Grant's Canal Historical Landmark

Grant's Canal was located near Delta, Louisiana. Ulysses S. Grant ordered the project, started on June 27, 1862, with two goals in mind. The first was to alter the course of the Mississippi River in order to bypass the Confederate guns at Vicksburg, Mississippi. For various technical reasons the project failed to meet this goal. The river did change course by itself on April 26, 1876. But the project did meet its second goal, keeping troops occupied during the laborious maneuvering required to begin the Battle of Vicksburg. A small remnant of the canal is part of Vicksburg National Military Park.Grant's Canal has national significance as part of Vicksburg National Military Park and because its construction comprised military activity that had an observable influence on the direction and conduct of the Vicksburg campaign. Although the efforts to construct the canal ended in failure, they are associated with early Federal campaign plans to eliminate the Confederate presence at Vicksburg. Much of Williams' Canal/Grant's Canal has been obliterated by agricultural operations since the Civil War. This is the only segment that retains its original width and much of its depth. The 2.5-acre (10,000 m2) tract was donated to the National Park Service by local landowners working in conjunction with The Conservation Fund and became part of Vicksburg National Military Park in 1990. Thus, the National Park Service currently protects and interprets the resources.