Battle of Parker's Crossroads

Nathan Bedford Forrest led his cavalry brigade on a raid to destroy tracks and bridges in West Tennessee, Dec. 15, 1862–Jan. 3, 1863. They narrowly avoided defeat, and Grant moved his supply base to Memphis.

Late in 1862, the Union army under Gen. Ulysses S. Grant threatened Vicksburg, Mississippi. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg ordered Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest to sever Grant’s West Tennessee supply line, which extended from Columbus, Kentucky, via the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Forrest led his cavalry brigade on a raid to destroy tracks and bridges in West Tennessee, Dec. 15, 1862–Jan. 3, 1863. He and his men crossed the Tennessee River at Clifton, defeated Union Col. Robert G. Ingersoll’s cavalry at Lexington, captured Trenton and Union City and ranged briefly into Kentucky. On Christmas Day, Forrest led his brigade back into Tennessee. To stop him, Union Gen. Jeremiah C. Sullivan sent brigades under Cols. Cyrus C. Dunham and John W. Fuller in pursuit. At Parker’s Crossroads on Dec. 31, Forrest narrowly avoided defeat. He and his men crossed the river again at Clifton on Jan. 1. This successful raid led Grant to move his supply base to Memphis.