Beyond the remains of the
Huntingdon-Lexington Road that marked the east-west
line of Union forces during the December 31, 1862
Battle of Parker's Crossroads, crowds of spectators
gathered June 12 and 13 to watch as Union and
Confederate forces battled once more. The event
commemorated the 142nd anniversary of the battle in
which General Nathan B. Forrest uttered the words,
amidst a surprise rear attack, "Charge them both
ways!"
The Living History and Battle Reenactment takes place
every other year in conjunction with the Annual
Battleground Chili Cook-off, now in its 10th season.
Spectators braved scorching heat and the threat of
rains to turn out in droves for the events, enjoying
Civil War relic and Victorian exhibits, Union and
Confederate campsites, and period dress and living
exhibitions as well as demonstrations of tactical
skirmishes that occurred during the battle.
This year's event was even more exciting than usual
for members of the Parker's Crossroads Battlefield
Association, including PCBA historian and state
Representative Steve McDaniel, all of whose efforts
have born much fruit toward their goal of preserving
and promoting the Civil War history of the area.
The week before the reenactment saw the opening of the
Parker's Crossroads Bookstore and Gift Shop in the
1840s log cabin that is located on Highway 22 just off
I-40, behind the Cotton Patch Restaurant. The
bookstore offers a wealth of books, maps, posters,
audio and video media, games, toys, paper dolls,
collectibles, and apparel relating to the Civil War.
The first-class bookstore is run by Eastern National,
a company that operates educational retail stores in
over 150 national parks. The non-profit organization
has donated over $70.7 million to the National Park
Service since 1947.
In the northern room of the log cabin, across the dog
trot from the bookstore, is the Log Cabin Information
Center with brochures, an interpretive map that covers
an entire wall, plus a huge diorama of the battlefield
artfully crafted by Wayne Gilland.
Since 2002's reenactment, PCBA has added a 77-acre
tract to previously acquired land that includes the
Union burial site now accessible on the new mile-long
walking trail that meanders south of the Union line
adjacent to I-40. Another nine acres alongside I-40 at
"Tour Stop 8" is being purchased with closure on the
property set for October this year. The acquisition
was made possible in large measure by Dr. Eric Noreen
of Seattle, Washington who, at the request of Jim
Lighthizer and the Civil War Preservation Trust,
contributed $15,000 toward the purchase. The Parker's
Crossroads National Battlefield Park, which is managed
by the city, now encompasses 166.08 acres, including
the pending acreage, of 1400 battlefield acres listed
in the National Register of Historic Places.
Tour Stop 8 is the last stop on a self-guided driving
tour that since 1995 has led Civil War enthusiasts to
points of interest and which, in 1999, was enhanced by
the assistance of a 60-minute audiocassette tape that
sheds light on each spot along the way.
At the end of the driving tour, visitors to the
battlefield can spend intimate moments with nature,
while furthering their education of the battle, along
the mile-long trail that PCBA secretary Sue Jordan
says should have been paved already, though spring and
summer rains have hampered efforts. Nevertheless, the
graveled trail that leads past majestic trees and
billowing fields of grass lends a peaceful reverence
to grounds where some 80 Confederate soldiers and 800
to 1,000 Union forces breathed their last in a contest
of brother against brother.
Across the highway, another half-mile of trails will
grant access to the Confederate line of battle. All
along the way, interpretive signs of national park
quality will help guests understand the full measure
of devotion exhibited by both sides in the war, and,
Sue says, will provide "an understanding of the
battle, why it took place, its ramifications and its
place in the bigger picture of the war."
Individuals or groups completing the self-guided tour
by hiking, biking, or motor vehicle are eligible for
one of the "Parker's Crossroads Battle Tour" patches.
The round patch signifies completion of the tour by
motor vehicle, the oval patch designates completion of
a bicycle tour, a shield-shaped patch represents
completion of a hiking or walking tour.
For more information about PCBA or to join their
preservation efforts see their Web site at
www.parkerscrossroads.com, or contact them at Parker's
Crossroads Battlefield Association; P.O. Box 255;
Parker's Crossroads, TN 38388; 731-968-1220 or
731-989-7944.
THE BATTLE
Before engaging federal forces at Parker's Crossroads,
Forrest's own narrative states he and his troops on
Christmas Day "proceed(ed) via the Northwestern
Railroad to McKenzie's Station, destroying all the
bridges and trestles on that road from Union City to
McKenzie's Station."
They then moved toward Lexington on the 28th, while
Union forces occupied Trenton, Humboldt, Huntingdon,
and Lexington, their objective being to cut off
Forrest's command and prevent them from recrossing the
Tennessee River.
