Cannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Actually a destination in itself, we spent only a few hours at Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi. It was an appropriately gloomy day for visiting a former battlefield, I thought. These are just a few representative photos from this memorial to what was one of the most important and decisive battles of the Civil War.
Entrance monument at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiCannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiVicksburg National Military Park, MississippiThe US Navy Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiThe Texas Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiThe Alabama Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiMonument for Confederate Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
The sheer number of casualties from Vicksburg alone is overwhelming, and was just a portion of the overall losses from the war. War didn’t make any more sense then than it does today, and unfortunately it doesn’t seem like we’ve taken the lessons to heart.
The Illinois Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiThe Illinois Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
There are hundreds of monuments across the battlefield, and the largest and most impressive were those from individual states. For a history buff a lot of the battle lines were marked, with information on the troops stationed there at various points of the battle. A little too detailed for me, but interesting to try and understand the scope of the place.
USS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiUSS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiUSS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiUSS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiUSS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiUSS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, MississippiUSS Cairo, a restored Civil War–era gunship at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
I was especially interested in the USS Cairo on display. The ship was salvaged from the Mississippi River years after the war. It has been partially restored and rests on a cradle under this large canopy. The mechanical components of the ship are pretty much intact.
National Cemetery at Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Cannons with the Illinois Memorial in the background. Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Kathy & I are enroute to Texas for the first leg of our winter travels. We made a long overdue stop in Vicksburg to visit the National Military Park there. It is a solemn reminder of the price many have paid over our nation’s history.
We visited on a cloudy and overcast day, but thankfully with no rain. The whole time I photographed there I was envisioning the photos in black & white, in an inadequate homage to the photographs that were made in the heat of the moment. The battlefields as they exist today are a distant reminder of the horrors of battle, but the tribute paid in the form of monuments and memorials is moving.
Cyprus trees at the Tupelo-Bald Cyprus Swamp on the Natchez Trace Parkway
While visiting the cyprus swamp on the Natchez Trace Parkway, I did a few impressionistic photos of the trees using camera movement to blur the trunks. These are two of my favorites from that session. I love how the motion simplifies the composition by making it all about the lines of the trees and removing the distracting details.
Cyprus trees at the Tupelo-Bald Cyprus Swamp on the Natchez Trace Parkway
Cyprus trees at the Tupelo-Bald Cyprus Swamp on the Natchez Trace Parkway
I have a thing for Cyprus trees. The shapes are interesting, and I love how they live against all odds of nature. We found these in a swamp along the Natchez Trace Parkway today. I know there’s a rule about taking landscape photos in harsh sunlight, but I keep forgetting…. 🙂
Cyprus trees at the Tupelo-Bald Cyprus Swamp on the Natchez Trace ParkwayCyprus trees at the Tupelo-Bald Cyprus Swamp on the Natchez Trace ParkwayCyprus trees at the Tupelo-Bald Cyprus Swamp on the Natchez Trace Parkway
