 30,000 men should have abandoned Vicksburg and been marched to Chattanooga. The Confederacy tried to hold too much territory with too few troops.

@redruml5872 Жыл бұрын

They tried .....

@MegaFlipWilson 11 ай бұрын

Johnston did eventually gather the cajones to attempt a breakout. But when he opened communications with Pemberton about relieving the siege, Pemberton realized Johnston’s intentions were merely to break a hole in the lines and allow Pemberton’s force to run away with only the clothes on their back. With July 4th fast approaching, Pemberton realized he could get better terms from Grant than from Johnston if Vicksburg offered to surrender on the national holiday! 😃

@user-pp5xj5ge3q Жыл бұрын

Johnston was really good friends with Grant that’s why he didn’t have the nut sack to attack which being from dalton Ga if you know anything about the civil war Johnston loves to retreat 😂 from Dalton all the way to Atlanta