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Parkers Crossroads in Henderson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
 

Forrest's Artillery

 
 
Forrest's Artillery Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Shane Oliver, April 3, 2021
1. Forrest's Artillery Marker
Inscription.
Forrest's Brilliant and Unconventional Use of Artillery is one of the hallmarks of the Battle of Parker's Crossroads. He placed his artillery in front of his troops, rather than behind them, and used a continuous barrage of fire from his guns to force the Federals into a position of his choosing.

When the Union line withdrew to the split-rail fence, Forrest ordered his artillery to press forward. Those manning the guns pushed and pulled their pieces over the muddy terrain, paused to fire, and on Forrest's orders advanced again, drawing ever closer to Union troops in the woods behind the fence.

When the advance halted, Confederate artillery was positioned west, north, and east of the Union line at a distance of less than 200 yards. Three attempts by the Federals to charge the guns were repulsed. Lieut. Amariah L. Huggins, who stood next to Sergeant Nat Baxter's gun, a 12-pounder howitzer, remembered, "The enemy was so close to us that Dibrell's men were compelled to fire lying down. At this crisis (Sergeant) Baxter did the loading of our gun battery himself, lying upon his back and ramming the charge home." Huggins protecting the artillerist, fired his Navy Colt repeatedly into the Union troops as they advanced.

The artillery having successfully contained the Union line, Forrest pushed
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his battle line into small arms range and began to execute the flanking maneuver that would split the Union force in two and ultimately bring them to the brink of surrender.

Confederate Artillery Position

Confederate artillery, probably part of Captain Samuel Freeman's battery, occupied a position 500 feet east of the Union line, which extended along the fence to the tree line in front of you. Friction primers, which ignited the cannon's powder charge and caused it to fire, were found by archaeologists on a low rise about 600 feet east of here, confirming that Confederate artillery were present. The mown trail leads to that actual artillery position.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil.
 
Location. 35° 47.299′ N, 88° 23.123′ W. Marker is in Parkers Crossroads, Tennessee, in Henderson County. Marker can be reached from Federal Lane, 0.2 miles east of Tennessee Route 22, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 289 Battleground Dr, Wildersville TN 38388, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Union Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); 50th Indiana Infantry Regiment (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Casualties of War (about 400 feet away); Desperate Fighting
Sergeant Nat Baxter image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, October 8, 2010
2. Sergeant Nat Baxter
(about 400 feet away); Enfilading the Line (about 400 feet away); 18th Illinois Mounted Infantry (about 500 feet away); Freeman's Battery (about 500 feet away); A Concealed Assault (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Parkers Crossroads.
 
Also see . . .  Parker's Crossroads Battlefield. (Submitted on August 22, 2015.)
 
Forrest's Artillery Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, October 8, 2010
3. Forrest's Artillery Marker
Artillery Position image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, October 8, 2010
4. Artillery Position
Trail (yellow arrow & lines) leading to the artillery position on the low rise, where the friction primers were found by archaeologists.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 475 times since then and 3 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on May 28, 2021, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia.   2, 3, 4. submitted on August 22, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024