In honor of Pvt. Nathan R. