(3-97) South view toward Old Rodney Road. Site Marker: The Battle in Retrospect. This Union victory at Port Gibson gave Grant the foothold on the Mississippi side of the river that terminated a year of failure, and subsequently led to capture of Vicksburg, his ultimate goal. The Port Gibson battlefield has changed little since May, 1863. Ravines are still filled with vines and immense canebrakes, and ridges are as steep-sided as when Federal troops scaled them. The deep road beds have not changed, and relics of the battle are still occasionally found on their surfaces. Bridges have been added where once streams were forded. The Shaifer house remains, but with walls showing scars from missiles fired during the battle. Magnolia Church, where the Confederates placed their first line of defense, is no longer standing. Only its brick foundation and the cistern remain. The Port Gibson Battlefield is listed in the National Register of Historic Places