Grand Gulf, Mississippi – A Bustling Port Along the River
Nestled in the northwestern corner of Claiborne County, Mississippi, lies the site of what was once a vibrant and vital riverport town: Grand Gulf. During the first half of the 19th century, Grand Gulf, Mississippi thrived as a hub of commerce and activity, a testament to the power of the Mississippi River and the promise of the American frontier. Its story is one of rapid growth, devastating setbacks, and ultimately, a poignant disappearance, leaving behind only echoes of its former glory.
The history of the region predates the establishment of the town itself. From 1680 to 1803, the land that would become the Mississippi Territory was under the control of both French and Spanish governments. These colonial powers issued land grants to encourage settlement, including several by the Spanish in the late 1700s in the area where Grand Gulf, Mississippi would later emerge. These initial grants laid the foundation for the community, attracting families like the Whites, Marbles, and Smiths, who would eventually contribute to the town’s formation.
Among these early settlers were Colonel Thomas Lilly White and his son, Captain Thomas White, Jr. Both men, figures of resilience and determination, had served with distinction in the Revolutionary War in North Carolina. In 1792, Thomas White, Sr. received a Spanish land grant, prompting the family’s relocation to the Natchez District, now part of Claiborne County. Other members of the White family followed, acquiring additional land in the area. Thomas White, Sr. later served on the first panel of jurors in Claiborne County in 1802. He was also appointed as one of three commissioners tasked with purchasing land for the first courthouse in nearby Port Gibson. He passed away in 1804. The Whites, alongside other pioneering families, faced the challenges of frontier life, including encounters with Native Americans and the threat of outlaws along the infamous Natchez Trace. Yet, they persevered, carving out a semblance of civilization from the untamed wilderness.
The strategic location of the area, near the confluence of the Big Black River and the Mississippi River, played a crucial role in its development. This natural waterway provided easy access to the extensive river trade network, making it an ideal spot for a port. As the region prospered, three individuals – Ezra Marble, Turpin White, and Amos Whiting – recognized the potential for a thriving town. In 1828, they decided to develop a new settlement on their property. They hired William Davis to survey the land, laying out a grid of 80 city blocks. The town was named Grand Gulf, Mississippi after a significant whirlpool that formed where the Mississippi River collided with a large rock just north of the townsite.
The new village quickly took shape. By the following year, it boasted three stores, a post office, a tavern, and several residences. A stage line commenced operations between Grand Gulf, Mississippi and Port Gibson, facilitating transportation and communication. Numerous steamboats began to call at Grand Gulf’s port, further stimulating its growth. A visiting writer in 1830 captured the essence of the burgeoning community, describing the vibrant social scene and the economic importance of such river towns:
"Towns usually arise from the location of a county seat or a shipping port. In these towns are the banks, the merchants, the post offices, and the several places of resort for business or pleasure that draw the planter and his family from his estate. Each town is a center of a circle that extends many miles around it into the country and daily attracts all within its influence. The ladies come in carriages to shop; the gentlemen, on horseback, to do business with their commission merchants, visit the banks, hear the news, dine together at hotels, and ride back in the evening. Showy carriages and saddle horses are the peculiar characteristics of the moving spectacle in the streets of the southwestern town."
The writer further noted the youthful demographic of the town, with many young men, merchants, lawyers, and physicians, often bachelors, populating the streets. He observed the relaxed atmosphere and the social gatherings, including public balls where beautiful women from plantations miles around would attend.
Despite its location on the western frontier, the early settlers of Grand Gulf, Mississippi were generally well-educated and brought a sophisticated lifestyle with them from the Old South. These settlements along the Mississippi River served as pockets of relative culture and refinement amidst the surrounding primeval swamps, forests, and the dangers posed by Native Americans, wolves, bears, and alligators.
Travelers in the region found a surprising level of comfort and luxury in the Port Gibson-Grand Gulf area. Captain Edmund Winston of Fredericksburg, Virginia, documented his experience in a letter to his sister in 1828, during his stay at the Planter’s Hotel in Port Gibson. He described the town’s remarkable improvement, the booming slave trade, and the refined officials. He was particularly impressed by the tavern’s menu and the steward’s theatrical presentation of the available dishes, reflecting the abundance and extravagance that characterized the region.
In 1833, Grand Gulf, Mississippi was formally incorporated as a town. Cotton was the dominant crop in the fertile bottomlands, and the easy access to the Mississippi River made it a prime location for shipping. Fortunes were made through the cultivation of cotton, facilitated by the availability of cheap land and the exploitation of enslaved labor. In less than nine months, from September 1834 to May 1835, an astonishing 37,770 bales of cotton were shipped from Grand Gulf. The town continued its rapid expansion, surpassing the population of Port Gibson, the Claiborne County seat, and becoming the third-largest town in Mississippi.
As the central hub for the cotton shipping industry, Grand Gulf, Mississippi soon boasted a large hospital, numerous retail stores, a theater, and a population of approximately 1,000 people by the late 1830s. Over twenty steamboats would regularly stop at the town each week to trade goods and replenish supplies. These boats brought not only merchandise but also new residents, including young Jewish merchants who sought opportunities away from the larger port of New Orleans, Louisiana.
