First Main Battle Line (Union)

Brig. Gen. Benjamin Grierson's Federal cavalry (3,300 troops) left Stubbs plantation (nine miles northwest of Brice's Cross Roads) at daybreak on June 10, 1864. By 10:00 a.m. the cavalry had reached Brice's Cross Roads and advance units had encountered "a heavy force of the enemy" along the Baldwyn Road. The cavalry was dismounted and deployed on either side of the road, in the woods at the western edge of a cleared field, one-half mile east of the Cross Roads. Col. George Waring's brigade was astride the road and Col. Edward Winslow's brigade was on the right of Waring's.

...I informed (Gen. Sturgis) that I had an advantageous position and could hold it if the infantry was brought up promptly. The enemy advanced upon us in large numbers, with double line of skirmishers and line of battle...

Brig. Gen. B. H. Grierson, Cavalry Division (US)

By noon Forrest had three brigades on the field (Lyon, Johnson and Rucker) and outnumbered the Federal cavalry in front of him. Forrest's first two attacks (a general frontal assault and a second against Waring's left) were repulsed, but his third succeeded in breaching the Union line between Waring's right flank and Winslow's left (immediately southwest of this location). The Union retreated to new positions one quarter mile from the Cross Roads.

The enemy was in very thick brush. I could not tell the exact position of the enemy's line....I had moved forward but a short distance when the enemy fired a volley...by which Lieutenant Dillon and many others of the company were severely wounded. The left of the regiment was obliged to fall back...As I heard the enemy advancing through the brush I ordered the regiment to lie close to the ground. (The Confederates) charged us twice in this position, but were driven back with heavy loss. We lay here about two hours within sixty yards of the enemy, the brush being so thick that we could not see them.

Maj. Abial R. Pierce, Fourth Iowa Cavalry

Battle Map Confederate Cavalry converges on Union Cavalry and pushes them towards Brice's Crossroads

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Show me all markers in:  Guntown, MS  |  Lee County  |  38849  |  Mississippi  |  United States of America

Tippah, Tishomingo, Pontotoc, Itawamba Intersection
Treaty of Pontotoc
Battle of Brice's Cross Roads, MS
Brice's Cross Roads
Federal Cavalry and Artillery Formed First Battle Line Here
Confederate's Second Battle Line
Brice's Cross Roads
Federal's Second Battle Line
Battle of Brice's Cross Roads
Battle of Brices Cross Roads

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