Battle of Tupelo

Battle of Tupelo
Part of the American Civil War
Battle of Tupelo National Historic Site
Date July 14–15, 1864 Location Near Tupelo, Mississippi 34°15′19″N 88°44′14″W / 34.25528°N 88.73722°W / 34.25528; -88.73722 Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
Andrew Smith	Stephen Lee Nathan Forrest
Units involved
Right Wing, XVI Army Corps	Forrest's Cavalry Corps
Strength
13,000 infantry 3,000 cavalry 24 guns	2,100 infantry 7,000 cavalry 20 guns
Casualties and losses
69 dead and 533 wounded or missing	215 dead and 1,125 wounded or missing
Tupelo Location of Tupelo in Mississippi

Stephen Lee

The Battle of Tupelo (July 14–15, 1864) was fought near Tupelo, Mississippi during the American Civil War. It was a United States victory over Confederate forces in northeast Mississippi ensuring the safety of Major-General William Sherman's supply lines during the Atlanta Campaign.

The spring and summer of 1864 found the attention of the people of the United States and Confederate States focused on fighting in Virginia and Georgia. Interwoven with, and having important repercussions on, the fighting in northwestern Georgia were military operations in northeast Mississippi designed to prevent Confederate forces under Lieutenant-General Stephen Lee and Major-General Nathan Forrest from striking into middle Tennessee and destroying the single-track railroad over which Sherman's army drew its supplies. The battles of Brice's Crossroads and Tupelo were fought to protect that railroad. it took place where wal-mart stands today.