Chronology of Grant's Final Campaign and Siege of Vicksburg

March 29 - July 4th, 1863

For a discussion of sources on the Vicksburg operations, click here.

Chronology entries in blue refer to Union operations; those in gray to Confederate operations; those in red to actual combat.

Date:Event:
March 29-30McClernand (XIII Corps) begins moving down the west side of the river, to New Carthage.


April 16First set of gunboats and transports runs past the Vicksburg batteries.
April 17Grierson sets out from LaGrange, Tennessee.
April 22Second set of transports runs past the batteries.
April 24Grierson breaks railroad between Jackson and Meridian at Newton Station
April 29Fleet fails to reduce Grand Gulf.

Sherman demonstrates north of Vicksburg.
April 30Sherman continues his demonstration

XIII (McClernand) and XVII Corps (McPherson) begin crossing the Mississippi at Bruinsburg.

Sherman ordered to join Grant.
May 1Battle of Port Gibson; McClernand and McPherson defeat Bowen.
May 2Grierson reaches safety at Baton Rouge.
May 5-7McPherson feints north at Vicksburg from Hankinson's Ferry on the Big Black River.
May 8XV Corps (Sherman) joins Grant.
May 9Johnston ordered to go from Tullahoma to Mississippi and take command in the field.
May 12Battle of Raymond; McPherson defeats Gregg.
May 13Joe Johnston arrives at Jackson to take command, wires Richmond, "I am too late."
May 14Battle of Jackson; Sherman and McPherson defeat Johnston.
May 16Battle of Champion Hill; Loring's division separated from Pemberton's army.
May 17Battle of Big Black River Bridge; Pemberton loses 1700 prisoners.
May 18Vicksburg invested; four Confederate divisions (Stevenson's, Bowen's, Forney's, and Smith's) are trapped inside the lines.
May 19First assault.
May 22Second assault.
June 3Kimball's Provisional Division arrives.
June 6-7Grant's Satartia trip.
June 7Battle of Milliken's Bend; Confederates under Richard Taylor attack Grant's base on the west bank of the Mississippi, are repulsed.
June 11F.J. Herron's division arrives from Arkansas.
June 121/XVI (W.S. Smith) arrives.
June 14Two divisions of IX Corps begin to arrive from Kentucky.
June 18McClernand relieved.
June 22Sherman's expeditionary force formed.
June 25-28Mine exploded under 3rd Louisiana Redan; active combat rages for three days before Federals withdraw.
June 28Anonymous soldiers warn Pemberton the garrison is close to mutiny over rations.
July 1Another mine exploded under 3rd Louisiana Redan, but no follow-up attack is made.

Pemberton asks his division commanders for their views of the situation.
July 2Capt. Comstock issues guidelines for proposed July 6 assault.
July 3Flag of truce appears between the lines, and discussions begin between Grant and Pemberton as to the surrender of the city and its garrison.
July 4Pemberton surrenders the city and its garrison.