Battle of Corinth
The Battle of Corinth was a significant engagement during the American Civil War, occurring primarily on October 3-4, 1862. It was rooted in earlier conflicts, particularly the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, when the Confederates sought to protect Corinth due to its strategic importance as a railroad junction. The city was vital for both the Union and Confederate forces, as it connected essential rail lines, which were crucial for troop movements and supply routes.
Following the Union's capture of Corinth in May 1862, the Confederates, led by Generals Earl Van Dorn and Sterling Price, attempted to reclaim the city in October the same year. Despite their efforts, after two days of intense fighting, the Confederate assault ultimately failed, leading to their retreat. The Union's victory at Corinth allowed them to maintain control over the railroads in the region until 1865, significantly influencing the logistics of the war. Over the course of the conflict, Corinth became a hub for military activity, with more than 300,000 troops stationed there at various times, highlighting its strategic significance in the broader context of the Civil War.
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Subject Terms
Battle of Corinth
Type of action: Ground battle in the American Civil War
Date: October 3-4, 1862
Location: In and around Corinth, Mississippi
Combatants: 128,315 Union vs. 112,000 Confederate forces
Principal commanders:Union, General William S. Rosecrans (1819–1898); Confederate, General Earl Van Dorn (1820–1863), General Sterling Price (1809–1867)
Result: The Union troops resisted the Confederate attack and held the city of Corinth
Although the major fighting of the Battle of Corinth took place on October 3-4, 1862, there had been skirmishes dating back to the Battle of Shiloh on April 6-7. In fact, Shiloh was an attempt by the Confederates to keep the Union forces away from the city of Corinth, where two major railroads intersected. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad (M&O) and the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, which crossed at Corinth, connected the Confederate States from the Mississippi River at Memphis to the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, Richmond, and Savannah, and to the Gulf of Mexico at Mobile. If the Confederacy was to win the war, it had to keep these rail lines open.
After Shiloh, the Confederates retreated to Corinth awaiting the Union attack. On May 29, more than 128,000 Union troops, under General William S. Rosecrans, invaded Corinth in what the Union generals thought would be the last battle of the war. However, although the Union forces took the city, the Confederates, led by Generals Earl Van Dorn and Sterling Price, had evacuated Corinth in the dark of night and retreated to Tupelo. The Confederates tried to retake the city on October 3, but following two days of heavy fighting, the assault failed and the Confederates retreated to Ripley.
Significance
The Union controlled the railroads until 1865. Altogether during the war, more than 300,000 troops were stationed in Corinth, including 200 generals. There were more than one hundred skirmishes in the area.
Bibliography
Cozzens, Peter. The Darkest Days of the War: The Battles of Iuka and Corinth. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1997.
Dudley, G. W. Lost Account of the Battle of Corinth and Court Martial of General Van Dorn. Jackson, Tenn.: McCowat-Mercer Press, 1955.