Union Siege Lines May 21-28, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi
CORINTH CIVIL WAR DRIVING TOUR STOP 21
While advancing on Corinth with his 100,000-plus men in May 1862, Union General Henry Halleck was so apprehensive of another surprise Confederate attack like the one he experienced at Shiloh that at the end of each day’s march his troops dug trenches to help defend the ground they had covered. After a day or two they packed up and marched closer to Corinth, leaving the old trenches behind and digging new ones that night. Seven distinctive trench lines covering forty miles were dug during the march. The Union Siege Line: May 21-28 site marks the Union Army’s forward progress between these dates. Trenches dug during this time were occupied for the remainder of the siege.
The Union had cut the Confederate supply line to the east—the Memphis and Charleston Railroad—and the men in Corinth were running low on food, medicine, and other supplies. Diarrhea and typhoid outbreaks were common. Disease killed as many Confederate soldiers during the seven weeks after the Battle of Shiloh as did the battle itself.
By May 28th, Halleck had moved his troops to within 1,000 yards of the Confederate lines. Realizing that a full-fledged battle would spell defeat for his outnumbered army, Confederate General Pierre Beauregard ordered a retreat, and the Confederates quietly snuck out of Corinth on the night of May 29th.
At first glance, the May 21-28 Siege Lines site appears to be nothing more than a small, empty corner lot at the intersection of North Polk Street and Highway 2. One edge of the field backs up to a forest, and a dirt road runs along the trees, creating a triangle with the two paved roads. My inclination was that if there was anything to see here, it was in the woods. Sure enough, there is a sign close to the Polk Street-side of the dirt road that marks the start of a hiking trail. One route leads directly to the Union trenches (aka earthworks), but if you want a little more exercise, you can take the Nature Trail and form a one-mile hike that still loops around to the trenches.
Start of the trail to the May 21-28, 1862, earthworks in Corinth, Mississippi
If you take the Nature Trail route, you’ll be hiking on what I call a “lollipop” trail, meaning that you walk out on the “stick” for a short distance before coming to the loop portion. Once you start the hike, there are no other signs pointing the way despite there being a few unmarked intersections, so it is very easy to get confused.
Siege Line Trail Map / My route map
To hike the Nature Trail, from the trailhead keep straight until you reach a bridge that spans a wet area. Immediately after crossing is a turn to the left that leads to the earthworks. This is also the start of the loop, so it makes no difference which way you go—straight or left—because either way you will end up back at the bridge. I chose to continue straight and hiked the loop in a counterclockwise manner. Keep in mind that there is nothing worth seeing on the Nature Trail, so hiking it is for exercise purposes only.
Bridge over a soggy portion of the Nature Trail at the Union Siege Line in Corinth
You will soon come to another left turn. I have no idea where this leads (it’s not on the map), so just keep straight and stick to the mowed path. You will pass a pond along the way, and in a short time you will be at the Union trenches. To finish the hike, continue down the hill towards the bridge, turn right, and head back to the parking lot. Plan to spend about a half hour for the hike.
Typical terrain on the Union Siege Lines May 21-28, 1862, Nature Trail in Corinth, Mississippi
If you just want to get to the Civil War site, take the first left you come to and proceed a short ways up the hill. An information panel at the top points out the remains of a few Union trenches, which after 150+ years of erosion are nothing more than shallow gullies. In the two dimensional photo below, the leaf-covered trench is hard to see, but in real life you can see it once you know where to look. When done, either turn around and head back the same way you came or continue around the small loop until you reach the bridge at the start of the Nature Trail, then take a right to get back to the parking lot.
Remains of a Civil War-era earthwork at the Union Siege Lines May 21-28, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi
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Last updated on February 2, 2022
