Revisit to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg Miss.

Today was my third visit to this park, which celebrates one of the really key battles of the Civil War- after the Northern victory here and coupled with the victory at Gettysburg, the South began to see the beginning of the end. 

I came back today since there were 4 new versions of stamps to be had, and I got them all. 

I first went to the main VC, and saw the movie again, and retoured the little museum they have there-  and got two new for me pins and a new hiking medallion. 

Then, I headed over to the USS Cairo Museum portion of the park, and got the two new stamps there.

There must be more that 500 different monuments in this park, if not a thousand. Each state that contributed soldiers has a major monument, then there are any number of unit memorials, then beyond that, there are hundreds of individuals memorialized.  There is also a National Cemetery within the grounds. 

Over 20,000 folks died here during the battles, pretty big numbers.  Grant risked his military career by the siege tactic, after several direct frontal assaults, and even trying to dig canals to redirect the river so supply boats wouldn't have to face the Confederate cannons high atop the bluffs overlooking the river.