The unique landscape around Vicksburg, Miss., is an inextricable part of its Civil War story: sharp bluffs rising up from the Mississippi River made it the Gibraltar of the Confederacy; dramatic topography shaped the siege lines; sandy caves scratched out of hillsides sheltered frightened civilians.
For decades, National Park Service officials have worked to manage geological challenges posed by the loess soil type found in abundance at Vicksburg which is particularly vulnerable to erosion. The same forces that shaped the battlefield’s familiar landscapes can, with time, render them unstable and present issues for visitor safety. Given this prolonged process, much effort has gone into combating erosion, stretching back to the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Then, in early 2020, catastrophe struck. Spurred by some of the heaviest rainfall the region had seen in decades, erosion washed away hillsides, buckled and shifted roads. Perhaps most tragically, the remains of several Union soldiers in Vicksburg National Cemetery were left exposed. The footage captured in this video demonstrates the scale of this cataclysmic damage.
Unsafe and inaccessible, a full third of the park has been closed to visitors ever since. Not only does this detract from the experience of those looking to explore the historic landscape, but it hamstrings the region’s heritage tourism-based economy, the park being Mississippi’s single most visited attraction.
If urgent action is not taken now to stabilize the landscape, reengineer the roads and reopen key parts of the park, this entire battlefield could be irreparably damaged. As this video demonstrates, rather than simply reapplying asphalt, a systemic approach is required to address the underlying issues and ensure the park’s integrity for generations to come.
Please join the Trust, the National Parks Conservation Association and Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park as we call upon legislators to take the necessary steps to supply the funding needed to complete required studies and begin the daunting task of stabilizing the landscape, reinterring the displaced remains and rehabilitating the landscape.
Vicksburg National Battlefield needs our help to ensure it remains a national treasure for our children and grandchildren to learn from and explore.
Sincerely,
Jim Campi
Chief Policy and Communications Officer
American Battlefield Trust