Battle of Brices Cross Roads

The one-acre national park site at
Brices Cross Roads is now the centerpiece
of a national battlefield that includes a
nearby visitor center and more than 1,390
acres of preserved land.

It was on this ground just north of
Tupelo, Mississippi, that the
already growing legend of General
Nathan Bedford Forrest was firmly
established.

The tactics used by Forrest at
Brices Cross Roads are still
studied by U.S. military students to
this day because of the stunning
victory he achieved here against a
Federal force more than twice the
size of his own.

The battle took place when Brig.
Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis marched
south from Memphis with an army
of 8,100 Union soldiers to destroy
Forrest and his command. Quickly
assessing the danger, however,
Forrest assembled an army of
3,500 men and unexpectedly
attacked the much larger Union
force. By using flanking
movements and bold frontal
attacks, the Confederate "Wizard of
the Saddle" drove Sturgis' army
from the field in confusion.

Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
is located five miles west of Baldwyn,
Mississippi, and about 18 miles north of
Tupelo. The site includes monuments,
cannon, walking trails, interpretive panels
and a marked driving tour. The best place to
begin your tour is at the visitor center just off
U.S. Highway 45 in Baldwin, where you can
see a film and exhibits on the battle.