Railroad Redoubt

The Railroad Redoubt was one of several redoubts, or small defensive earthworks, that were constructed during the American Civil War to protect the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, from Union attack. It was so named because it was constructed along a major east-west railroad track into Vicksburg.

On May 22, 1863, the Union XIII Corps, under the command of Major General John A. McClernand, attacked this portion of the Vicksburg defenses at 10:00 a.m. Within the hour, several units were fighting in or near the ditch fronting the position.

One regiment, the 22nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment, with close support from the 21st Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the 11th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the 77th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, exploited a breach in the Redoubt created by artillery fire, and about a dozen members of the 22nd Iowa entered the defenses at that point. The survivors from that group occupied a forward portion of the position for some hours. The breach was not successfully reinforced, and the attackers not killed or wounded, along with members of supporting units, were forced back as darkness fell.

In the end,the Confederate position held, bringing on the Siege of Vicksburg.