Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the 1863 Siege of Vicksburg. Learn why the battle was such an important turning point of the Civil War tonight at 8 on Aerial America: Mississippi. http://bit.ly/2JmvqPu | Smithsonian Channel

Want to learn more about the Vicksburg Campaign but don’t know where to start? Watch our animated map of Vicksburg to learn more about the strategic importance of this city along the Mississippi River and why its capture was a turning point for the Union Army. The video also details the Battle of Port Gibson, Battle of Champion Hill, Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton’s surrender, and more. | American Battlefield Trust

The Battle for Vicksburg (1863) was a pivotal campaign in the American Civil War, centering on control of the Mississippi River. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston aimed to reinforce the beleaguered forces of Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, who was trapped in Vicksburg by Union forces under Major General Ulysses S. Grant. Vicksburg was strategically significant for both sides, as its capture would sever the Confederacy and enable Union control of the Mississippi River. Grant laid siege