Corinth, Mississsippi was a 
major railroad junction on the 
only all-weather, east-west 
line in the South.  Having been 
captured by the Union in April 
1862, the Confederates were 
frantic to get it back.  The 
attack was launched October 3, 
1862.

Earl Van Dorn, the flamboyant 
Confederate commander, 
envisioned a feint towards 
Memphis with his march taking 
him within 20 miles of Corinth.
When he was north of the 
Mississippi town, he would make
a lightning stab against the 
railroad junction.  He thought 
that the 22,000 men he had 
under his command would be more 
than sufficient to handle the 
15,000 under Union commander, 
William Rosecrans.  Van Dorn 
further believed the 8,000 Union
soldiers stationed in nearby 
Brunsville would not be a 
factor, as Rosecrans would hold 
them in reserve to help defend 
Memphis. 

Surrounding Corinth was a 
double row of entrenchments, 
the first having been built by 
the Confederates themselves 
during their unsuccessful 
defense of Corinth earlier in 
the year.  Additionally, the 
Union army had built a second 
line but had only completed the 
northern section.  Had Van Dorn 
known of this second line he 
might have commenced his attack 
from another sector.

Once again, the weather played 
havoc with Confederate plans.  
Van Dorn's "lightning" move was 
slowed down to a crawl by rain 
and the resulting mud.  This 
enabled Rosecrans to move the 
men from Brunsville, since they 
only had to move eight miles as 
opposed to Van Dorn's twenty.

By the end of the first day's 
battle, the Confederates had 
successfully seized the first 
line of entrenchments.  Their 
casualties, however, were 
enormous.  Van Dorn's army was 
wet, hungry, and demoralized by 
the realization that they were 
now fighting an entrenched 
enemy that outnumbered them.

Van Dorn would not give up.  On
the 4th he recommenced the 
attack.  By noon it was obvious
that the confederates were not 
going to breach the second line.
Van Dorn finally succumbed to 
the inevitable and ordered the 
retreat.  There was no pursuit.
Corinth was in Union hands to 
stay.

The casualty figures indicate 
just how one-sided the battle 
was.  The Confederates lost 
4,200 men to the Union's 2,500. 