Northeast Mississippi January 1865

[larry_cockerham]

I'm beginning to do site reconnaisance attempting to track the movements of the Army of Tennessee after the crossing at Bainbridge, Alabama 28 Dec 1864 until 23 Jan in Tupelo, Mississippi when Hood was relieved of command. Any 'points of interest' I should visit in Eastport, Burnsville, Rienzi, Corinth or Tupelo? I could also use some guidance on possible sources of detailed information. Thanks.

[30th_il]

Larry, It has been many years but there wasn't too much in Tupelo except a square city block with the graves, a monument and flag. There is of course, Elvis's birthplace (but I am sure you've been there already, ha).
Corinth was much the same then but now there in a brand new interpretive center. A buddy of mine and I are going there this April to check it out. It is supposed to be quite nice. I did a real nice trip two yrs ago visiting the central MS campaign which basically went from Memphis to LaGrange/ Moscow, TN then south to Holly Springs, Oxford and ending at Coffeeville, MS. There isn't a real lot of things marked but it is there if you look for the sites. I have never gone AL way and if you do, please let me know what you find..I am interested.

[30th_il]

Larry, Have you seen this site. Click on the Corinth link(s) on the lower left side. http://www.civilwaralbum.com/shiloh/index.htm

[larry_cockerham]

Matt, thank you for responding and for the link to Corinth which I will check out after this post. Seems a lot of the folks on this group are from north of Tennessee, so I haven't had much feed back on MS and AL. I've just (a few months) begun researching the path of the Army of Tennessee after their untimely exit from Tennessee on Dec 28, 1864. So far in Lauderdale County, I've meet some very nice folks and have a bit of a feel for the land. Briefly so far I have "discovered" the following. The town of Lexington, AL where the various corps spent the first night after the brief battle at Sugar Creek, TN just north of the Alabama line. (fought by Walthall and Forrest) The roads are in much the same location as the time of the war and still predominately rural agriculture and forest land. At nearby Killen, Alabama there is a great museum owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ron Pettus who are retired history teachers. They have a rather impressive display of artifacts including native American and civil war. Ron helped my locate Taylor's Springs, an Edward Hatch cavalry headquarters site just east of Killen and also a believed Forrest campsite at Lock No. 6 near Killen. At the time I was searching for the crossing at Bainbridge Ferry, now in some pretty serious water thanks to Wilson Dam. I was also after the site of the Lauderdale Mill (Baugh's Factory) a cotton mill used by the Hatch Cavalry, 10th TN USA and others. My gg granfather Cockerham was a blacksmith in that regiment. GG grandfather Parker was with the 63rd VA fighting the rear guard for the Army of Tennessee in the same area late December after Hatch had come through in early November. Another trip took me to the Waterloo - Gravelly Springs area further upstream. Again delightfully nice and helpful southern folks. A small but quaint museum in Waterloo, but the town is well worth the drive. Wilson formed his cavalry there in March 1865 before moving south to capture Selma and Montgomery. That also ended the career of Nathan B. Forrest. Now I'm ready to cross the line into Mississippi since I know the regiments were at Burnsville, Corinth, Reinzi and Tupelo before moving south to *******n. I've been to *******n recently and the railroad is still in the same place though the town has grown a bit since 1865! I'm sure the nice interstate helped? Thanks very much for the tip on the museum in Corinth. I understand there is another at Baldwyn that has gotten good reviews. It's near the Brice's Crossroads battle site, though that one is not in the time frame I'm after at the moment. Trying to track the 63rd VA back to North Carolina! Thanks for your help.