Now available in paper for the first time. Ten fascinating chapters on the complex and decisive campaign to capture the city of Vicksburg and sever the Confederacy in two. Author Terry Winschel chief historian at Vicksburg National Military Park weaves a professional lifetime of personal experience and scholarship into this remarkable study. His chapters cover every major aspect of what many consider to have been the decisive military achievement of the war-the capture of "The Gibraltar of the Confederacy." How good was General Grant's generalship? Was Confederate Lieutenant General John Pemberton really as inept as we have been led to believe? Which battle of the months-long campaign was decisive and sealed the fate of the city? How did the civilians deal with the lack of food and supplies? What role did cavalry play in this critical campaign? Winschel discusses these issues and many others with articles on General Grant's march through Louisiana Grierson's Federal cavalry raid the battles of Port Gibson and Champion Hill the infantry assault on Vicksburg siege operations John Walker's Texas Division the citizens of Vicksburg and much more. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Terrence Winschel is the Chief Historian of Vicksburg National Military Park and the author or editor of several books and dozens of articles on the Civil War. He lives withi his family in Vicksburg.