TOUR STOP 12
Second Texas Lunette
The Second Texas Lunette (a crescent shaped fortification) was a Confederate fort constructed to guard the Baldwin Ferry Road entrance into Vicksburg. In 1863, the road approached the city from the Southeast, passed in front of the lunette, and then entered Vicksburg. The lunette is named after the Second Texas Volunteer Infantry which garrisoned it throughout the siege.
The lunette was the subject of a tremendous artillery bombardment and repeated, furious Union assaults on May 22. However, the determination and bravery of the attacking Federals was matched by the Confederates, whose withering defensive fire consistently forced the Union soldiers to retire. After the assaults, the commander of the Second Texas stated:"along the road [Baldwin Ferry] for more than 200 yards the bodies lay so thick that one might have walked the whole distance without touching the ground."
With so many casualties, the Federals changed their strategy of attack against the Second Texas Lunette and commenced mining operations by digging approach trenches. At the time of the Vicksburg surrender, one of the trenches was within 10 yards of the outer ditch of the fortification.
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Last update: Friday, November 05, 1999
http://www.nps.gov/vick/ts_12/ts_12.htm
Editor: G. Zeman