ancestors fought in the May 16, 1863 battle. You must be present to receive the medallion. Vicksburg Campaign Batt le Commemorations Following the program, Lunch on the Lawn will be served ($10.00 a plate). Highlights of the afternoon will feature a stroll to the “Hill of Death” followed by a reenactment and a historic April 19-20: Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Port Gibson Sesquicentennial Commemoration. marker dedication at the Champion Hill Crossroads. Admission is free. Visit www.battle- The Battle of Port Gibson Commemoration includes living history presentations, a cemetery ofchampionhill.org for more information. tour and a battlefield tour in the city that was “too beautiful to burn.” A Living History will be presented at Grand Gulf Military Monument throughout the weekend. “Whispers in the Cedars,” May 19: Commemoration of First Assault on Vicksburg. First Assault programs begin at a tour of Wintergreen Cemetery featuring the graves of local people who were active partic- 10:00 am with the Confederate perspective at Stop 12, Stockade Redan in the Vicksburg ipants in the War Between the States, will take place at 7:00 pm on Friday, April 19 and at National Military Park. The Union perspective begins at 1:00 pm at Stop 5, Stockade Redan 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Saturday, April 20. A battlefield tour led by Brig. Gen. Parker Hills Attack. For more information call 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. will take place from 10:00 am until noon on Saturday. For more information contact Pastor Michael Herrin at First Presbyterian Church of Port Gibson at [email protected]. May 22: Second Assault of Vicksburg Defenses. Second Assault programs begin at 10:00 am at three separate locations in the Vicksburg National Military Park: Stop 5, Stockade Redan May 11: Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Raymond Sesquicentennial Events. The City of Attacks (The Forlorn Hope), Second Texas Lunette Attack and Assault on the Great Redoubt. Raymond and Friends of Raymond present the Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of At 1:00 pm the Assault on Railroad Redoubt will begin. For more information call 601-636-0583 the Battle of Raymond and Cannon Dedication beginning at 10:00 am at St. Mark’s Episcopal or visit www.nps.gov/vick. Church, 205 W. Main Street. The Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Raymond will feature guest speaker Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice William L June 7: Commemoration of Battle of Milliken’s Bend. The Battle of Milliken's Bend, fought Waller, Jr followed by lunch in the garden. The Cannon Dedication Ceremony to honor cannon June 7, 1863, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Confederate sponsors begins at 1:00 pm at the Raymond Military Park Cannon Line, Highway 18 in Raymond. Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton and his army were besieged in Vicksburg, Mississippi, by Union The events conclude at 2:00 pm with the Grand Gulf – Raymond Scenic Byway Historical commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee. In an effort to cut Marker Dedication at Dillon’s Farm, 5 miles west of Raymond, Old Port Gibson Road. For Grant’s supply line and relieve the city, the Confederates attacked the Union supply area more information or to RSVP call Raymond City Hall at 601-857-8041. at Milliken’s Bend up the Mississippi. The Milliken’s Bend area, 15 miles to the northwest of Vicksburg, had until recently served as a staging area for Grant’s Vicksburg Campaign. May 12: Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Raymond Commemoration. The program will begin It was a site of supply depots and hospitals, many of which were manned and guarded by at 7:00 pm at the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center, 3201 Clay Street. For more black soldiers, some of whom were recently recruited men who were freed slaves. Although information call 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. a relatively small battle, it was distinguished by the prominent role played by black Union soldiers who, despite lacking much military training, fought bravely with inferior weaponry May 14: Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Jackson Commemoration. The commemoration will and finally drove off the Confederates with help from gunboats. For more information call begin at 7:00 pm at the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center, 3201 Clay Street. The 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. Battle of Jackson, fought on May 14, 1863, in Jackson, Mississippi, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign in the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and June 25: Commemoration of Explosion at Third Louisiana Redan. Late in the siege, Union the Army of the Tennessee defeated Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston, seizing