However, the prosperous era of Grand Gulf, Mississippi was destined to be short-lived. A series of devastating disasters struck the town, beginning in 1843 with a severe yellow fever epidemic. The disease spread rapidly, causing widespread illness and death. Northern newspapers reported on the severity of the epidemic, noting the high mortality rates in New Orleans, Grand Gulf, and Port Gibson. The lack of medical resources and the exhaustion of the sole physician in Grand Gulf further exacerbated the crisis.
Nine years later, in 1852, a steamboat explosion decimated Grand Gulf’s docking facilities. The steamboat George Washington, en route from Cincinnati, Ohio, to New Orleans, Louisiana, suffered a catastrophic boiler explosion near Grand Gulf. The explosion resulted in a fire that destroyed the ship and the adjacent landing facilities. The loss of life was significant, with numerous crew members and passengers killed or severely injured.
The following year, 1853, a tornado struck the town, causing widespread damage. That same year, the Mississippi River began to change its course, gradually eroding the town’s land. By 1860, the river had swallowed approximately 52 blocks of the townsite, reducing the population to a mere 158 people. By the outbreak of the Civil War, only a few abandoned buildings remained standing.
Grand Gulf, Mississippi played a significant role during the Civil War, experiencing two notable military engagements.
The First Battle of Grand Gulf occurred in May 1862, when Confederate artillerists from the Brookhaven Light Artillery, under the command of Captain James Hoskins, arrived in Grand Gulf. They strategically positioned four 6-pounder cannons on the bluffs overlooking the river. The Confederate troops harassed the Federal fleet commanded by Flag Officer Commodore David Farragut. After allowing three Union warships to pass undisturbed, the Confederate guns opened fire on unarmed transports, inflicting damage on the Laurel Hill. In retaliation, Captain Thomas Craven of the warship Brooklyn bombarded the town. Later, under the cover of darkness, the Confederates repositioned their cannons and attacked the Wissahickon and Itasca as they passed the batteries.
The Battle of Grand Gulf, a more significant engagement, took place in 1863 as part of General Ulysses S. Grant’s campaign against Vicksburg. On April 29, 1863, Grant attempted to force a crossing of the Mississippi River at Grand Gulf, with the intention of advancing on Vicksburg from the south.
Union Rear Admiral David D. Porter led an attack with seven ironclad warships on the Confederate fortifications and batteries at Grand Gulf. The Union fleet bombarded the Grand Gulf defenses for five hours, attempting to silence the Confederate guns and clear the way for a landing.
Despite the intense bombardment, the Confederate batteries, particularly those at Fort Cobun, remained operational. The Union fleet sustained heavy damage and failed to achieve its objective. Union Rear Admiral David D. Porter declared Grand Gulf to be the "strongest place on the Mississippi." The Union ironclads and transports were forced to withdraw. However, under the cover of darkness, the ironclads re-engaged the Confederate guns while the steamboats and barges ran past the batteries.
Although the Grand Gulf assault was unsuccessful, Grant did not abandon his plan to cross the river. He moved his troops south, and under the protection of Admiral Porter’s fleet, they crossed the Mississippi River at Bruinsburg, below Grand Gulf. From there, Grant’s forces marched overland towards Port Gibson.
Despite the Confederate victory at Grand Gulf, the engagement resulted in a slight alteration of Grant’s offensive strategy. The estimated Union casualties were 80, while the Confederate numbers remain unknown.
The few buildings that had survived the earlier disasters were destroyed during the battle. Grand Gulf, Mississippi was never rebuilt after the war. Today, the site is marked by a few scattered trailer homes near Fort Cobun and an abandoned church. The town and the battle are commemorated at the Grand Gulf Military Park.
The Grand Gulf Military Park, officially opened in 1962, stands on the land that once held one of the Mississippi River’s most prosperous ports. The park serves to preserve the memory of the town and the Battle of Grand Gulf. It features a museum, several historic buildings, a cemetery, and the Civil War sites of Fort Cobun and Fort Wade.
Visitors can explore the 400-acre park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, by driving or walking. The museum serves as the starting point, providing information about the tour and displaying historical items, artifacts, and photographs from the town of Grand Gulf and the Civil War era.
One of the park’s notable structures is the Spanish House, built in the late 1790s. The house represents the early homesteads built in the area. It sustained significant damage from Federal shells during the Battle of Grand Gulf in 1863 but was repaired after the war and restored to its original condition in 1958.
Fort Wade, an earthwork fortification constructed by Confederate troops, is another key site within the park. It was designed to defend the Grand Gulf area and prevent Union ships from moving along the Mississippi River.
The Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, originally from the nearby settlement of Rodney, is also located within the park. The church was built in 1868, when Rodney was a thriving riverport town. As the Mississippi River changed its course, Rodney declined, and the church was donated to the State of Mississippi and moved to Grand Gulf Military Park in 1983.
In addition to the historical sites, Grand Gulf Military Park offers a campground, picnic areas, a pavilion, hiking trails, and an observation tower. The park is located eight miles northwest of Port Gibson, Mississippi, off Highway 61.