Vicksburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
(44) Reviews
Vicksburg
About
Bring history to life with this self-guided driving tour of the Vicksburg Battlefield, where Union and Confederate forces fought for control of the Mississippi River. Explore the battlefield and its powerful memorials as you hear about General Grant’s march on Vicksburg, the Confederate resistance, and the bloody Siege of Vicksburg itself. Revisit tales of bravery, strategy, and grit with dramatic blow-by-blow accounts of the struggle and its nation-altering aftermath.
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!
After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, d...
Highlights
From 1 hour to 2 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
From 1 hour to 2 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Text transcripts of audio narration & Self-paced format (start/pause/resume anytime)
Pre-recorded audio commentary (downloadable or streamable)
This is a GPS-powered, self-guided audio tour that works through an app
Lifetime access (no expiration) with Customer support (chat/email)
This tour is NOT a ticket to any attraction or site
Suggested walking/driving itinerary with stop-by-stop directions
Offline GPS-enabled route map
NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)
Begin from the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
Return
Parkside Gutters and Siding, Inc.
The tour will end near Parkside Gutters and Siding, Inc..
Important Information
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Public transportation options are available nearby
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Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
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How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
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Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
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Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
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New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
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Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
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If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
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This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
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Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Become our Lokal Curator
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Welcome to the Vicksburg Battlefield! To President Abraham Lincoln, this site was the key to winning the entire Civil War. Confederate President Jefferson Davis felt the same! So let’s find out why it was so important, what happened here, and what it all meant.
Note: The tour is over 15 miles long, with more than 44 audio stories, and takes about 1–2 hours to complete.
New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
5 minutes
2
Memorial Arch
Drive toward the Memorial Arch, built after a veterans reunion was held here in 1917. Former soldiers from both sides of the war sat side by side at this historic 4-day event. This time they sat in peace. It was certainly a bittersweet moment and one the veterans wanted to commemorate. So they built this arch!
5 minutes
3
Minnesota Memorial
Park near that pillar memorial coming up ahead on our left. That’s the Minnesota Memorial. The statue at the base of the pillar is a statue of peace. She holds a sword and shield that have since been laid down by both armies. They’re in her hands for safe keeping, preventing any future battles on this soil.
5 minutes
4
Michigan Memorial
That soaring obelisk around the bend and to our left is the Michigan Memorial. The statue at its base is “The Spirit of Michigan.” This memorial honors the Michigan men who fought here, but its location is of particular importance. One of their leaders, Captain Samuel DeGolyer, was mortally wounded near here during the fighting on the 28th of May. I’ll talk in more detail about that soon.
5 minutes
5
Illinois Memorial
The man who designed this monument was W. L. B. Jenney, a veteran who actually fought in the battle here! Inside, we’ll find the names of every Illinois soldier who fought here. Jenney intended to create not just a memorial, but a temple to those brave souls, many of whom gave their lives for their country on this battlefield.
5 minutes
6
Logan's Approach
The trench beyond this parking lot is known as Logan’s Approach. Here, Union engineers tried an unusual tactic to advance on a Confederate position during the fighting. Under General Grant’s orders, they dig a trench to the Confederate fort. Then they place a mine laden with 2,200 pounds of gunpowder in the trench and light the fuse!
5 minutes
7
Wisconsin Memorial
Drive around the bend ahead, then pull over across from the grand column atop a staircase. That’s the Wisconsin Memorial. Direct your eyes at the top of this monument, and there’s ‘Old Abe,’ war eagle and official mascot for the 8th Wisconsin Infantry. Believe it or not, Old Abe was a real bird! The 8th WIsconsin would carry him proudly onto the battlefield, tethered to a five-foot poll painted red, white and blue. He was a good old bird, granted honorable discharge in 1864. A true war veteran who witnessed 42 battles!
5 minutes
8
West Virginia Monument
The bust we’re about to pass on our right is the West Virginia Monument, which honors Major Azra Goodspeed. Goodspeed was born in Ohio, but served and was killed fighting for West Virginia. Quite a few men from Ohio and Pennsylvania actually fought under the West Virginia flag. That’s because when recruitment numbers were filled, new recruits looked for other states with open positions.
5 minutes
9
African American Monument
n a minute, we’ll see a statue of three men on our right. Pull over and park when you see it. This memorial honors the thousands of African-American soldiers who fought for the Union and for their freedom. And yet, all was not equal, even in the Union army. Units were segregated and Black soldiers were paid less and given worse equipment. But still they fought shoulder to shoulder with their white comrades in the heat of battle.
