Vicksburg, MS

Vicksburg National Military park in 1863. Credit: http://www.riverfrontmurals.com

Our last stop will be Vicksburg, Mississippi. “It sometimes seems the Civil War in the West was focused on Vicksburg. The Union efforts to take the Confederate-held Mississippi River bastion took months of maneuvering and thousands of lives on both sides. The drama finally ended July 4, 1863, with the city’s surrender” (Civil War Traveler). I decided that for our ending location we needed to go out with a bang, so I booked us for two days in Vicksburg with tons of activities lined up. Day one in Vicksburg we will start with another museum and battlefield. The Vicksburg Battlefield Museum offers seven exciting exhibits: Fall of Vicksburg Battlefield Diorama, Civil War gunboats, documentary siege presentation, and more. Then we shall trot on over to Lookout mountain to see the view the Confederates had. 

Credit: http://hiking-cyclingchristian.net

Our second day in Vicksburg will be extremely relaxing. We have all morning and afternoon to do as we please since the next day we have a nine-hour drive back to Texas. I have some monuments I’d like to check out, but the real event of the day happens around 7p.m. We will be taking a ghost tour through the Vicksburg National Park where heavy Civil War battles occurred. Vicksburg is considered one of the most haunted towns in America because of significant Civil War campaigns, one of the largest Civil War Cemeteries, and was on route for the Trail of Tears. While neither Whitney nor I are big believers in the supernatural we are hoping we will be proved wrong!

 

The main reason I decided to stay two days in Vicksburg was because I wanted to go on the Ghost tour. I don’t technically believe in ghosts, but I think it will be a great time to pay my respects to these men that fought so bravely for a cause that moved them to bring about the deadliest war on American Soil. In Vicksburg I will be completely focused on the reality of death has affected my present day life and maybe spurred on some fantasies about the South.

Chattanooga, Tn

1860s, Lookout MNT, TN.
Credit: http://www.encore-editions.com

Present day Lookout MNT, TN.
Credit:randyyork.net

 “Tennessee lay like a protective blanket over the Deep South. Any invasion of Georgia, Alabama or Mississippi certainly would have to come through Tennessee” (Civil War Traveler). I did not originally plan to go to Tennessee but after doing some research I realized that was not possible. So many battles were fought in this state that it would have been irresponsible for me not to come here on my Civil War march.

  

Battle at Chattanooga, TN. Credit: http://lifeofthecivilwar.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

Tennessee Civil War Trails Map [ 660K]

  

On the border of Georgia and the Tennessee River, Chattanooga was a prize for both sides. The Union needed it to start their invasion on Georgia, while it held all the major railroad routes to reach the rebel camps. Once again I found a Combo of museum and battlefield again. The appeal to this particular battle is all in the name: “The Battle Above the Clouds.” Tennessee is extremely hilly and filled with many valleys and rivers. After the Union took control of Chattanooga, the Confederate army set up in the heights above the city, now called Lookout Mountain, in a thought to be impregnable position. (Civil War Traveler). On November 24, 1863 the ordinary ‘fog of war’ was paired with a heavy mist that hung about Lookout Mountain all day, thus earning the battle name. The museum is located on Lookout Mountain and contains a three-dimensional electronic battle map presentation of Chattanooga’s Civil War history. We will be staying Garden Walk Inn.
  As I stated Tennessee is a place filled with Civil War history, tons of Civil War Activity occurred in this state. Presently though when I think of Tennessee I think of it as the country music capital of the world. It will be a great place to consider the public and see if the Civil War is still affecting them, or have they become completely encompassed by their newer reputation.

Charlotte, NC

Skyline of Charlotte, NC. Credit: kerenboyan.com

 Once in town we shall take a break from our history lessons and enjoy the North Carolina beauty. I really want to get a feel for Charlotte, but not from a past perspective or a Civil War perspective. I want to take Charlotte in, in its present conditions and see what it can teach me not only about the South but perhaps about McElwee as well. By visiting his home town I want to find how is life there, and the women surrounding him might have affected him and also if their thoughts, believes, or words might mingle the realities of the South with the fantasies of the South. 

From highest peak at Crowders MNT. Credit: http://hikingthecarolinas.com/crowders.php

“Just about anywhere you go in North Carolina, you will bump into a Civil War story — one you may not find anywhere else” (Civil War Traveler). Oddly enough there where not many Civil War battles around Charlotte, but the story we have is McElwee’s own—and what a unique one it is. When McElwee visits him family in North Carolina they go on a trip to the Mountains, and almost every scene after that in NC McElwee is outside in these beautiful surroundings, hiking, roller skating, on the lake. So I figured why not take a chance to get out of the Civil War mind frame and hike with the present. Today we will go hiking in Crowders Mountain State Park where we will be rock climbing, hiking and picnicking all day. The night we will have a lovely dinner at Luce and then go enjoy the southern atmosphere at the traditional Irish Bar Ri-Ra. After an exhausting day we will go catch some ZZZ’s at our beautiful room in the Duke’s Mansion.

Atlanta, GA

 

One reason this trip is so great is because I actually get to relive some of the Civil War history. I have read a bunch of books, and watched documentaries but I feel like actually being there in person will have a completely different effect on me. Also McElwee filmed some of his documentary in Atlanta because Sherman came through here on his campaign. It will be interesting then to view this city through my lens, McElwee’s lens, and the Civil War lens. I feel I shall walk away with a whole new perspective.

