The First Battle of Corinth
May 29, 1862
Maj. Gen Henry W. Halleck USA
Brig. Gen P G T Beauregard CSA
The Second Battle of Corinth
October 3-4, 1862
Maj. Gen William Rosecrans USA
Maj. Gen Earl Van Dorn CSA
The Confederates tried to retake the city with the Second Battle of Corinth, but the Union Army was dug in too deep. Fighting raged in the town itself and centered around the railroad station after a Confederate breakthrough in the center along the Mobile & Ohio. (See map.) The timely arrival of Union reenforcemets on the second day sealed the deal but the Rosecrans had already reestablished his lines and plugged the gap by the time they got there.
Rosecrans's army suffered 355 killed, 1,841 wounded, and 324 missing at Corinth.
Van Dorn's losses were 473 killed, 1,997 wounded, and 1,763 captured or missing.
The Union Army maintained its occupation of the city until January 1864 when the army was pulled out to support Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. Of course, the Union destroyed anything they thought might be useful to the Confederates before they left; which, was pretty much everything.
During the period of the Union occupation Corinth became a prime destination for escaped slaves, southerners with Union sympathies, and the usual refugees created during every war ever fought. The scorched earth nature of the Civil War kept Corinth full to the brim and then some creating serious public health issues.
Note: I found the Corinth driving tour confusing and finally gave up trying to follow it. Perhaps, I was just tired from spending most of the day at Shiloh, but I noticed other drivers apparently having the same trouble I was. Part of the problem is that there is more than one tour and trying to follow the signs can lead you down a very pretty primrose path, but you are still lost.
Corinth is the home of the National Civil War Interprative Center.
Corinth : More information about the Battle of Corinth