Corinth, MS

The main part of our visit to Corinth included the Civil War Interpretive Center. This center is run by Shiloh National Military Park, which is just a short drive from Corinth. This view actually shows the rear of the Interpretive Center and the large field that is behind the center, which was the site of part of the Battle of Corinth.

Because the center is an Interpretive Center and not a museum, it contains exhibits and presentations to help educate about Corinth's role in the war, rather than exhibits of artifacts. Much knowledge can be learned by spending just a few hours at the center. Corinth was home to a "Contraband Camp" where former slaves lived after the Union army occupied Corinth. This display depicts a Union solder handing a former slave girl a book in a classroom setting. The writing on the blackboard reads "Corinth was the beginning of Freedom for the African Americans who lived here."

Outside the center is a reconstrucion of Battery Robinett, one of the batteries that the Union army built to help defend the area. After the battle of Shiloh, the Confederate army retreated to Corinth, and then abandoned the city a few months later. The Union army moved in and occupied the city, building batteries around for defense purposes. The Confederate army, led by Major General Earl Van Dorn, marched on Corinth, hoping to seize the city and march into Tennessee. But Van Dorn miscalculated, and the Union army prevailed, keeping the city and control of the area.

In the field behind the interpretive center stands this large monument marking the location of the death and burial of Confederate Colonel William P. Rogers, who was killed in the battle. Because of Rogers' bravery, Union General WilliamRosencrans ordered his burial with full military honors; which was quite unusual for a Confederate colonel. This monument was erected in 1912 to mark his gravesite. A quote from Jefferson Davis about Rogers on one side of the monument reads, "The gallantry which attracted the enemy at Corinth was in keeping with the character he acquired in the former service."

Next to the Rogers monument are six graves of unknown Confederate soldiers. As can also be seen at the National Cemetary at Shiloh, many soldiers who died in the war were unknown. It gives the war greater meaning and sadness to realize that these "unknown" soldiers from both sides had family and friends back home. A nearby monument reads "Remember the unknown heroes - They that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other".

The primary reason for the importance of Corinth during the war was its location. Corith sat at the intersection of the Memphis & Charleston and Mobile & Ohio Railroads, two of the main east-west and north-south lines in the South. As one can imagine, whoever controlled Corinth could control these two vital rail lines. This picture shows the intersection of the two lines as it is today, along with the depot. The depot was undergoing construction inside, perhaps to house more information on Corinth and its railroads.

This caboose was next to the depot. At the time of our visit, it was unlocked, although that may not always be the case. Although cabooses are not used as a general rule these days, people still immediately associate them with railroads and the mystique that goes along with life on the rails. This caboose is marked for the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad, which was a successor to the Mobile & Ohio mentioned above.

For more information on Corinth, visit Corinth.ms on the web.