We have been having an OK time here in Corinth. The weather had been in the low 70’s and sunny although tomorrow is going to rain. We have been here twice before, once in 2003 (We just saw some sites and left), and once in 2006, when we stayed a few days. Corinth is rated in the top 20 small cities to retire in, that is why we came down in 2006. It has changed somewhat here, seems a little more run down as in most of Mississippi, it’s a poor state.

Just like everywhere else, the visitor center, interpretive center, museums, shopping centers are all closed, and Restaurants are open for take out. There is also a lot of traffic here, not sure where people are going, plus not a lot of people wearing masks, OH well. Melissa will be making a better post of our outings here in a few days also.

Yes, Corinth has a lot of Civil War History. In early 1862 Corinth was a confederate stronghold. It has four railroad lines coming in and a number of roads. So it was a great place to move supplies further south and north. The confederates built 32 miles of earthwork fortifications around the city.

In early April 1862, when the confederates learned the union army was coming down the Tennessee river to Pittsford landing near Shiloh, they massed there troops and made a surprise attach at the union lines at Shiloh, just 30 miles to the north. They nearly took the field, but after a few days retreated back to Corinth to build up more defenses. In early May the union attached, the north fortifications at Corinth. After a few days of trying to break through, the union decided to lay siege to the city, for a month they starved the city and confederate soldiers. The city finally surrendard, the union moved in and set up there defenses in the same ones built by the confederates, months before. The union now had hold of the key railroad lines and roads of supply. The confederates however built up there forces and made a strong counter attack in Oct of 1862. The attack failed and the confederates retreated to the south. Corinth stayed in union hands toil the war ended.

The railroad crossing

As the battle looked at the railroad crossing.

Of the 32 miles of earthwork fortifications only about 9 miles are left, most of that on private property. There is a small section that is in the national park hands. Once you park off the road, it is a mile and a half walk to the earthworks. The day we walked it was 74 and nice and sunny, a very peaceful day for a history walk.

Red line is the earthworks surrounding Corinth. The part we saw you can see a close up on the upper right.

This is how it looked then, no trees anywhere.

As it looks now, in a forest, over the years, the earthworks which could have been 10 feet high, have now worn down to mere feet. They are however untouched and are original, which there are very few of left any more around the country.