Just 15 miles north of Tupelo, Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site preserves a small site with a much larger story. It’s the location of a pivotable tactical victory of the Civil War.

The National Park Service preserves only one acre at Brices Cross Roads. There are no visitor facilities, but monuments, cannons, interpretive signs, and an eight-mile driving tour help piece together what happened here on June 10, 1864.

The Battle of Brices Cross Roads

During the Atlanta Campaign, Union General William T. Sherman sent General Samuel Sturgis from Memphis to stop Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest from attacking the vital Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad.

Although Forrest had only 4,787 men compared to Sturgis’ roughly 7,900 troops, he used the landscape, timing, and a pincer movement to overwhelm the larger Union force. Sturgis’ infantry had raced several miles through the June heat before reaching the battlefield, leaving many soldiers exhausted before they even began fighting.

By late afternoon, Forrest had broken the Union lines and forced Sturgis’ army into a chaotic retreat toward Memphis. An overturned wagon blocked the bridge over Tishomingo Creek, contributing to the loss of artillery, ammunition, and supply wagons.

The battle resulted in more than 3,000 casualties: approximately 2,610 Union and 495 Confederate soldiers. Despite the Confederate victory, the battle kept Forrest away from Sherman’s supply line, allowing Sherman to continue his advance toward Atlanta.

Driving the Brices Cross Roads Battlefield Tour

The roughly eight-mile driving tour begins near the memorial and follows the progression of the battle. Stops mark where the first shots were fired, where the initial battle lines formed, and where Confederate forces gradually pushed the Union troops back toward the crossroads.

I also stopped at Bethany Historic Cemetery, where part of the battle swept through the churchyard. The fighting destroyed much of the cemetery, along with the original Bethany Church and the William Brice house. Approximately 30 Confederate soldiers were buried in a mass grave here following the battle.

One of the most important stories is the role of more than 1,200 United States Colored Troops. As other Union soldiers retreated, the USCT regiments mounted a series of defensive actions that helped much of Sturgis’ army escape. Nearly 40,000 Black soldiers and sailors gave their lives while serving the United States during the Civil War.

Tips to Visiting Brices Cross Roads

Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site is administered by the Natchez Trace Parkway and has no visitor center or restrooms. The one-acre memorial is a worthwhile stop, but the driving tour provides a much better understanding of the battlefield.

Stop at the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center, about 15 minutes away, for more information and Brices Cross Roads and Tupelo Battlefield. You can easily visit both, as I did, during a 24 hour visit in Tupelo.

No need to worry about crowds. If you’re doing the auto tour, you’re on rural two-lane roads. The grounds are open sunrise to sunset.