The Battle of Vicksburg — 1863 (OLLI)

Gettysburg is often ranked as one of the three most important battles in American history; however, this perspective obscures the fact that the victory at Vicksburg was celebrated on the same day and was arguably more important militarily than what was happening in Pennsylvania. General Ulysses S. Grant was tasked with dividing the Confederacy in two, and his victory at Vicksburg accomplished that task on July 4, 1863.