{"id":11484,"date":"2023-10-17T04:50:14","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T03:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=11484"},"modified":"2023-10-17T04:50:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T03:50:14","slug":"how-did-the-mississippi-river-impact-the-civil-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/how-did-the-mississippi-river-impact-the-civil-war\/","title":{"rendered":"How Did The Mississippi River Impact The Civil War"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Mississippi River played a major role in the history of the United States and especially the Civil War. Located in the central United States and stretching 2,350 miles from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, It was an important trade route for goods and tied the northern and southern states together. The South had a strong dependence on the river economically, but it also held strategic importance during the Civil War. <\/p>\n

The Union used the Mississippi River to gain access to Confederate territory, as many of its ports were already in Union hands. The Union army used its control of the river to access New Orleans, the largest city on the river, after Union forces took the city in 1862. With control of the port, the Union was able to cut off shipments of cotton and other supplies to Europe, the primary source of income for the south. The Union also used the river for supplies for its own troops across the Confederate states, giving it an advantage in the war effort.<\/p>\n

Taking control of the Mississippi River was also beneficial to the Union in terms of troop movement. The Union was able to move troops and supplies over longer distances along the river, as well as having greater control over the strategic points along its banks. The Union had control of Memphis and Vicksburg, both of which gave them access to the ports and important supplies for their troops. Transporting troops by boat was much faster and easier than marching them through hostile terrain.<\/p>\n

The Mississippi River also allowed the Union to cut off entire Confederate states from the rest of their nation. By moving troops and supplies on the river, the Union was able to gain access to territory deep in the Confederate states. The Union took control of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, both of which gave it access to major railroad lines and waterways, allowing it to cut off the Confederacy’s lines of communication. In doing so, the Union was able to freely move troops and supplies in and out of the South.<\/p>\n