Vicksburg National Cemetery: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Vicksburg National Military Park, National Park Service

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., contractor; John Milner Associates, Inc., subcontractor

The National Cemetery system was established in 1867 by an act of Congress. Planning for Vicksburg National Cemetery had already begun in 1866, and the cemetery opened for burials in 1867. It is one of the country’s oldest national cemeteries and has the largest number of Civil War interments of any national cemetery in the United States. Vicksburg National Cemetery is located adjacent to the northwest portion of Vicksburg National Military Park. The cemetery inventory unit encompasses 120.03 acres; however, the burials are contained in the original 40 acres of the cemetery and in two additional terraces in the northwest corner of the cemetery. The original 40 acres are surrounded by the original brick perimeter wall. The original brick wall was moved to accommodate the realignment of U.S. Highway 61, and encloses the two terraces that are not part of the original 40 acres. The cemetery predates Vicksburg National Military Park, which was established in 1899. The cemetery site is located in Warren County, Mississippi, about one and one-half miles north of the historic center of the city of Vicksburg. Principal characteristics and features of the cemetery landscape include the brick cemetery perimeter wall, the dramatic topography formed by the construction of multiple terraces and plateaus descending east to west, the winding loop road and drainage structures visible throughout the site, and the patterns of headstones and markers that form regular and rhythmic rows across the landscape. The terraces were graded on the existing bluff in order to prepare the site for burials on the highly erodible loess soils. One of the highest elevations in the southwest portion of the cemetery site is the Indian Mound. This topographic feature served as the site of Fort Sugar-loaf in 1797, with other Spanish fortifications also located near the cemetery site. After the Civil War and purchase of the site by the United States government, the Indian Mound remained and towered over the constructed terraces of the new cemetery, affording expansive views to the surrounding landscape. The Grant-Pemberton Surrender Monument was located on the mound in 1868. In 1875 a wooden gazebo was constructed in close proximity to the monument, complete with benches for visitor comfort and views to the landscape. The gazebo was replaced by the extant brick rest pavilion, constructed in the 1931. The Grant-Pemberton Surrender Monument was moved from the Indian Mound back to its original location at the surrender interview site in the park in 1940. Additional features of the cemetery include large deciduous and evergreen trees scattered over the site, maintaining the historical park like setting and character of the landscape.

Vicksburg National Cemetery: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Vicksburg National Military Park, National Park Service

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