Lincoln saw the importance of Vicksburg and understood the necessity of defeating the enemy's army, rather than merely capturing territory.
lˈɪŋkən sˈɔː ðɪ ɪmpˈoːɹtəns ʌv vˈɪksbɜːɡ ænd ˌʌndɚstˈʊd ðə nəsˈɛsɪɾi ʌv dᵻfˈiːɾɪŋ ðɪ ˈɛnəmiz ˈɑːɹmi, ɹˈæðɚ ðɐn mˈɪɹli kˈæptʃɚɹɪŋ tˈɛɹɪtˌoːɹi.