Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

[KentuckyReb]

Just sitting here doing a bit of webmasterin' (the site's a lot better than it was at first, too) and a thought occurred. Any comrades from Mississippi, I was wondering what Brice's Crossroads or Harrisburg looked like today, as far as markers, maybe a park, Wal-Mart parking lot... (that last was said with tongue firmly in cheek, but unfortunately these days it wouldn't surprise me.) :angry_smi

[JimKindred]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

Harrisburg (Tupelo) wasn't much of fight to begin with; there is a marker on the side of Main Street in Tupelo with a couple of cannons.

Brice's Crossroads has a visitor’s center and markers along side of the road describing the actions. Vast majority of the land is still privately owned and will probably stay that way. It is in a rural farm area and the land is still pretty much used now as it was then.

Neither is worth getting excited over and making a special trip to see.

[KentuckyReb]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

Glad to hear they haven't been paved under or changed drastically. They were little scraps compared to Chickamauga, or the cataclysms up in Tennessee later that year, but they were major events in the lives of the men who fought there. Henry George makes Harrisburg sound like a knock-down-drag-out. I guess the Kentucky Brigade did take some pretty heavy casualties, but being as small of a brigade as they evidently were by that time, a high percentage probably didn't translate to a very large raw number. At any rate, I'm glad to hear they're still around. Thanks much.

[JimKindred]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

"Glad to hear they haven't been paved under or changed drastically."

Harrisburg is not much more than a marker along side of a very busy street in Tupelo. The original battlefield is under the streets, houses and businesses of west Tupelo. The photos on the website are taken with the photographer's back to the street which makes the site look to be more than it is.

"They were little scraps compared .....but they were major events in the lives of the men who fought there."

When you are a participant, they are all major events, whether ten men or ten thousand men are involved. I had some "major events" in El Salvador during their Civil War but I don't think they will build any parks there.

[KentuckyReb]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

That's too bad about Harrisburg. Not really that familiar with Tupelo...actually didn't realize that the battle occurred close enough to that city for it to be covered over. Guess I was picturing sort of a 'Norman Rockwell' kind of thing like you find in a lot of little southern towns. Faulty knowledge of the geography of the area, I guess. Far as Brice's Crossroads, I guess I just meant that if, rather than being a full-fledged battlefield park, I had to choose between the ground still being farmland or being under an outlet mall and an off-ramp, I'm glad it's still farmland. Where the importance of the engagements was concerned, I was agreeing with you. Should've phrased it differently, I guess. Sorry.

[JimKindred]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

It is no problem. Living in Corinth, with a great deal of Civil War history and 15 minutes from Shiloh, both rather large battles when compared to the other two, I haven't paid much attention to Harrisburg or BC.

BC really hasn't changed that much so you can at least get a feel for the lay of the land at the time.

[Enfilade]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

Micah,

Have you ever been to Mississippi? You drive on a long and lonesome highway and there is really nothing around. All of a sudden, there's Tupelo. It's like the town popped outta the ground.

I can remember going to the Shiloh mudfest and rainout several years ago(1996?) and stopping at Brice's Crossroads. This was before the "visitor's center" was built. There was nothing there but a marker and a small sign that had an arrow saying "Confederate Cemetery". You walked down a pig-path to a weedy and overgrown cemetery where broken stones and a markers were strewn around as if someone got drunk and went stupid tearing around the graveyard. Even the flag was weathered and shredded. It was sad. I wondered if a local SCV unit was even in charge of keeping the cemetery up. I was glad to see them erect a visitor's center and spruce it up a bit. It just means that every area we can save or do something to restore is that much better than it was before.

Mark Berrier
North State Rifles
combinations@northstate.net

[Jason Lewis]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

Back in 1997 my farbunit and I went to Harrisburg/Tupelo to do a small reenactment at the Tupelo car museum. Right across the road there was a Civil War soldier's grave in the woods by itsself. All that I can remember is this man was in a Kentucky unit(Inf or Cav?)(CSA or USA?) he died of wounds recieved at the Battle of Harrisburg and he had a marker. I have not been back there since, so who knows the grave may not be there now.

[bayonet1]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

Howdy,
Took a vacation from Maine last fall and managed to see Brices Cross Roads site amoungst others, as part of a Western Battlefield site tour. I took this picture of the run down Cemetary that was mentioned earlier. The relatively neat stones behind the flag pole, are Forrests men that were killed in the area. I believe there are 70 something if I remember correctly. Hope that gives you alittle idea. The Park service is working on walking path improvements that lead you to some key markers in the fields. We enjoyed the site, it is well worth seeing in my opinon. {Hope the pic works}
Paul Rainey
CR Maine Mess

[KentuckyReb]

Re: Brice's Crossroads/Harrisburg

Man! Looks like a bomb went off in the civilian section of that cemetery. I hope (strange hope, I guess) that's just neglect and not somebody in there tearin' up Jack just for the fun of it. I have been to Mississippi, down to Raymond in '01, but the larger balance of it was at night, except for the time we were actually at Raymond. They way you (Mark) describe it does sound a lot different from what I had in my head. That one grave in the woods sounds...lonely. Kinda feel sorry for the guy out there by himself. Thanks for the replies and the pic.