{"id":13262,"date":"2023-10-30T08:55:13","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T07:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=13262"},"modified":"2023-10-30T08:55:13","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T07:55:13","slug":"what-battle-gave-the-union-army-control-over-mississippi-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/what-battle-gave-the-union-army-control-over-mississippi-river\/","title":{"rendered":"What Battle Gave The Union Army Control Over Mississippi River"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Background<\/h2>\n

The Union Army’s control over the Mississippi River was a pivotal event during the American Civil War. It allowed the Union to cut the Confederacy in half and prevent the transport of goods and people between its two main regions – the western and eastern parts of the Confederacy. The struggle for control of the Mississippi began in 1862, and it wasn’t until the Battle of Vicksburg in the spring of ‘63 that the Union Army was able to wrest control of the river away from the Confederacy.<\/p>\n

The Strategic Significance<\/h2>\n

For both sides, having control of the Mississippi River had profound strategic implications. For the Union, it meant cutting off the Confederacy’s access to war materiel from the Confederacy’s western states. It also allowed the Union to blockade major ports along the river, further preventing the flow of goods and people. Additionally, Union ships could now steam up the Mississippi River to help transport troops and supplies, making it easier to move supplies through the Confederacy’s eastern states.<\/p>\n

For the Confederacy, the loss of the Mississippi River meant it was now cut off from the resources of its western states. It also made it more difficult for the Confederacy to ship troops and supplies between its eastern and western sections. Additionally, the Confederate Army was no longer able to use the river as a line of defense, as they had previously done from Vicksburg upriver.<\/p>\n

The Union Strategy<\/h2>\n

In order to gain control of the Mississippi River, the Union devised an elaborate strategy. First, Union forces would advance down the river from their bases in Tennessee and Arkansas. At the same time, Union forces in the east would launch a campaign in order to gain control of the ports on the river, from Tennessee to Louisiana. The ultimate goal was to capture the city of Vicksburg, which was seen as the Confederacy’s last stronghold on the Mississippi.<\/p>\n