was total war and siege necessary?

I do not think it was ok that total war and and siege were used to make Vicksburg surrender. I think that siege and total war mad General Grant look bad because they kind of took the easy way out and cheated in the battle. I think that the union, the north, should win but I do not think this is the way they should've won the battle. Since they used total war and siege this made a ton of soldiers ill, which is why they had to surrender. Total war and siege is not justified. For this reason,  this is why I think it was a poor decision that siege and total war was used in the civil war.