We spent the day touring the Vicksburg national Battlefield. We hired a professional guide and spent almost 5 hours with him. It was very interesting. This battlefield is full of memorials and markers. Each participant state has a memorial of some type. Texas had a very interesting one. You will notice that there are plants growing around the base of the statue. This is the only memorial with plantings. The most interesting this for me was standing on the various positions and seeing the close proximity of the opposing sides during this battle. I had no idea that the action was at such close quarters. It was very sobering to imagine the charging Federal forces coming up the hills into the teeth of small arms and cannon fire from well protected positions. As you probably know, Grant was not able to take Vicksburg by military assault. He laid seige and starved the Confederate forces into surrender. That was July 4, 1863, in case you are wondering. The day after Lee was defeated at Gettysburg.