The Battle of Atlanta oil painting. Photo Credit: Atlanta-restaurants.org

Today we are going to get a combo of museum and battlefield. Atlanta Cyclorama Civil War museum offers a 14-minute video of the battle at Atlanta, a diorama (3d attraction), many civil war artifacts and the world’s largest oil painting done by artists from Germany in 1885-86 replicating the battle at Atlanta. Then we will head over to the actual site of the Atlanta battlefield. 

1960s Marietta St, Atlatna, Ga. Photo Credit:usg.edu

Present day Marietta St, Atlanta, Ga. Photo Credit:neighboorhoodcity.com

In the Battle of Atlanta, Rebel General Hood planned to attack General McPherson’s army. He moved his troops to inner Atlanta, enticing Sherman to follow him. He split his troops and had then all attacking at different places. One was to attack the east and rear Union flank, one was to attack Sherman’s supply lines, and the other would attack the Union force from the front. The battle raged on and it seemed the rebels has the upper hand. They wrapped up the east and rear flank and were beginning to get through the front when Sherman came and massed twenty artillery pieces to halt the rebel’s drive. The union troops held and Hood suffered high losses.

After our long filled day of history, we will grab some food and hit the bars of Atlanta, followed by sleep.

Mobil, AL

 

I never really consider how important the Navy and the Naval battles were to the Civil War. When I think of the Civil War I think of the United States 1860s map split in half, I think of men marching hundreds of miles, Sherman’s March to the Sea, the Battle of Gettysburg. I think of the land. The sea of just as important though, and by visiting these towns that focus on naval battles I hope to see how my realities and fantasies about the Civil War battles of land compare or contrast with the naval battles.

Union troops bombing Fort Morgan. Photo Credit: history.navy.mil

Day four we will be going to check out Fort Morgan. Completed in 1834, the Fort has seen four wars: the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II. It is most famous though for its role during the Civil War battle of Mobil Bay. Admiral Farragut laid a two-week siege to the bay with eighteen ships and Fort Morgan was the last to fall. The fort now features an active living history program that interprets all the military periods.

Design plan of Fort Morgan. Photo Credit: loc.gov

After Fort Morgan we shall site see a bit more, grab some food and head to bed early because we have a long stretch of road ahead of us.

New Orleans, LA

We will get a fairly early start today because I am beyond excited about being in New Orleans. This year is the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War, and the weekend we shall be at New Orleans there will be a huge festival to commemorate the battle of Fort Jackson. There will be a battle reenactment on Saturday at 1:30p.m. and a cannon firing that night at 7:00p.m. 

The union had planned early to divide the South by seizing control of the Mississippi river. The first step in doing so was to enter the mouth of the Mississippi, capture New Orleans and thus shut the port to rebel ships. Starting on April 16, 1862 the Union Admiral David G. Farragut began bombing Fort Jackson and continued to do so for seven days until the Confederates guns were finally silenced.

Photo Credit: History.navy.mil

We will hang out at the festival, eat yummy fair food, and after the fireworks go crash at the Riverside Belle Chasse Bed & Breakfast. By attending this Civil War reenactment I hope to gain a better understanding of what life was like during the Civil War. By doing so I will be able to see how it reflects not only in my life as a southerner, but also the South itself.

Port Arthur, TX

Being a Texan I had to visit a Civil War spot in Texas. The major battles took place along the coast because the Union wanted to stop the Confederate from gaining supplies by sea. This first step dictated the rest of my route to Charlotte. By visiting Port Arthur I hope to connect to my Texan mentality. The South tends to root itself in the past, being a southerner I'm inclined to understand why: we are a proud, stubborn, loyal region that acts as if we won the civil war in this twisted, almost spiritual way. Texas has its own spin off these traits to make it and even more bizarre and awesome place, as do most other southern states. I think McElwee understood this, and maybe he wanted to connect and capture that southerner mentality as crazy as it may be. By visiting Civil War sites and other southern I hope to also connect to that romantic Southern mentality.

 Photo Credit: Dipity.com

Photo Credit: Virtualtourist.com

Leaving around 6am with Hostess chocolate and powder donuts  (we must have both because I prefer chocolate and Whitney powder) we should reach Port Arthur around noon. Our first stop: Sabine Pass Battleground. On September 8, 1863 the battle of Sabine Pass occurred as the Union attempted to invade and occupy part of Texas where the Sabine River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The campaign to occupy Texas came from a need of cotton by northern textile mills and a scare that the French might intervene in the Mexican Revolution. The U.S. Navy sent four gunboats mounting 18 guns to take over Fort Griffin, which sat at Sabine Pass. The Davis Guards, a Confederate Army unit composed of 45 enlisted men, protected Fort Griffin, and though outnumber secured a Confederate win and captured 350 union men along with two gunboats. The Davis guards fired their cannons 107 times in 35 minutes of action, a rate of less than two minutes per shot! A monument (right photo) was erected where Fort Griffin use to be in honor of Lt. Dowling and his 46 soldiers.

After site seeing We’ll grab dinner at Olde Time Diner, named one of the top spots to eat in Port Arthur and then grab some ZZZ’s at Holiday Inn Park Central.