Vicksburg, Mississippi in "Ambuscade" (Location)

Vicksburg, a city on steep bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, was a strategically important Confederate stronghold in the Civil War. It was the target of several major campaigns by Union troops, including a naval campaign led by Admiral David Farragut that began in May 1862 and continued into June and July of that year, but the city's location high above the river made naval bombardment impractical. The city finally fell to Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant on July 4, 1863, after a 47-day siege. The fall of Vicksburg, the last major Confederate fortress on the Mississippi River, is considered a major turning point in the war. In part because of its historical importance, the city is frequently mentioned in Faulkner's novels and short stories.