The Burned Courthouse.

[Robert Gray]

The Lafayette County Courthouse in Oxford, Mississippi.
In 1862 Oxford was occupied by Union Army troops under Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. in August, 1864, in retaliation for Forrest's raid on Fort Pillow, Major General Andrew Jackson Smith burned the buildings in the town square, including the courthouse. This is the only existing picture of the building.
In this photograph Union troops, possibly from an Illinois regiment, are guarding Confederate prisoners housed in the courthouse.

Photo credit:
The University of Mississippi.

 

[chubachus]

The Confederate prisoners might be visible in some of the second floor windows. The one guy at far right looks like he has his legs out of the window, which seems like it would probably be against the rules.

 

[Mississippian1861]

As a UM grad and former Oxford resident, it's always interesting to see this photo. I think the first time I ever saw a copy of it was hanging on the wall of a fast food place in Oxford. Pemberton/Van Dorn had wanted to make a stand against Grant north of town along the Tallahatchie River, but didn't have enough troops to cover the needed line, so fell back to Grenada.