The origins of Corinth (founded 1854) are tied to its
  continuing railroad heritage; an association that has brought it
  periods of both prosperity and near ruin.  Many communities bordered
  the Memphis & Charleston Railroad (opened 1857) and the Mobile and
  Ohio Railroad (opened 1861).  Corinth alone was granted the chance
  to prosper because the two longest railroads in the South crossed in
  this remote corner of old Tishomingo County, Mississippi, thus
  establishing the opportunity for a new community, one to serve as a
  trade magnet.

       On the eve of the War of the Rebellion (1861-1865) Corinth
  boasted of a population of 1,500 or more.  There were numerous
  brick business houses and substantial residences.  However, there
  was little time to relish in the significance of the opening of
  the Mobile and Ohio Railroad in the early months of 1861.  The
  link of the two railroads established Corinth as the most
  significant transportation hub in the western portion of the Deep
  South -- perhaps second only to Atlanta in all of the South.
  With it, under the dark clouds of war Corinth became a target;
  the one military objective that occupied the focus of Federal
  attention in the planning of the Western Campaign of 1862.

       The Siege of Corinth (April 28 to May 30, 1862) and the
  Battle of Corinth (October 3 to 4, 1862) are nationally important
  milestones in Civil War campaigns and battles.  To save Corinth,
  the South's largest city, New Orleans, was abandoned to fall
  immediately into Federal hands.  The costal defenses were
  stripped from Mobile, Pensacola, and as far away as Charleston.
  Missouri and northern Arkansas were abandoned.  Thus, the
  Confederacy made these sacrifices to concentrate enough troops to
  defend a small northeastern Mississippi Village.  The best of
  everything was sent to Corinth.

       By the end of March, 1862, over 30,000 Confederate soldiers
  billeted in and around Corinth.  In a bold attempt to save the
  crossroads at Corinth, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston
  attacked the Federal forces under U. S. Grant at Pittsburg
  Landing, Tennessee.  Thus, the Battle of Shiloh (April 6 & 7,
  1862) was fought to save Corinth.

       The Confederates retreated back to Corinth and a siege
  resulted.  The Confederates were able to retreat from Corinth and
  did not attempt to retake the town until October.  The Federals
  occupied Corinth until December 1864.

       As a city, Corinth emerged from the Civil War scarred but
  not broken.  The infrastructure was damaged, but not irreparable;
  in spite of the ravages of battle, a majority of business houses
  and residences were left standing.  The strong agricultural trade
  base of the region allowed the economy to rebound rapidly.  With
  the renewed economy came the lure of investment for manufacturing
  concerns to both process the harvest and produce other goods of the
  regional needed.


  Compiled by the Corinth Preservation Commission,
          Stephanie L. Sandy, Chairman, 1992.

  Credits:
          Nomination for the Siege and Battle of Corinth,
            National Historic Landmark 5/8/1992.

          Nomination for the Downtown Historic District of Corinth,
            National Register of Historic Places, draft July 9, 1992.

          Corinth:  An Urban National Battlefield Park. Larry C.
             Skelton, Corinth-Alcorn Area Chamber of Commerce
             Committee on Tourism, 1972.


  histcw4