Corinth’s Military Importance

Ole Miss

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Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
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The intersection of the two railroads in Corinth was of such strategic importance that 3 battles were fought for possession of this nexus. The Memphis and Charleston Railroad was the vital artery for the Confederacy to receive the supplies from the Trans-Mississippi states and send them towards Richmond and other important cities. The north and south Mobile and Ohio Railroad connected the whole of the South with Jackson, New Orleans, Mobile, the Gulf Coast and the Trans-Mississippi and enabled vital supplies be shipped east.

The Battle of Shiloh was the result of General Grant’s steady progress towards Pittsburg Landing, where he desired to establish a base of operations and supplies. With his supply line established, he intended to capture Corinth and sever the Confederacy’s only east to west and south to north railroad.

Looking at a railroad map of 1862 one will easily understand the importance of Corinth. The fall of Vicksburg in 1863 was as devastating as the loss of the crossroads in Corinth.

To understand the imporance, one must visit the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. The Center has an excellent musuem wth a excellent collection of arms and artifacts, battle flags displayed and the most cooperative staff I have met!
Regards
David
This is the small little area that thousands of soldiers fought to possess. Left to right is the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
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Even today, that intersection is seen as important; if you don't believe me just hang around a little while at the track intersection and you'll get to meet a member of the local Police force.
 
Great explanation and photo! In addition to the railroads’ importance, taking Corinth also flanked Memphis, allowing the north to occupy it without a fight and opening the river to that point. Grant thought he could do the same with Vicksburg by moving down the Mississippi Central and taking Jackson.

I hope to visit Corinth and Shiloh soon!
 
Funny to think there was no Corinth just a few years before the war. The city had barely been established when the first Mississippi state troops arrived to organize themselves. You wonder if those who had moved there to take advantage of the new crossroads had second (or third or fourth!) thoughts when they ended up in the middle of battles, sieges, and hospital wards.
 
In addition to the railroads, Corinth was looked on as the center of the confederate line of defense in the west. Here is Halleck in March 1862 in a correspondence with Buell:

"I am satisfied that the enemy’s present line of defense extends from Decatur to Island No. 10. We must attack it in the center, say at Corinth or Jackson. General Smith has established himself at Savannah. I think all your available force not required to defend Nashville should be sent up the Tennessee. This seems to be the best line of operations, as it leads directly to the enemy’s center, and is easily supplied."
 
@Ole Miss is spot on and this 1862 map of the CS fortification's (in red) tells you how important it was to the South.
corinth1862.jpg
 
I love that photo on the tracks! Looks like I'll have to get to Corinth sometime and take a photo in the same spot.
 
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