March 12, 2007: Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Vicksburg National Military Park is laid out, like other battlefield parks, as a driving loop that takes you along the lines of how the battle progressed. The 16 mile loop led us to believe that neither of us would make particularly effective generals, as we never had any clue which way was north or where the front was. What was clear was that Illinois cares the most about their Civil War veterans, because their memorial (left) was the bomb.

The town of Vicksburg was interesting but poor. Jefferson Davis, whose plantation was about 15 miles south, started his political career on the steps of the old courthouse (left). On July 4, 1863 General Grant rode up the same steps to oversee the changing of the flags after the surrender of the Confederates. The folks here held a bit of a grudge for a while, and Vicksburg did not celebrate Independence Day until the 1976 bicentennial celebrations.