Logistical Considerations

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Logistical Considerations

• Vicksburg Staff Ride
• CDT Simmons, Moriel

2
Threat from Confederate Cavalry

• Van Dorns cavalry destroyed Grants advanced
  depot at Holly Springs in Dec 1862
• Grant came to realize that he could live off the
  land, thus neutralizing the threat to an extended
  land line of communication
• It was similar to Grants experience in Mexico.

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Logistics Lessons learned by Lieutenant Grant in
Mexico

• Grant served as a quartermaster in the Mexican
  War
• Major General Winfield Scott faced a similar
  threat to his extended lines of communications as
  he advanced inland from Vera Cruz to Mexico City
• Securing the various depots along the way was
  draining Scott of needed manpower
• He decided to cut his line of supply and live off
  the land
• Grant saw it could be done

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Grant at Vicksburg

• Grants efforts to move south had left him with
  two well-stocked advance depots
• One below Vicksburg and several just above it
• As Grant moved away from his new base at Grand
  Gulf, Pemberton expected him to stay close to the
  river to take advantage of these depots
• Grants move inland caught Pemberton by surprise

5
Grant Cuts Loose

• Grant says he cut loose from his line of
  supply, but he didnt mean this completely
• He still had a strong system that brought wagons
  from Youngs Point to Bowers Landing where the
  supplies were loaded on steamboats and carried to
  Grand Gulf
• From Grand Gulf huge wagons escorted by brigades
  brought the supplies forward to the main force

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Convoy Operations

• So really what Grant meant by cutting loose was
  that he did not occupy and garrison the supply
  route
• Instead he conducted something similar to todays
  convoy resupply system

7
Confederate Attempts

• While Pemberton remained primarily on the
  defensive, he did make one offensive attempt on
  15 May to strike south from Edwards toward
  Dillons Plantation
• If hed been successful he could have very likely
  found Grants ammunition train
• However, heavy rains, confusion, and indecision
  led instead to the battle of Champion Hill

8
Grants Offensive Operations

• While Pemberton missed his opportunity to strike
  Grants logistics, Grant focused on Pembertons
• Grants objective at the battle of Raymond was to
  cut the Southern Railroad
• After Raymond, Grant shifted his decisive point
  to Jackson which would further impact Confederate
  logistics by interrupting Confederate rail and
  communications

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Pembertons Logistical Problems

• Inefficiency of, and competing priorities
  between, the Confederate quartermaster and
  commissary departments
• Union naval superiority
• Pembertons own lack of overall vision for the
  campaign

10
Siege Operations

• With the loss of Jackson, all supplies became
  critical to Pemberton
• Still had large stockpiles within Vicksburg
• However as the siege progressed, the Armies
  logistical situations moved in opposite
  directions
• Confederate stockpiles dwindled
• Union forces, situated alongside North Americas
  greatest transportation artery, received
  reinforcements and supplies in seemingly
  limitless quantities

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Reference

• Staff Ride Handbook for The Vicksburg Campaign,
  December 1862-July 1863