Corinth in Alcorn County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
"Decision at the Crossroads"
Corinth: October 4, 1862
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, January 18, 2012
1. "Decision at the Crossroads" Corinth: October 4, 1862 Marker
Inscription.
"Decision at the Crossroads". Corinth: October 4, 1862. On the morning of October 4, 1862, nearly 20,000 Confederates under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn launched a massive assault on Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans' 20,000 Federal soldiers defending the interior line of Corinth's entrenchments. Attacking from the north and northwest, the Confederates breached the Union line at Battery Powell. A fierce street battle developed as rebel fought yankee from house to house as the fighting pressed into town. , Here in front (north) of the Tishomingo Hotel, (depicted in the left center of the painting), several hundred Arkansans from Chales W. Phifer's and John C. Moore's Confederate brigades, who had managed to slip past heavily defended Battery Robinett, located to the northwest, joined the Missourians and Mississippians of William H. Moore's Confederate brigade, who had fought their way south from Battery Powell to reach the crossroads. For a brief, triumphant moment the Confederates held the vital rail junction. However, Rosecrans' Federals soon rallied to repel them. , Colonel John V. Du Bois' Illinois brigade, initially driven south beyond the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, hastily reformed to spearhead the Union counterattack. Pressing past the Tishomingo Hotel, the Federals swarmed northward across the tracks to collide with the Confederates occupying the railyard. Colonel William H. Moore (mounted in center of painting) was shot down and killed near the depot, as Du Bois' charge hurled the Southerners back into the town square. Thousands of Union troops, located to the east and west, soon joined the counterattack and converged their fire onto the square. , Overwhelmed by the massive Federal reserves, the Confederates in town were caught in a deadly crossfire. Captain Edward H. Cummins, a Confederate staff officer, sadly reported, "Our lines melted under their fire like snow in thaw." Heavily outnumbered, the Southern troops were driven from the town in disorder, and scores of men gave themselves up rather than run the deadly gauntlet back to their own lines. By early afternoon, Van Dorn's army was in full retreat. The Confederate offensive on the strategic Corinth railroad junction had been defeated. For the numbers engaged, the two-day battle was one of the war's bitterest fights. Union losses totaled 2,359, and Confederate 4,838. , The flag in the center of the painting is the flag of the Confederate Army of the West, also known as the Van Dorn Corp pattern flag. A red flag, edged with yellow fringe, bearing a yellow crescent in the upper corner next to the staff, with 13 yellow stars distributed on it.
On the morning of October 4, 1862, nearly 20,000 Confederates under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn launched a massive assault on Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans' 20,000 Federal soldiers defending the interior line of Corinth's entrenchments. Attacking from the north and northwest, the Confederates breached the Union line at Battery Powell. A fierce street battle developed as rebel fought yankee from house to house as the fighting pressed into town.
Here in front (north) of the Tishomingo Hotel, (depicted in the left center of the painting), several hundred Arkansans from Chales W. Phifer's and John C. Moore's Confederate brigades, who had managed to slip past heavily defended Battery Robinett, located to the northwest, joined the Missourians and Mississippians of William H. Moore's Confederate brigade, who had fought their way south from Battery Powell to reach the crossroads. For a brief, triumphant moment the Confederates held the vital rail junction. However, Rosecrans' Federals soon rallied to repel them.
Colonel John V. Du Bois' Illinois brigade, initially driven south beyond the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, hastily reformed to spearhead the Union counterattack. Pressing past the Tishomingo Hotel, the Federals swarmed northward across the tracks to collide with the Confederates occupying the railyard. Colonel
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William H. Moore (mounted in center of painting) was shot down and killed near the depot, as Du Bois' charge hurled the Southerners back into the town square. Thousands of Union troops, located to the east and west, soon joined the counterattack and converged their fire onto the square.
Overwhelmed by the massive Federal reserves, the Confederates in town were caught in a deadly crossfire. Captain Edward H. Cummins, a Confederate staff officer, sadly reported, "Our lines melted under their fire like snow in thaw." Heavily outnumbered, the Southern troops were driven from the town in disorder, and scores of men gave themselves up rather than run the deadly gauntlet back to their own lines. By early afternoon, Van Dorn's army was in full retreat. The Confederate offensive on the strategic Corinth railroad junction had been defeated. For the numbers engaged, the two-day battle was one of the war's bitterest fights. Union losses totaled 2,359, and Confederate 4,838.
*The flag in the center of the painting is the flag of the Confederate Army of the West, also known as the Van Dorn Corp pattern flag. A red flag, edged with yellow fringe, bearing a yellow crescent in the upper corner next to the staff, with 13 yellow stars distributed on it.
Erected by Corinth is part of the Civil War Discovery Trail.
Topics. This historical
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, January 18, 2012
2. "Decision at the Crossroads" Corinth: October 4, 1862 Marker
marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is October 4, 1862.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. 34° 56.085′ N, 88° 31.308′ W. Marker is in Corinth, Mississippi, in Alcorn County. Marker is at the intersection of Jackson Street and Cruise Street, on the right when traveling south on Jackson Street. Marker is in a parking lot on the north side of Jackson Street along its west edge. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Corinth MS 38834, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker was replaced
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, January 18, 2012
3. "Decision at the Crossroads" Corinth: October 4, 1862 Marker
by a New Marker At This Location also titled Decision at the Crossroads.
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, January 18, 2012
4. "Decision at the Crossroads" Corinth: October 4, 1862 Marker
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, January 18, 2012
5. "Decision at the Crossroads" Corinth: October 4, 1862 Marker
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, January 18, 2012
6. "Decision at the Crossroads" Corinth: October 4, 1862 Marker
The flag in the center of the painting is the flag of the Confederate Army of the West, also known as the Van Dorn Corp pattern flag. A red flag, edged with yellow fringe, bearing a yellow crescent in the upper corner next to the staff, with 13 yellow stars distributed on it.
This flag can be seen at Corinth's Interpretive Center.
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, March 18, 2011
7. "Decision at the Crossroads" Corinth: October 4, 1862 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 16, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2012, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 1,310 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on February 14, 2013, by David Graff of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on January 19, 2012, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 7. submitted on September 24, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.