A Long Dreadful Day

The Union attack on May 19 was not well planned, and it was based on poor intelligence of the Confederate defences and the opposing troops. But Grant wanted to make the effort, banking on the emotional impact of his overland campaign on Confederate morale. It was a logical hope and if successful would have delivered Vicksburg into Federal hands without the time and investment of resources and loss of life incurred by a lengthy siege of the city. But his hopes for a general attack fell through. The only serious attack that went in as scheduled at 2 p.m. was that conducted by Frank P. Blair’s division of William T. Sherman’s Fifteenth Corps, on the Union right. Blair attacked the strongest segment of the Confederate line of earthworks, the areas around Stockade Redan and the 27th Louisiana Lunette at the northeastern corner of Lockett’s line. Blair’s men were repulsed with substantial losses.