When did the Confederates surrender at Vicksburg? What is the significance of the date?

1 Answer
Sep 26, 2016

Vicksburg surrender July 4th independence day and one day after Gettysburg ended in a Confederate defeat. The timing of the twin defeats demoralized the South.

Explanation:

The Confederacy claimed July 4th American independence from England as analogous to the Southern states struggle for independence from the North. Losing Vicksburg the key to the Mississippi on the anniversary of the day American declared its independence from England was an emotional blow to the south.

The loss of Vicksburg one day after the defeat at Gettysburg was demoralizing. The south had suffered numerous defeats in the west, the worst being Shiloh and now Vicksburg. The defeat at Gettysburg was only the second defeat in the East. These crushing defeats in both the East and West coming within one day of each other was devastating to the moral of the Confederacy.