Q 01/05

Old Douglas, the 43rd Mississippi Infantry's mascot killed by Union sharpshooters at Vicksburg, was what kind of animal?

A) A camel

B) A donkey

C) A raccoon

D) A terrier

Answer · why

A) A camel

A camel carried the regimental band's instruments, and his comrades were so angry at his death that an officer sent six of his best snipers after the ...

Q 02/05

Which soft drink was bottled for the very first time by Vicksburg candy merchant Joseph Biedenharn in the 1890s?

A) Dr Pepper

B) Coca-Cola

C) Pepsi-Cola

D) Barq's root beer

Answer · why

B) Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola was sold only at soda fountains until then. By coincidence its inventor, John S. Pemberton, shared a surname with the general who surrendere...

Q 03/05

With newsprint gone during the siege, Vicksburg's Daily Citizen newspaper was printed on what household material?

A) Bed linen

B) Sheet music

C) Wallpaper

D) Wrapping paper

Answer · why

C) Wallpaper

Wallpaper editions were still set in type when the city fell, so Union soldiers added a note about the end of the siege and ran off an edition of thei...

Q 04/05

Vicksburg's Confederate garrison surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant on which holiday, hoping the date would soften terms?

A) New Year's Day

B) Christmas Day

C) Washington's Birthday

D) Independence Day

Answer · why

D) Independence Day

Independence Day gave rise to a folk tradition that Vicksburg then refused to celebrate the holiday until World War II, though large celebrations were...

Q 05/05

Because residents dug hundreds of caves to escape shelling, Union soldiers gave besieged Vicksburg which nickname?

A) Rabbit Warren Town

B) Prairie Dog Village

C) Gopher Hole Junction

D) Groundhog Hollow

Answer · why

B) Prairie Dog Village

Prairie Dog Village had more than 500 caves, many fitted out with rugs, furniture and pictures, and fewer than a dozen townspeople are known to have b...