the union had chanced the bombardment of the city of vicksburg, and new orleans had fallen. the tennessee, cumberland, and mississippi rivers seem to belong the north, not the south. and it must have seemed for a time in 1862 that this combination of events, particularly the naval successes for the union, were about to end the war between the states. and then the trend line changed. the father of water that lincoln boasted now flowed unvexed to the sea, became vexed all over again. so jim, let's start with you. what happened and why? >> well, the union navy was on a roll in the fall and winter of '61 and '62 and the spring of 1862. and it looked like they were going to open up the mississippi river completely in the summer of 1862. vicksburg was really the only confederate bastion still on the mississippi river, and both the sea-going fleet under, now-admiral david farrogot came up from the gulf of mexico to vicksburg and the so-called we were flotilla of river boats fought down the mississippi, capturing memphis on the way and a number of other places as well, and they comb

fleet under now admiral farragut came all the way up through the gulf of mexico to vicksburg. the so-called western flotilla of river gunboats, had talked his way down the mississippi capturing them on the way. they combined to mark martin vicksburg but it was clear that the city, the batteries could not be taken without support of army troops. and general halleck who was the army commander of the theater, i like to call him general can't be done, told farragut asked if he could spare some of his 100,000 troops to help a railroad junction, to capture vicksburg. and how it said can't be done. don't have enough troops. and the level of the river was dropping so much, the union naval forces and the army troops were there, only 3000, were all getting sick. so the union forces actually gave up the effort to capture vicksburg in the summer of 1862 because the navy would help them do. which came somewhat as a surprise to note in public because the flotilla at that time, the navy had been doing a lot of things all by itself without any army support. they've captured -- they captured o

for blacks in vicksburg, it was not a good time for blacks to be in the state of mississippi. that weekend i had faith in only two things; god and the united states army. that moment i grabbed the podium, she started tearing up. as i tried to respond, i started tearing up, and there was, obviously, a murmur of approval throughout the audience. so she stood up, pointed her finger at me, and she said thank you for coming. i came over here 50 year t -- years later to say that, and she sat down. it was worth everything. the book tour, i have a university press, they don't pay advances. i go to hotels, i pay for the air fare, pay for the hotel, pay for everything because i want to get the message out. i want to get young people to know about what happened 50 years ago. but that poignant moment answered the question that my driver asked me 50 years later: sir, are we doing any good down here? so i'll never forget that moment. putting a book together like this 50 years later, um, it is in the first perp because i wanted -- first person because i wanted the reader to, well, to be with

i was growing up in vicksburg and daddy told us that night to stay in the house and stay away from the windows. there is trouble out on the street. it was not a good time for blacks in vicksburg and it was not a good time for blacks to be in the state of mississippi. that weekend, i had faith in only two things, god and the united states army. that moment, i grabbed the podium and she started tearing up. as i tried to respond, i started tearing up and there was obviously approval throughout the audience. so she stood up and pointed her finger at me and she said thank you for coming. i came over here 50 years later to say that and she sat down. the book tour, i have a university press, they don't pay advances. i go to hotels and pay for the airfare and paper the hotel and everything. i want to get the message out and get young people to know what happened 50 years ago but that poignant moment answer the question that my driver asked me 50 years earlier. are we doing any good down here? so, i will never forget that moment. putting a book together like this 50 years later, it is in the fi

museums, it would be like getting rid of the battle field, whether, you know, like gt gettiesberg, vix vicksburgps face the ravages of time. mark potter, nbc news, charleston. >>> that's nbc nightly news on this sunday. brian williams will be up tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from los angeles for all of us at nbc news, good night.

that was the time when grant drove the rebels out of vicksburg and then chattanoogans 1863, while in gettysburg, the union prevailed to the greatest were the worst battle ever for in the american continent. by the end of 1862 did bring the nation to the end of the beginning. when that fateful year began, a shattered land looked backward at the dream that seemed forever lost. when the new year arrived, the way forward was susceptible, and upward climb into the challenging yet brilliant future that we have lived to enjoy. with that, does anyone have any questions? comments? any one? there are microphones here. i think c-span would like it if we use them. >> lincoln, who seemed way too patient at times, especially with the chief general from mcclellan to hallett to meade, do you think if he had replaced mcclellan sooner, that they may have at least pushed the army of the potomac to be a little more aggressive? >> a great question. the eternal frustration of lincoln and mcclellan. we have a lot of george mcclellan in his 1862 book and he is a con founding little man. lincoln was often as