Second Battle of Corinth Facts

October 3–4, 1862

Second Corinth Battle facts, including dates, location, casualties, leaders, who won, and more interesting facts you might not know. This fact sheet provides a quick overview of the battle and is for kids doing research and students preparing for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) exam.

Black and white photo of William H. Rosecrans.

Major General William Rosecrans (pictured here) defeated Confederate General Earl Van Dorn at the Second Battle of Corinth, but he failed to destroy the Confederate Army of West Tennessee. [Wikimedia Commons]

Date:

  • October 3–4, 1862

Location:

  • Corinth, Mississippi

Campaign:

  • Iuka and Corinth Operations

Principal Union commander(s):

  • Major General William S. Rosecrans

Principal Confederate commander(s):

  • Major General Earl Van Dorn

Union forces engaged:

  • Army of the Mississippi

Confederate forces engaged:

  • Army of West Tennessee

Number of Union soldiers engaged:

  • Roughly 23,000

Number of Confederate soldiers engaged:

  • Roughly 22,000

Estimated Union casualties:

  • 2,520 (355 killed, 1,841 wounded, 324 captured/missing)

Estimated Confederate casualties:

  • 4,233 (473 killed, 1,997 wounded, 1,763 captured/missing)

Result:

  • Union victory

Significance:

  • The Union victory at the Second Battle of Corinth was incomplete because Major General William Rosecrans succeeded in defeating a Confederate army, but failed to destroy it.