Battle Of Brrice's Crossroads Essay

The Battle of Brice's crossroads was known as one of the greatest tactical victories in the U.S. Civil War. Confederate Cavalry men defeated a force of Union Cavalry and Infantry that outnumbered them two to one. Even though it did nothing to change the outcome of the war or disrupt General Sherman's supply lines while he was inching his way to Atlanta, it showed the importance of using METT-TC (Mission, Enemy, Terrain and weather, Troops and support, Time, and Civilian Considerations) while leading troops. The muddy roads and hot summer heat proved just as important as the canister rounds being fired at the Union line.

The Battle of Brice’s Crossroads

In 1864 two Generals came head to head in a battle at a crossroads in Mississippi. Confederate MG Nathan Bedford

Sturgis’s men who were tired and getting beaten back panicked. The Union lines were starting to dissolve. Sturgis’s men started routing back towards Tishomingo Creek. They were running away from the field in any direction they could.

The Confederate forces continued to pursue and kill them. Some of Sturgis’s men used horses and tried to wade across the creek while they were routing. Forrest and his men chased the Union forces across 6 counties in Mississippi. They were not only trying to kill them, but the Confederate forces needed their supplies and provisions. The Confederates captured 16 cannons, 176 supply wagons, killed or wounded over 600 Union troops, and captured over 1600 men.

The Battle of Brice’s crossroads was one of the greatest tactical victories during the war between the states. MG Forrest and his troops defeated an enemy who outnumbered them two to one. In the end MG Sherman achieved his goals of keeping MG Nathan Bedford Forrest away from his supply lines. The war would last another year and many more men would go on to die before General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox