The bold numbers in this text reference the numbers on the map. Giving Tuesday Match! Please consider making a gift today to help raise the $170,000 we need to preserve this piece of American history forever. The Battle of Tupelo, June – July 1864 In the Battle of Tupelo, Mississippi, The Union won a critical victory over the Rebels, ensuring the safety of William T. Sherman’s supply lines. by Tom Parson. Area residents are commemorating a Civil War battle that took place on this weekend 150 years ago. In the first week of May 1864, his blue columns had left their camps around Chattanooga and begun the 120-mile march to Atlanta. NPS. (5) At 5 p.m., from a commanding ridge south of Old Town Creek, Confederate forces surprised Smith's troops with artillery and infantry fire. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. These attacks were beaten back with heavy losses. Last updated: February 17, 2016 Calling is the easiest way to get a hold of a park ranger to answer your questions. The Federals scrambled and formed a line that pushed the Confederates off the ridge (6) and forced them to retreat to Harrisburg. Laying waste to the countryside as he advanced, Smith reached Pontotoc, Mississippi, on July 11th. Right Wing-XVI Army Corps: 1st Infantry Division 3rd Infantry Division Cavalry Division; 1st Brigade, U.S. Criticized for not destroying Forrest’s command, Smith had however caused much damage and had fulfilled his mission of insuring the safety of Sherman’s supply lines. Battle of Tupelo, 14-15 July 1864, one of only two Union victories over Nathan Bedford Forrest The Battle of Tupelo More than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers fought here between the morning of July 14 and the evening of July 15, 1864. Exit off the Natchez Trace Parkway onto Highway 6 (near Milepost 260), head east, into Tupelo. Smith’s mission was to insure that Maj. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest and his cavalry did not raid Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s railroad supply line in middle Tennessee supporting the campaign against Atlanta. Help save a crucial 22-acre tract on the battlefield where 14 African American soldiers earned the highest military honor in the land. 2680 Natchez Trace Parkway Union Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Smith, commanding the Sixteenth Corps with more than 14,000 men, left LaGrange, Tennessee on July 5, 1864, and advanced south. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. On the previous day, Lee had arrived near Pontotoc with 2,000 additional men and, under his command, the entire Confederate force engaged Smith. Click here for a larger more readable map. After dark, the Confederates made another attack from the south (3) without significant effect. Travel one mile east and find Tupelo NB on the right side of Main Street. (4) They marched four miles and crossed to the north side of Old Town Creek and camped in the late afternoon. Tupelo NB sits on the south side of Main Street on the west side of Tupelo. Lee attacked at 7:30 am on the 14th in a number of uncoordinated assaults which the Yankees, including the 61st United States Colored Troops (USCTs) and 68th USCT repulsed inflicting heavy casualties. . American Battlefield Trust’s map of the Battle of Tupelo. Living Tupelo Facebook group; Food for Thought Facebook group; Opinion. Commemorated in a park on Tupelo’s West Main Street is the Battle of Tupelo – the last major engagement of the Civil War in Mississippi.Battle of Tupelo monument The battle, which raged over two hot July days in 1864, was among the bloodiest in the state. Coming after the Confederate victory at the Battle … The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 53,000 acres in 24 states! 6 July 2018 The Battle of Tupelo. The heat was taking its toll on his soldiers. The Battle of Tupelo opened early morning of July 14 and ended north of town, late afternoon of July 15. Divisions of the American Battlefield Trust: The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Battle of Tupelo. Among the casualties was Forrest himself, who was kept out of action for three weeks. These attacks were beaten back with heavy losses. Battle of Tupelo, 14-15 July 1864, one of only two Union victories over Nathan Bedford Forrest Tupelo, MS Donate today to preserve battlefields in America and protect the legacy of our nation’s defining conflicts. 1. At 2 p.m. on July 15, after skirmishing with Confederates on the western and southern fronts, the Federals began marching north in the direction of Memphis. Two days later, Smith, fearing an ambush, moved east toward Tupelo. Maj. Gen. A.J. On the morning of July 14, the Battle of Tupelo began here (1) at 7:30 a.m. when the Confederates began a series of uncoordinated charges against the Federal position. In late May 1864, Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest set out from Mississippi with his cavalry corps... By mid-May 1863, Ulysses S. Grant finally approached the Confederate defenses of Vicksburg. Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s army—or rather his army group—was on the move. Gen. Stephen D. Lee, told him he could not attack until he was reinforced. Fought on July 14=15, 1864, the battle was a tactical Union victory but … The fight at Old Town Creek ended the Battle of Tupelo. Also see . 38804. Short on rations, Smith did not pursue but started back to Memphis on the 15th. Save 36 Acres at Two Virginia Taverns, Save 40 Acres of the American Revolution Southern Theater, Kentuckians: Support Battlefield Preservation Legislation, Virginians: Support Battlefield Preservation Legislation. On the morning of July 14, the Battle of Tupelo began here (1) at 7:30 a.m. when the Confederates began a series of uncoordinated charges against the Federal position. Calling is the easiest way to get a hold of a park ranger to answer your questions. Union Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Smith, commanding the Sixteenth Corps with more than 14,000 men, left LaGrange, Tennessee on July 5, 1864, and advanced south. Also, due to bad planning, his men had little but coffee and worm-infested hardtack (crackers) to eat, and their ammunition supply was very low. Failing to break the Federal center, the Confederates attacked the Federal right, (2) again without success. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. Battle of Tupelo Harrisburg; Began: July 14, 1864 Ended: July 15, 1864 Location: Lee County, Mississippi Theater: Western Theater Campaign: Forrest’s Defense of Mississippi Outcome: Union victory Combatants. 18003057417 The Battle of Tupelo was a Union victory over Confederate forces in northern Mississippi which ensured the safety of General William T. Sherman's supply lines. Click here for a larger more readable map. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. Lee halted the fighting after a few hours. Failing to break the Federal center, the Confederates attacked the Federal right, (2) again without success. Our Battle of Tupelo page includes battle maps, history articles, facts, and the latest preservation news for this 1864 Civil War battle in Mississippi. Forrest was in nearby Okolona with about 6,000 men, but his commander, Lieut. . The site of the Battle of Tupelo is commemorated at Tupelo National Battlefield in Tupelo, Mississippi. There is limited parking available adjacent to the monument. View this issue’s Table of Contents. Contents[show] Background After the Confederate victory at the battle of Brice's Crossroads, the supply lines for Sherman's armies in Georgia became increasingly vulnerable.