History

U.S. Census Bureau History: The Campaign for Vicksburg

"Siege of Vicksburg," lithograph by Kurz and Allison, ca. 1888.
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

In May 1863, the United States renewed its efforts to take control of the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, MS. The river was a key transportation route for the nation, enabling the movement of goods from the north to the south, and linked the southern and western Confederate states. Union control of the river would protect northern economic interests, cut off Confederate supply routes to the Mississippi Delta region, and split the Confederacy in two.

Between May 12 and 17, Union troops defeated Confederate forces at Raymond and Jackson, MS, and the Confederate army retreated to Vicksburg. From May 18 to July 4, 1863, the Union army laid siege to the city, cutting off access to food, medicine, news, and supplies. The Confederate troops surrendered on July 4. Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg in July 1863 signaled a turning point in the Civil War.

The U.S. Census Bureau provides historic demographic and economic information about the Vicksburg area. For example:

• According to the 1860 Census, the population of Vicksburg, MS, was 4,591 just before the Civil War. Between 1860 and 1870, Vicksburg's population nearly tripled to 12,443.
• The population of Jackson, MS, the state capitol, was 3,199 in 1860. One-third of the population were slaves. By 1870, the population of Jackson had increased to 4,234.
• At the time of the Civil War, Mississippi was one of the main producers of cotton. The 1860 Census reported that 1.2 billion ginned cotton bales (400 pounds each) were produced in the state that year. Yazoo County, adjacent to both Warren and Hinds counties (home to Vicksburg and Jackson, respectively), was the largest cotton producer in the state, producing over 64,000 bales in 1860.