Why did the union want to capture Vicksburg? A. to prevent trains from getting through. B. to shut down the textile mills here. C. to get close with Richmond. D. to control the Mississippi river.
The capture of Vicksburg was important because the city was considered a key point. Lincoln has said that “the war can never be bought to a close until the key is in our pocket”. To achieve full control of the Mississippi River, the capture of Vicksburg was necessary.
The correct answer is D. to control the Mississippi River.
To arrive at this answer, we can analyze the options provided and consider the strategic importance of Vicksburg during the American Civil War.
Option A is incorrect because the primary railroad lines supplying Vicksburg were east-west connections, rather than north-south routes. Therefore, capturing Vicksburg would not have directly prevented trains from getting through.
Option B is also incorrect because Vicksburg was not a significant center for textile mills. The main focus of the Union was not to shut down specific industries but rather to gain control of vital strategic positions.
Option C is incorrect as well. Although Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, was an important objective for the Union, Vicksburg was not essential for establishing a direct connection with Richmond. Richmond is located on the East Coast, while Vicksburg is situated in the interior of the country.
Option D, to control the Mississippi River, is the correct answer. Vicksburg was a crucial Confederate stronghold positioned on high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. By capturing Vicksburg, the Union would effectively gain control of a significant portion of the Mississippi River, cutting off a major transportation route for the Confederacy. Controlling the Mississippi River also allowed the Union to split the Confederacy in two, isolate the western Confederate states, and potentially prevent Confederate forces from reinforcing or resupplying areas to the west of the river.
Therefore, the main reason the Union wanted to capture Vicksburg was to control the Mississippi River and gain a strategic advantage in the American Civil War.