![]() The serene river you see was once the battleground for many important parts of the civil war. Though no specific battles occurred, many could say that this was a battle of its own.
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Mississippi River
The steamboat's usefulness was discovered when it was found to be faster than the typical ironclad. Once the Union took control of the river, they began construction for more steamboats. When the Confederacy lost the Battles of Fort Donelson and Pea Ridge in 1862, the Union gained control of the upper half of the river. Ear Van Dorn, a Confederate general, had to move his forces across to river after the Battle of Pea Ridge with the use of steam boats. Soon after, the North brought their own troops and supplies on steamboats to help some of their own forces near Jacksonport. They travelled through a tributary of the Mississippi River known as the White River. Later that year, General Samuel Curtis went down the Mississippi with the steamboats White Cloud and Iatan to not only irritate the Confederates but capture a boat as well. Steamboats also played a vital role in the Battle of Vicksburg, which took place because of the river. Read more about it by clicking the link! |