The Parker's Crossroad's National Park driving tour
summarizes what was to come:
Tour Stop 1: Located at the City Park, the
state historical marker refers to the tree line next
to the highway that marks the old Huntingdon-Lexington
roadbed. Union Col. Cyrus L. Dunham's Brigade
proceeded south along this road and then deployed to
the west to meet General Forrest. South of this point
is the Parker House, where later in the battle,
Forrest horse-holders were surprised to find Union
artillery positioned. The tour follows Dunham's forces
as they marched to meet Forrest.
Tour Stop 2: At Hick's Field on Cecil Walls
Road, this stop marks the spot where the first shots
of the
battle were fired. Members of the 50th Indiana and
18th Illinois marched up the McLemoresville Road into
a crossfire of dismounted troopers from Confederate
Col. G. G. Dibrell's 8th Tennessee Cavalry and Col. A.
A. Russell's 4th Alabama Cavalry. Forrest's men pushed
the Union forces back to the crossroads.
Tour Stop 2 is also the approximate location of an old
sunken road that ran eastward to
intersect the Huntingdon-Lexington Road and which
Forrest used to run his artillery into place.
Turning south to follow Dunham's retreat and Forrest's
flanking movement, visitors can see, at the
intersection of Cecil Wall Road and Rock Springs Road,
the location of the Williams house, which was used as
a hospital to treat the wounded from the battle.
Dunham's forces continued to move and established a
line of defense along the Lexington-Huntingdon Road
from a point just south of the Parker House to Red
Mound.
Tour Stop 3: This is the site of the original
crossroads, located adjacent to the First Bank parking
lot, where the Parker House was located. Dunham's
brigade came from the north on the morning of December
31. As the battle moved from Hick's Field, Forrest's
troops began to take up positions to the east. An
orchard was located near the Parker House, behind
where the Post Office is now located. It was there
that Forrest's horse holders were surprised later in
the day by Union Col. John W. Fuller's Ohio Brigade.
Almost 300 of Dibrell's and Cox's men, whose horses
had either fallen or were stampeded away, were
captured.
Tour Stop 4: Forrest's men watered their horses
and filled their canteens at the old well on
Wildersville Road, where also is located Jones
Cemetery where the Rev. John A. Parker and wife
Rebecca were buried facing north and south while other
graves properly face east to west. The positioning of
the graves was the last request of Parker before his
death in 1864, a desire brought about after Parker - a
Republican and Union sympathizer - demanded that the
cannon placed in his front yard by Union soldiers be
removed, knowing Confederate counter-fire would
destroy his home. When asked by the Union officer,
"What is more important - the Union cause or your
house?" Parker declared, "My house!" Parker intended
to have the last word on the subject through the
positioning of the graves, so that "when the Angel
Gabriel sounded his trumpet, he could rise and 'kick
the Yankees back north!'"
Tour Stop 5: Across the highway at the
intersection of Expressway Church Road is the location
of one of Dunham's force's last positions in the
battle. This stop is in a hollow running generally
northwesterly from the road toward the rear of
Dunham's position as he was facing Forrest's forces to
the north. Russell's and Starnes' men infiltrated the
position using the hollow as cover. Dunham about
faced-portions of the 122nd Illinois and 50th Indiana
and charged bayonets through the area and across a
road south to a position near Red Mound, where he was
once again surrounded by Confederate troops. One force
was still surrounded in this area and another force
was located to the south. Major Strange of Forrest's
staff had single-handedly taken Dunham's wagon train
parked in a draw near this location. Dunham's men
along the split-rail fence began showing flags of
truce and, though Dunham was also being asked to
surrender at his location at Red Mound, he refused. As
the flags of truce were passing back and forth,
Colonel John W. Fuller's Ohio Brigade appeared over
the hill north, behind the Parker House, and began
engaging Forrest.
Tour Stop 6: By early afternoon, Dunham's
brigade was dispersed in two battle groups. One was
located in this area, the other about 3/4 miles
northeast. While Dunham refused to surrender his
troops at Red Mound, Fuller began his attack from the
Parker House.
Tour Stop 7: In the midst of the battle, at the
site of the Parker House, Fuller's men began their
attack on Forrest. Across the interstate at the
location of Tour Stop 7, Forrest had Dunham's force
surrounded when Fuller began his attack. Told he was
between the two Union forces, Forrest responded,
"Charge them both ways!" With a scratch- force of 75
men, he charged the Union forces, stunning them into
taking a defensive position north of the Parker House.
Forrest was thus able to retreat, traveling south
where he later escaped across the Tennessee River at
Clifton.
Tour Stop 8: Located at Tour Stop 8 and
alongside the walking trail is the Union burial site
behind the same fencerow that was once the split-rail
fence behind which Union forces established defensive
positions. The split-rail fence was also the site
where Confederate Col. Thomas Alonzo Napier, in a show
of bravado that prompted him to leap atop the fence,
met his demise. He is buried at the Wyly Cemetery in
Waverly.
