Payback at Tupelo: The 61st US Colored Troops vs. General Forrest

Former Tennessee Slaves Face Forrest at Tupelo

In July 1864, the 61st and 68th United States Colored Troops marched into Mississippi with one goal: stop Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

These Black soldiers, once slaves in Tennessee, knew the risks. If caught, they faced death as “insurrectionists,” not POWs.

The danger was real – just three months before, Forrest’s men had killed Black troops who tried to surrender at Fort Pillow.

Yet when battle came at Tupelo, these men stood firm against wave after wave of Confederate attacks. Their brave stand helped keep Union supply lines open and proved what many doubted: Black soldiers could fight and win.

The Tupelo National Battlefield now tells their story through monuments that honor their forgotten courage.

From Slaves to Soldiers: The Birth of Two Black Regiments

The 61st USCT started as the 2nd Tennessee Infantry at LaGrange, Tennessee in June 1863. Most men had just escaped slavery.

The 68th USCT began as the 4th Missouri Colored Infantry at St. Louis during winter 1863-1864.

Both units got new names on March 11, 1864, when the army put all Black units under one system. If caught, Confederate forces treated them as slave rebels who could be killed.

For these men, fighting meant fighting for their own freedom.

Blood at Fort Pillow Cast a Long Shadow

Just three months before Tupelo, Nathan Bedford Forrest’s troops killed nearly 300 surrendering Union soldiers at Fort Pillow, Tennessee on April 12, 1864.

Only 58 of about 300 Black troops lived to be taken prisoner, while 64% died in the attack. Black soldiers across the Union army started shouting “Remember Fort Pillow!” in battle.

A Confederate soldier named Achilles Clark wrote that Black soldiers begged for mercy but were told to stand up before being shot.

Sherman’s Supply Lines Hung in the Balance

General Sherman needed to keep his 473-mile supply line open from Kentucky to support his Atlanta Campaign. His 100,000 men and 35,000 animals needed those supplies to live.

Forrest’s fast-moving cavalry posed the biggest threat to this vital railroad.

Sherman sent General Smith with 14,000 troops, including the 61st and 68th USCT, to keep Forrest busy in Mississippi. Their job was clear: pin down Forrest so he couldn’t cut Sherman’s railroad in Tennessee.

Hard March Through Enemy Country

Smith’s troops left LaGrange, Tennessee on July 5, 1864, with orders to wreck Confederate supplies along the way. The 61st and 68th USCT marched with Smith’s 14,000 soldiers deep into enemy land.

They burned supplies and tore up Confederate buildings as they moved south.

Forrest waited at Okolona with about 6,000 men while his boss Lieutenant General Lee brought more troops. By July 11, Smith’s force reached Pontotoc, Mississippi.

Quick Thinking Led Union Forces to Tupelo

Smith worried about getting trapped at Pontotoc on July 13, so he moved east toward Tupelo instead. The Confederates now had about 8,000 men after Lee showed up with 2,000 more soldiers.

Smith’s sudden move confused Forrest and Lee, who left a road open, letting Union troops slip through at first. Confederate cavalry soon caught up and attacked the moving Union column.

The 61st and 68th USCT helped guard the back of Smith’s force during this running fight.

Fierce Fighting Erupted at Camargo’s Cross Roads

Confederate troops caught up with Smith’s column at Camargo’s Cross Roads on July 13. The 61st USCT joined the fight as part of Smith’s rear guard.

Smith kept his troops moving while fighting off Confederate attacks. Union cavalry got to Tupelo around noon and started tearing up sections of the railroad right away.

Smith moved his army while fighting a battle at the same time, a tough challenge that his men, including the Black regiments, handled well.

Morning Attacks Crashed Against Union Lines

Confederate forces under Lee attacked Union positions near Tupelo at 7:30 a. m.

on July 14. Smith had set up his infantry, with the 61st and 68th USCT ready for the attack.

Lee sent his cavalry forward on foot: Roddey on the right, Mabry on the left, and Crossland in the center. The Confederate attacks came in waves rather than all at once.

Union troops beat back the first assault, causing heavy Confederate losses in the brutal July heat.

Black Troops Proved Their Courage Under Fire

Throughout the morning of July 14, the 61st and 68th USCT helped stop multiple Confederate charges. Confederate brigades led by Lyon, Mabry, Bell, and Rucker made separate attacks against the dug-in Union position.

Union soldiers, including the Black troops, kept up steady fire from their defensive lines. Many Confederate soldiers fell from heat exhaustion under the hot July sun.

By noon, Confederate forces pulled back and dug in, unable to break through.

Nighttime Surprise Attack Failed to Break Through

Forrest tried a surprise attack on the Union left flank around 9 p. m. on July 14. Union forces, including Colonel Bouton’s brigade of Black troops, pushed back this night assault.

This evening attack was Forrest’s last attempt to break Smith’s defensive position. The 61st and 68th USCT again helped drive back the Confederate night attack.

Forrest got shot in the foot during this action, which limited his ability to lead future operations.

Union Troops Fought Their Way Back to Memphis

Smith ordered a return to Memphis on July 15 because his men had only about a day’s spoiled bread left. Confederate forces under Buford moved up the Verona Road to hit the Union left flank during the retreat.

Crossland’s and Bell’s brigades pushed Union skirmishers back to a line of trees. Several Union regiments, including the 61st and 68th USCT, came up to strengthen the line.

Buford’s Confederate troops got worn out from fighting in the heat.

Black Soldiers Helped Deliver a Rare Defeat to Forrest

The Battle of Tupelo stands as one of only two defeats Nathan Bedford Forrest suffered during the entire war.

Smith completed his mission: Sherman’s supply lines stayed open, allowing the Atlanta Campaign to move forward.

The 61st USCT lost one officer and seven enlisted men killed, with four officers and 28 enlisted men wounded.

The victory broke Forrest’s combat effectiveness – he led more raids later but never again beat infantry in open battle.

Visiting Tupelo National Battlefield, Mississippi

Tupelo National Battlefield on West Main Street is free to visit from sunrise to sunset daily. This one-acre grassy site honors the 61st and 68th United States Colored Troops who fought Nathan Bedford Forrest here.

These regiments included formerly enslaved men from Tennessee who faced the same Confederate general who had massacred Black soldiers at Fort Pillow three months earlier.

There are no visitor services on-site, so get information at Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center six miles north.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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