brices cross roads battle

This is the spot where the Brice family house once stood. Forrest's brilliant tactical victory against long odds cemented Forrest’s reputation as one of the foremost mounted infantry leaders of the war. With assistance from the Civil War Trust, and the support of federal, state, and local governments, BCNBC has purchased for preservation over 1,420 acres (5.7 km2). Mathes, James Harvey. The Battle of Brices Cross Roads occurred because of what was happening in southeast Tennessee and north Georgia. Battle of Brices Cross Roads markers. Calling itself the "Gate City of the South," Atlanta was the strategic back door to the Confederate States. Sherman received word of Sturgis’s debacle soon after the fight. When Forrest's 2nd Tennessee Cavalry, on a wide flanking move, captured the bridge over Tishimongo Creek in Sturgis' rear, the Union force fell back. Forrest's cavalry met Sturgis' infantry and cavalry column on June 10th at Brice's Crossroads, 20 miles north of Tupelo, beating back the first Union cavalry division to arrive there. the most impressive victories of the South's. The campaign of Gen. Sherman, with his infantry command, from Vicksburg to Meridian, Miss. The site is now a national battlefield park just north of Tupelo near the city of Baldwyn, Mississippi. Additional keywords. [5], Sherman began his Atlanta Campaign during the first week of May, moving slowly south while battling Confederate forces under General Joseph E. Johnston, an excellent defensive fighter. The 55th United States Colored Troops (USCTs) and 59th USCT covered Sturgis's retreat, preventing a route and allowing the Federal force to remain relatively intact. In 1863 Federal armies won important victories at Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and Chattanooga. This location was close to his supply depot, and very far from the U.S. Army's. Finally, Wilkin stated that the rumors that Sturgis had been intoxicated at the battle were false. The modern Bethany Presbyterian Church is at the southeast side of the cross roads. At 9:45 a.m., on June 10, a brigade of Benjamin H. Grierson's Cavalry Division reached Brices Cross Roads. 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. The Battle of Brices Cross Roads occurred because of what was happening in southeast Tennessee and north Georgia. 4. The battle took place as Union General William Tecumseh Sherman was pushing south into Georgia on his Atlanta Campaign. Battle of Brice's Cross Roads Marker. The Battle of Brices Cross Roads was one of the most impressive victories of the South's "Wizard of the Saddle," Nathan Bedford Forrest. The large field to the Union front, about 2,000 feet northeast of the crossroads, was surrounded by blackjack and scrub oak, beyond which the ground was heavily timbered. Morton, John Watson. This is the spot where the Brice family house once stood. The remainder of the Federal cavalry arrived in support, but a strong Confederate assault soon pushed them back at 11:30 a.m., when the balance of Forrest's Cavalry Corpsarrived on the scene. Sturgis's mission was to keep Forrest occupied and, if possible, destroy the Confederate cavalry force that Forrest commanded. In addition, it is included in the Battlefield Trails - Civil War series list. In addition, on June 11, 2005, a second memorial was dedicated to Confederate Capt. Battle of Brice's Cross Roads or Tishimingo Creek June 10, 1864 which resulted in a victory for the Confederate forces under Brigadier General N. B. Forrest Erected by The State of Mississippi. Because of this information, Forrest planned to meet the Federals at a place where he could ambush Sturgis and make retreat as difficult as possible. 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. It was the South's most productive arsenal after Richmond and a critical transportation hub: Four railroads radiating from the city carried supplies to their forces. The Brice's Crossroads Museum is in Baldwyn, Mississippi, just over a mile from the battlefield. In 1863 Federal armies won important victories at Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and Chattanooga.In the spring of 1864 the Federal mission was to bisect the South from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to the Atlantic coast at Savannah, Georgia. As a result, Sherman in late May ordered Sturgis out of Memphis and into North Mississippi with a force of just over 8,000 men. Johnston called in reinforcements, including Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk and two divisions of his Army of Mississippi, which in turn left Major-General Stephen D. Lee in command of all remaining Confederate forces within Polk's Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana. Sturgis had a great deal of discretion in his movements, but was generally expected to "proceed to Corinth, Mississippi, by way of Salem and Ruckersville, capture any force that may be there, then proceed south, destroying the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to Tupelo and Okolona, and as far as possible toward Macon and Columbus. Additionally, the horses pulling the trains were poorly fed because there had been little in the way of forage for them to eat along the way. Battle Of Brice’s Cross Roads, Or Tishomingo Creek, June 2nd to 12th, 1864. He stated that General Sturgis, knowing that his men were under-supplied, having been on less than half rations, had been hesitant to advance on the enemy, but had done so against his better judgment because he had been ordered to do so. Grierson called for infantry support and Sturgis obliged. [8], The Civil War Trust (a division of the American Battlefield Trust) and its partners, including BCNBC, have been acquiring and preserving land at Brices Cross Roads since 1996, when the Trust's predecessor organization, the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites (APCWS), acquired and preserved 797.7 acres - about two-thirds of the battlefield - in two purchases. “The Battle of Brice’s Cross Roads,” in Glimpses of the Nation’s Struggle. [citation needed], The Federal line, initially bolstered by the infantry, briefly seized the momentum and attacked the Confederate left flank, but Forrest launched an attack from his extreme right and left wings, before the rest of the Federal infantry could take the field. The battle started at 10:30 a.m. when the Confederates performed a stalling operation with a brigade of their own. The Federal expedition marched out of Memphis on June 1. Several men were detailed to try to make the roads passable. The Confederate victory at Brices Cross Roads was a significant victory for Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest, but its long term effect on the war proved costly for the Confederates. Once Sturgis reached Memphis, he asked to be relieved of his command. Lee took charge of the department, but wisely gave Forrest authority to act independently in the northern part of Mississippi and Tennessee. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. By Mike Stroud, 1991. The graves of more than 90 Confederate soldiers killed at the cross roads are also located in Bethany Cemetery. Intelligence had entirely favored the South, because the Confederates had been constantly fed information about the position and strength of the Federals from civilians in the area, while Brigadier-General Sturgis had received no such intelligence. 6. The Battle of Brices Cross Roads. By Stephen D. Lee. NPS. Divisions of the American Battlefield Trust: The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Dyer did not specify division or brigade commanders. With the Tennesseans still pressing, the retreat bottlenecked at the Tishomingo bridge and a panicked rout developed instead. The Battle of Brices Cross Roads was one of. [citation needed], In correspondence with Brigadier-General Sturgis, Colonel Alex Wilkin, commander of the 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment, listed several reasons for the loss of the battle. In the spring of 1864 the Federal mission was to bisect the South from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to the Atlantic coast at Savannah, Georgia. Donate today to preserve battlefields in America and protect the legacy of our nation’s defining conflicts. [3][4], In March 1864, Lieutenant-General Ulysses Grant, newly named General in Chief of the Armies of the United States, and his most trusted subordinate Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman, planned a new, coordinated strategy to cripple the Confederate States and win the war. In their weakened condition, many had fallen out in the advance. National Park Service site. The massive damage caused Sturgis to reorder his line in a tighter semicircle around Brices Cross Roads, facing east. Also see . "[4], At 9:45 a.m., on June 10, a brigade of Benjamin H. Grierson's Cavalry Division reached Brices Cross Roads. Additional purchases during the past 16 years have increased the total battlefield land acquired and preserved to 1,423 acres as of mid-2018, which is nearly the entire battlefield.[9].