VICKSBURG IN 1870

The Great Republic by James Dabney McCabe, published in 1871.

Making of America Books Collection at the U of Michigan.

The second city of the State, is situated in Warren county, on the right bank of the Mississippi, 45 miles west of Jackson, and 395 miles by water above New Orleans. The city is built along a range of hills which rise abruptly from the river. The principal streets run parallel with the river, and the others cross them at right-angles. The principal business streets are those nearest the river. Vicksburg is one of the best built cities in the South. The private residences are situated on the crest of the hills, and are generally neat and tasteful, and often very handsome in appearance. The principal building is the Court-House, a handsome structure of white marble, which forms the principal object in any view of the city.

The city contains 5 churches, 2 newspaper offices, and several schools. Its public school is the best in the State. It is lighted with gas, and is governed by a Mayor and Council. In 1870, the population was 12,443.

Vicksburg is the most important commercial town in the State. It has direct railway communication with the North and West, and a railway is in progress from De Soto directly opposite the city to Shreveport, La., and Marshal, Texas. It carries on a large river trade, and previous to the war about 125,000 bales of cotton were (page 693)

shipped from this city to New Orleans. The most of this was brought into the city by the railway. It is slowly recovering this trade.

Vicksburg was settled in the early part of the present century, and was named from Mr. Vick, one of the original settlers. It was incorporated as a town in 1825, and as a city in 1836.

At an early period of the civil war, it was fortified by the Confederates, and was their principal stronghold on the Mississippi River. On the 4th of July, 1863, it was surrendered to the United States army under General Grant, after one of the most memorable defenses on record. The city suffered greatly during the siege, and after the close of the war the entire lower part was nearly destroyed by fire. Since then, it has been rebuilt on a handsome scale. It is one of the pleasantest and most cultivated cities in the South, and one of the most enterprising.(page 694)

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