We come to you this week from the crossroads
of the past and present that is steeped in history
and splendor. We are in the Alcorn County town
of Corinth.
The town
was founded in 1853 under the name of Cross
City because it was at the site were the Memphis
and Charleston railway and the Mobile and Ohio
railroad intersected. This junction made Corinth
a strategic prize during the Civil War and
during the time between 1961 and 1965 over
300,000
solders and 200 generals occupied the city
of Corinth. The April
1862 battle of Shiloh resulted in the Confederates
evacuating from Corinth but in October of the
same year they attempted to retake the town
in the Battle of Corinth. This turned out to
be the bloodiest battle in Mississippi and
opened
the way for Grant's campaign against Vicksburg.
It's
difficult to drive through any part of Corinth
without crossing the ring of earthworks that
encircled the city during the war. The hastily
formed ridges of earth formed a protective buffer
for the weary solders to sleep behind. Today,
these earthworks remain the best preserved in
the nation and are recognized as national historic
landmarks.
If
you have any questions about the history of
Corinth, the friendly staff at the Northeast
Mississippi Museum have your answers. They have
displays of Indian artifacts, local memorabilia
and civil war relics.
In
our first story, we find out why C & D Jarnagen,
the nation's largest supplier of uniforms to
Civil War re-enactors, decided to move their
business to the town of Corinth.
Flour,
soybean meal and ground pork make up that unique
southern delicacy the slugburger. In our next
story we take you to the festival in Corinth
that celebrates this famous depression era sandwich.
In
our next segment you will meet three men who
are dedicated to honoring our veterans and preserving
our military past by restoring and revitalizing
old military vehicles. This started out as a
hobby but has grown into passion for these individuals
after seeing the reactions from the veterans
who once used the vehicles in live action.
Travel
down the scenic and beautiful Highway 23 in
northeast Mississippi with Walt as he makes
his way south on this weeks edition of Walt's
Way.
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