Corinth in Alcorn County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Strategic Importance of Corinth

Photographed By Tom Bosse, August 23, 2020

1. Strategic Importance of Corinth Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, the NE Miss. Village of Corinth assumed a strategic value surpassing all but a few Southern cities. Here the South’s two longest railroads met. The junction of the Memphis and Charleston (the South’s only E-W line) & the Mobile & Ohio (a major N-S artery) gave Corinth the sobriquet “Crossroads of the Confederacy”. Federals launched an offensive in the west in Feb. 1862, with the capture of Fts. Henry & Donelson up the Tenn. R. After the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, victorious Union armies under Maj. Gen. H.W. Halleck converged on Corinth to begin what would be, in numbers of troops engaged, the greatest siege in the history of the western hemisphere. During the Siege of Corinth, Halleck wired Washington, “Richmond and Corinth are now the great strategical points of war, and our success at these points should be insured at all hazards”. Conf. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard wired Richmond from his post at Corinth: “Can we not be reinforced? If defeated we lose the Miss. Valley and probably our cause…” Beauregard was reinforced, but he could not hold Corinth, & the town was evacuated

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on May 30, 1862. In Oct. 1862, Conf. forces under Maj. Gens. Earl Van Dorn & Sterling Price attempted to re-take Corinth, then garrisoned by Fed. Troops under Maj. Gen. W.S. Rosecrans. At the end of three day’s fighting, Corinth was secured for the Union. The Battle of Corinth was one of the largest and bloodiest of the western theater. With the results of Shiloh at last consolidated, 7 Corinth now safely in Union hands, two avenues of conquest were open to Fed. Armies: one led to Vicksburg and control of the Miss. R. & one led ultimately to Atlanta.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.

Location. 34° 56.299′ N, 88° 31.247′ W. Marker is in Corinth, Mississippi, in Alcorn County. Marker is at the intersection of Polk Street and East Linden Street, on the right when traveling north on Polk Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Corinth MS 38834, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. At the Center of Siege, Battle, and Occupations, (here, next to this marker); Staff Officers (here, next to this marker); “A fearful hand-to-hand fight (here, next to this marker); Raining death and destruction from afar… (a few steps from this marker); The Historic Corinth Railroad Junction

Photographed By Tom Bosse, August 23, 2020

2. Strategic Importance of Corinth Marker

(a few steps from this marker); “All of our trains are ordered to Corinth…” (a few steps from this marker); First Steps Toward Citizenship for a Newly Free People (a few steps from this marker); “I was in the battle of Shiloh (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corinth.

Also see . . . Corinth in the Civil War: At the Crossroads of History. Mississippi Historical Society (Submitted on August 25, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.)

Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, C.S.A. image. Click for full size.

3. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, C.S.A.

Maj. Gen. H.W. Halleck, U.S.A. image. Click for full size.

4. Maj. Gen. H.W. Halleck, U.S.A.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 218 times since then and 78 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 25, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.