the troops tunneled under the 3rd Louisiana Redan and packed the mine with 2,200 pounds city, cutting supply lines, and opening the path to the west and the Siege of Vicksburg. For of gunpowder. The explosion blew apart the Confederate lines on June 25, while an infantry more information call 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. attack made by troops from Logan's XVII Corps division, followed the blast. The 45th Illinois Regiment (known as the “Lead Mine Regiment”), under Col. Jasper A. Maltby, charged into May 16: Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Champion Hill Commemoration. The commemoration the 40-foot (12 m) diameter, 12-foot (3.7 m) deep crater with ease, but were stopped by will begin at 7:00 pm at the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center, 3201 Clay Street. recovering Confederate infantry. The Union soldiers became pinned down while the defenders For more information call 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. also rolled artillery shells with short fuses into the pit with deadly results. Union engineers worked to set up a casemate in the crater in order to extricate the infantry, and soon the May 17: Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Big Black River Commemoration. The commemoration soldiers fell back to a new defensive line. From the crater left by the explosion on June 25, will begin at 7:00 pm at the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center, 3201 Clay Street. Union miners worked to dig a new mine to the south. On July 1, this mine was detonated The Battle of Big Black River Bridge, or Big Black, fought May 17, 1863, was part of the but no infantry attack followed. Pioneers worked throughout July 2 and July 3 to widen the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant initial crater large enough for an infantry column of four to pass through for future anticipated and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton assaults. However, events the following day negated the need for any further assaults. For following the Battle of Champion Hill, in the final battle before the Siege of Vicksburg. For more information call 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. more information call 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. May 18: 150th Anniversary of Champion Hill. The all-day sesquicentennial event on the Champion Hill battlefield will begin at 8:00 am on the grounds of Champion Hill MB Church. The historic site between Edwards and Bolton was the home of the Champion Family and later used by General Grant as headquarters during the Battle of Champion Hill. Bertram Hayes-Davis, a great-great grandson of President Jefferson Davis, will be the featured speaker at the 10:00 am opening ceremony. He will be introduced by Michael Madell, superintendent of the Vicksburg National Military Park. Souvenir medallion will be awarded to those whose 2 www.thekeytothesouth.com www.thekeytothesouth.com 3 National Park Service May 23: U.S. Postal Service Release of Civil War Commemorative Stamps. The U.S. Postal Service Ceremonial Release of Civil War Commemorative Stamps at 10:00 am in the Vicksburg Signature Event : Vicksburg National Military Park at the USS Cairo. For more information call 601-636-0583 or visit May 23-27: Vicksburg Sesquicentennial Commemoration: Signature Event. A series of open www.nps.gov/vick. air concerts will take place in front of the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center, 3201 Clay Street. The US Navy Concert Band located in New Orleans will present a concert May 23: Vicksburg Sesquicentennial Commemoration: Shadows of the Past. Shadows of with a theme revolving around the Civil War on Friday at 7:00 pm. On Saturday evening, the the Past will be presented from 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm at the Vicksburg National Cemetery located Mississippi Symphony Orchestra with special guest Trace Adkins will perform at 7:00 pm. On inside the Vicksburg National Military Park, 3201 Clay Street. This will be a program high- Sunday evening, the Jackson Community Mass Choir will present a choral program beginning lighting veterans’ lives that are buried in the National Cemetery. For more information, contact at 7:00 pm. All of these concerts are free to the public. Other activities during Memorial Day the Vicksburg National Military Park at 601-636-0583 or visit www.nps.gov/vick. weekend include a display of Special Boat Unit 22, part of the Navy’s modern river forces, a rededication of the Iowa Memorial and special programs on Civil War engineering and siege May 25: Iowa Monument Rededication. The Iowa monument will be rededicated by Iowa tactics and on African-Americans and the Civil War exploring the roles of freeman, US Colored Governor Terry Branstad at 10:00 am at the Vicksburg National Military Park, 3201 Clay Street.