June 22, 2010

June 22, 2010

We start the day driving north on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The parkway is a two lane heavily wooded road reminiscent of what the colonial countryside was like. We stop at a roadside pullout for a short hike along the original path, now Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail.

Not far from Tupelo, MS we stop at Brices Crossroads National Battlefield. For some reason the Visitor Center is run by the local community instead of the Park Service. It is small but well done. The battle occurred here in 1864 at the same time Sherman was advancing on Atlanta. Fearing an attack on his supply line, Sherman sent one of his generals to fend off an attack from Mississippi. Although the Union lost the battle, Sherman’s supplies were safeguarded and he was able to take and burn Atlanta sowing the seeds of the South’s defeat. From the Visitor Center, we drove to the Battlefield. Like Tupelo, it is just a small roadside park with a monument and requisite two cannons. The Park Service is nowhere to be seen.

From Brices, we head north to Corinth, MS. There we stop at the Interpretative Center. This new NPS facility is very interesting. The Confederacy had very few rail lines. Two major rail arteries intersected here in Corinth. In 1862 General Grant sailed up the Tennessee River intent on capturing this strategic point and cutting the South’s ability to move supplies around. After a brutal battle at Shiloh, Grant moved to begin a siege of Corinth. It was set to be the largest battle of the war with both sides bringing over 100,000 troops to Corinth. The rebel general fearing a deadly siege vacated Corinth saving his army from destruction.

We drive over to the depot to see the rail junction and then walk downtown to have lunch at a turn of the century soda fountain. Afterwards we drive around Corinth to see some of the earthworks and stop at Contraband Park. As the Union struck into the south, freed slaves (known as contraband) fled north to camps setup to care for them and begin their transition to freedom. One major camp was here in Corinth.

After spending most of the day in Corinth we head northeast and stay at a BLM park on the Tennessee River just below the TVA's Pickwick hydroelectric dam.