Near Parkers Crossroads in Henderson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Parker's Crossroads
Narrowly Avoided Defeat
— Forrest's First West Tennessee Raid —
Late in 1862, the Union army under Ulysses S. Grant threatened Vicksburg, Mississippi. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg ordered Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest to sever Grant's West Tennessee supply line which extended from Columbus, Kentucky, via the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, Forrest led his cavalry brigade on a raid to destroy track and bridges in West Tennessee, Dec. 15, 1862 - Jan. 3, 1863. He and his men crossed the Tennessee River at Clifton, defeated Union Col. Robert G. Ingersoll's cavalry at Lexington, captured Trenton and Union City. and ranged briefly into Kentucky. On Christmas Day, Forrest led his brigade back into Tennessee. To stop him, Union Gen. Jeremiah C. Sullivan sent brigades under Cols. Cyrus C. Dunham and John W. Fuller in pursuit. Here at Parker's Crossroads on Dec. 31, Forrest narrowly avoided defeat. He and his men crossed the river again at Clifton on Jan. 1. This successful raid led Grant to move his supply base to Memphis.
Tennessee Civil War Trails invites you to explore the Parker's Crossroads battlefield and other sites related to Forrest's raid.
Sidebar:
Nathan Bedford Forrest, a blacksmith's son, was born in the backcountry of Chapel Hill, Bedford Co., Tenn., on July 13, 1821. Overcoming early poverty, he was first a small-town merchant in Mississippi before becoming a successful slave trader and planter by 1861. When the war began, he enlisted in the Tennessee Mounted Rifles as a private; by the end, he had earned the rank of lieutenant general. Never formally educated, he had an innate grasp of tactics and was a fearsome Confederate cavalry commander. After the war, Forrest returned to farming and became a business promoter. He also headed the first Ku Klux Klan as its Grand Wizard before disbanding it in 1869. Forrest died in Memphis on Oct. 29, 1877.
Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1862.
Location. 35° 47.197′ N, 88° 23.593′ W. Marker is near Parkers Crossroads, Tennessee, in Henderson County. Marker can be reached from Tennessee Route 22, 0.2 miles south of Interstate 40, on the right when traveling south. The Parker's Crossroads Visitor Center (Eastern National) is located just south of Exit 108 of Interstate 40. The marker is at the northeast corner of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20945 Tennessee 22, 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. McPeake Cabin (approx. ¼ mile away); The Lexington-Huntingdon Road (approx. ¼ mile away); A Very Successful Campaign (approx. ¼ mile away); Lt. Col. Alonzo Napier (approx. ¼ mile away); Battlefield Overview (approx. ¼ mile away); Nathan Bedford Forrest (approx. ¼ mile away); Battle of Parker's Crossroads (approx. ¼ mile away); Confederate Artillery Position (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Parkers Crossroads.
Also see . . . LivelyRV Blog: Parker's Crossroads Civil War Battle. A blogger's photographs and descriptions of the battlefield following the Parker's Crossing Battlefield Association Driving Tour. (Submitted on March 21, 2014, by David Graff of Halifax, Nova Scotia.)
Additional keywords. Parkers Crossroads; domestic terrorism; domestic terrorists
Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 31, 2012, by David Graff of Halifax, Nova Scotia. This page has been viewed 826 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on March 10, 2021, by David Austin of Scotts Hill, Tennessee. Photos: 1. submitted on May 28, 2021, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. 2. submitted on December 31, 2012, by David Graff of Halifax, Nova Scotia. 3. submitted on March 10, 2021, by David Austin of Scotts Hill, Tennessee. 4. submitted on December 31, 2012, by David Graff of Halifax, Nova Scotia. 5, 6. submitted on August 21, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.