5 minutes
10
Major General Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
In just a minute, we’ll see a statue of a man on horseback with a rugged face and eyes lasered in on his surroundings. Park in the lot when you see it. It’s impossible to miss! That statue depicts none other than the man himself, Major General Ulysses S. Grant.
We’re about to pass a monument honoring the 106th Volunteer Infantry Regiment from Illinois. It’s the small granite obelisk coming up on our right. These men trained in Lincoln, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln once worked as a lawyer!
10 minutes
12
U.S. Navy Monument
The tallest monument in the park is coming up soon. It’s the US Navy Monument, honoring the officers and sailors who fought in Vicksburg. Grant’s army gets most of the credit for the siege of Vicksburg, but he couldn’t have done it without help from the Navy. The gunboats brought Grant’s men down the Mississippi. They sneaked past rebel defense lines in the dead of night. They carried Grant’s army across the Mississippi at Bruinsburg.
10 minutes
13
Vicksburg National Cemetery
This is the Vicksburg National Cemetery, the final resting place for 17,000 Union soldiers. For many, it’s their second burial ground. How come? During the war when a soldier was killed, their comrades dug a grave close to the action. There wasn’t time to do anything else! A simple wooden cross with their name carved on it sufficed as a grave marker. Hundreds of markers like that dotted the landscape. When the war ended, the US government tried their best to locate all these markers and made every effort to give these men a proper burial.
10 minutes
14
Fort Hill
This is Fort Hill, and what a view it offers! It's not hard to imagine why Confederates were stationed here. Open landscape, clear views of the river, and a bend that caused warships to slow down. A perfect lookout point. In fact, Fort Hill was so well fortified that no land battle ever took place here. It was that secure.
5 minutes
15
The Missouri State Memorial
On our left stands the Missouri Memorial, representing both sides of the Civil War. Missouri was a state divided. Both the Union and the Confederacy recognized it as their own. 109,000 men joined the Union, 30,000 joined the Confederacy. Neighbors turned against one another.
5 minutes
16
Mississippi Monument
The stone obelisk coming up on our right is the Mississippi monument. Like a few other memorials on this battlefield, the base of this one is adorned with the figure of a woman. But who is she, and why is she here? The women on these monuments serve as protectors to the warriors. They’re modeled after Greek or Roman goddesses representing peace and reconciliation.
5 minutes
17
Alabama Monument
The bronze monument coming up on our right commemorates troops from the state of Alabama. The men depicted here are being led forward by a woman who represents the state of Alabama itself.
5 minutes
18
Fort Garrott
The hill on our left was the site of Fort Garrott. Who’s the fort named after? Colonel Isham W. Garrott that’s who! He was the commander of a volunteer regiment from Alabama. Fort Garrott is never blasted like other forts. But Union snipers hide behind trees, waiting to shoot any sign of movement. One day, Garrott himself moves. A bullet kills him instantly. He never knew he’d just been promoted to Brigadier General.
5 minutes
19
Kentucky Monument
Park in the turnout just ahead. From here we can see the Kentucky Monument. This iconic memorial depicts two essential figures: Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Both men were born in Kentucky, so the bluegrass state honors them both. Feel free to walk up the path to get a closer look at the monument, and click Learn More to hear more about it.
5 minutes
Vicksburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
(44) Reviews
Vicksburg
Select Date & Travelers
From
$17.00
Price varies by group size
About
Bring history to life with this self-guided driving tour of the Vicksburg Battlefield, where Union and Confederate forces fought for control of the Mississippi River. Explore the battlefield and its powerful memorials as you hear about General Grant’s march on Vicksburg, the Confederate resistance, and the bloody Siege of Vicksburg itself. Revisit tales of bravery, strategy, and grit with dramatic blow-by-blow accounts of the struggle and its nation-altering aftermath.
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!
After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, d...
Highlights
From 1 hour to 2 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
From 1 hour to 2 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Text transcripts of audio narration & Self-paced format (start/pause/resume anytime)
Pre-recorded audio commentary (downloadable or streamable)
This is a GPS-powered, self-guided audio tour that works through an app
Lifetime access (no expiration) with Customer support (chat/email)
This tour is NOT a ticket to any attraction or site
Suggested walking/driving itinerary with stop-by-stop directions
Offline GPS-enabled route map
NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)
Begin from the Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
Return
Parkside Gutters and Siding, Inc.
The tour will end near Parkside Gutters and Siding, Inc..