Siege of Corinth Facts

April 29–May 30, 1862

Corinth Siege 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.

Portrait of Henry Halleck

Although Major General Henry Halleck’s forces captured the Confederate stronghold at Corinth, Mississippi with very little loss of life, he failed to defeat or capture General P. G. T. Beauregard’s army. [Wikimedia Commons]

Also known as:

  • Battle of Corinth I, First Battle of Corinth

Date:

  • April 29 – May 30, 1862

Location:

  • Hardin County and McNairy County, Tennessee; Alcorn County and Tishomingo County, Mississippi

Campaign:

  • Federal Penetration up the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers

Principal Union commander(s):

  • Major General Henry Halleck (overall), Major General Ulysses S. Grant (nominally second in command), Major General George H. Thomas, Major General Don Carlos Buell, and Major General John Pope

Principal Confederate commander(s):

  • General P. G. T. Beauregard, Major General Earl Van Dorn, General Braxton Bragg

Union forces engaged:

  • Army of the Tennessee, Army of the Ohio, Army of the Mississippi

Confederate forces engaged:

  • Army of Tennessee, Army of the West

Number of Union soldiers engaged:

  • Roughly 120,000

Number of Confederate soldiers engaged:

  • Roughly 65,000

Estimated Union casualties:

  • 1,000 casualties (killed, wounded, and captured/missing)

Estimated Confederate casualties:

  • 1,000 casualties (killed, wounded, and captured/missing)

Result:

  • Union victory

Significance:

Although Major General Henry Halleck captured the Confederate stronghold at Corinth, Mississippi with very little loss of life, he failed to defeat or capture General P. G. T. Beauregard’s army.

Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard evacuated the Confederate stronghold at Corinth, Mississippi, but saved his army by implementing an elaborate hoax that completely fooled his Union adversaries.