PM History Lessons: Vicksburg Campaign

Paul Bruno, PgMP, PMP has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of project management and information technology. He holds bachelor's degrees in management and computer software, as well as master's degrees in business administration and history.

  Leadership  

Many historical events and milestones meet the definition of a project as a “temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end that is undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, which will typically bring about beneficial change or added value.” The goal of the PM History Lessons series is to provide practical knowledge applicable to today’s projects while exploring some history along the way.

Starting in the fall of 1862, General Ulysses S. Grant campaigned to take the strategic city of Vicksburg, Mississippi in the United States to gain full control of the Mississippi River and split the rebellious Confederate States of America in half. This effort culminated in the surrender of the city on July 4, 1863—marking the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. This historic campaign offers several practical lessons for present-day project leaders.

This campaign during the American Civil War represents one of the most brilliant military initiatives ever undertaken. President Abraham Lincoln had correctly realized that taking the city, considered impregnable, was critical to the North winning the war. Capturing that objective would provide the Union complete control of the Mississippi River, which represented the key transportation corridor in that theater of the conflict.[i]

Grant realized the genius of Lincoln’s assessment and made it…

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