Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center

Finished the day at Fort Donelson at about 2:00 PM and began heading South with the intended destination of Tupelo, Mississippi (Elvis's birthplace).

However, with the late afternoon departure, I found myself rather desperately seeking a campsite, just South of Jackson, Tennessee. After a couple of inquiries, I was able to find the directions to Chickasaw State Park, where I set up tent; but not without incident.

One of biggest fears, in traveling alone, has been the fear that I would accidentally, quite literally, DROP my Harley, and not be able to pick it up.

Then it happened. While still astraddle the bike, I tried to turn the bike around, at a walking pace, when I incorrectly assessed the balance point - I went left and bike went right. In a effort to upright the falling bike, I twisted the handle grip and raced the engine. Fortunately, that alerted a nearby camper who helped out of my quagmire; and shortly thereafter, I was sleeping soundly in my tent - no problem!

The next day's planned trip to Tupelo was somewhat aborted. Crossing into Mississippi I stopped, on a whim, at the Mississippi welcome center and learned of the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, which was actually an adjunct to Shiloh National Park. Therefore, it seemed foolish to just ignore it - and I didn't.

The Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center is a fabulous facility. If you go to Shiloh, be sure to include Corinth in your itinerary.

The facility has a couple short narrative film exhibits as well several hand-held audios that recount the writings from different sources, all of which were contemporary with the Battle of Shiloh.

At the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, I learned that the Grant's ultimate goal was Corinth (not Shiloh). Corinth was the location of the South's main railroad artery and supply route to the Atlantic coast (at Charleston, South Carolina), and was so critical to the South's success that it was deemed, second only to Richmond, Virginia in military importance.

Now, everything made sense, Grant was settling in at Pittsburg Landing, only so he could launch an assault on Corinth. After all, at that time, Pittsburg Landing was only represented by a warehouse, a grocery store and a settler's homestead. Hence, its major importance was its proximity to Corinth.

Shortly after the battle of Shiloh, the Confederates abandon Corinth overnight on May 29-30, 1862.