Corinth: The greatest Civil War site in earth.
In 1862, Corinth, Mississippi was second only to Richmond in its importance to the Confederacy. Called the Crossroads of the Confederacy because of the two vital railroads that converged there, Corinth witnessed the influx of more than 300,000 soldiers from both sides during the course of the war.
Today, you can still see the point where those rail lines crossed at the Corinth Depot, now under restoration. At the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, operated by the National Park Service as part of Shiloh National Military Park, you can explore through exhibit and film the significance and context of the two major battles that scarred this town. But what may speak loudest of all to you is the silent testimony of some of those “scars”—namely, the largest and best-preserved set of military earthworks in the United States, rugged fortifications that bore witness to one of the greatest escapes in Civil War history, and to one of the fiercest hand-to-hand battles of the war.
It was for Corinth that Shiloh was fought, only miles from the city. After the battle, the Confederates under General P. T. Beauregard, retreated to Corinth with their wounded, and the Union army led by General Henry Halleck, followed. It was not a hot pursuit, however, as both armies dug in with what were the newest advances in military strategy: earthworks and trenches, great gashes of earth festooned with logs and sharpened trees known as field fortifications. If Halleck’s progress was slow, it was also inexorable. Finally, facing food and water shortages as well the massive army digging its way toward his position,. Beauregard ordered a secret evacuation to begin immediately.
All through the night, campfires burned, and buglers played tattoos and taps. As empty train cars pulled in, the Confederates gave rousing cheers as if to greet reinforcements. Placed along the perimeter were dummy cannons made from painted tree stumps and called “Quaker guns,” because they couldn’t fire. When Halleck moved in on the city the next day, he was greeted with what the Chicago Tribune would call “one of the most barren triumphs of the war.”
Yet the railroad had been seized, and now it became a sudden and unexpected haven for escaped slaves, who flooded the city by the thousands; a Contraband Camp was established, initially to provide food and shelter for the former slaves, yet it grew to become a flourishing community and an inspiring social experiment.
Still while the “contrabands,” as the former slaves were called, became self sustaining, Halleck had other concerns, foremost among them the need for improvements to the fortifications the Confederates had created, including the construction of a number of new batteries. Later, when Confederates returned in a failed attempt to retake the city, their advance would die under the blistering fire from Battery Robinette, which was located only a few feet from where the Interpretive Center is now located. Battery F still stands, offering its simple yet eloquent statement on the hazards of war.
With the Center and the earthworks, which you can tour by car or bicycle, Corinth really puts you in the thick of things. The depot where the slaves and soldiers disembarked by the thousands has now been restored and is home to the Crossroads Museum. Learn more about the inspiring story of the remarkable “contrabands” at Freemen’s Camp, spreading over 21 acres, with pedestrian promenades and interpretive exhibits providing an in-depth picture. There’s also more information at the city’s Black History Museum. Another must-see: the Corinth National Cemetery where the remains lie of nearly 2,000 known and nearly 4,000 unknown soldiers, representing 273 regiments from 13 states.
After you relive the excitement of the camps and battles, it’s time to surrender to the charms of this historic city. You might want to start with an old-fashioned soda or milkshake at Borroum’s Drug Store, opened in 1865, and still the oldest family-owned drug store in the state. Be sure to pick up a map for the city’s residential and historic district, where more than 50 historic homes and businesses await. Of special interest is Verandah/Curlee House, built in 1857, and pressed into offering its hospitality to a rotating group of commanders from both sides.
After Corinth, it’s time to head south toward Jacinto, where a boom town went bust, but left a remarkable architectural treasure behind.