The Battle of Brices Crossroads was a small but significant Civil War
Battle fought by Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest on July
10, 1864 in Northeast Mississippi. The battle was strategically connected
to the Atlanta campaign. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Confederates
routed the Union Army. But ironically, the victory at Brice's Crossroads
enabled the Union to take Atlanta because it kept Forrest from attacking
General Sherman's supply line through Tennessee. Nontheless, Brices
Crossroads is seen as Forrest's greatest victory and military historicans
study the battle to this day because of several unique features, especially
Forrest's use of artillery. Brices Crossroads is also interesting as
social history because of the participation on theUnion side of two
regiments of black soldiers recruited entirely from Alabama and Mississippi.
Their courageous rear guard stand after the collapse of Union lines
was the only thing that stopped Forrest from capturing the entire Union
force.