In 1863, the Railroad Redoubt and the Confederate soldiers who defended it withstood multiple assaults by Union forces, forcing the decision by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to lay siege to Vicksburg.

But 154 years later, the Railroad Redoubt and the nearby Texas Memorial face an enemy far more dangerous and deadly to both sites than the Union cannon and troops that attacked the redoubt during the Civil War — erosion.

A redoubt is a earthen mound that was constructed during the Civil War to protect the railroad.

The problem, Vicksburg National Military Park superintendent Bill Justice said, is dirt from a railroad cut for Kansas City Southern Railroad tracks north of the two sites is slowly sloughing off dirt and posing a serious threat to the well-known stops in the park.

“They are equally in danger,” he said. “We have people working on a design for the project to stop the erosion and protect the sites, but as yet we haven’t set a timeline when we’ll have it ready. It could be we may have several designs to present for public comment.”

Kansas City Southern, he said, has cooperated with the National Park Service and VNMP officials by allowing access to the area around the site so the problem can be assessed.

“Kansas City Southern has helped us any way they can,” Justice said. While the design work is under way, the National Park Service is performing an environmental assessment of the project, and seeking public comment.

People with questions or concerns can go to the Park Service’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment website (parkplanning.nps.gov/vick) or send written comments to: Superintendent, Vicksburg National Military Park, Attn: Stabilization EA 3201 Clay St. Vicksburg, MS 39183.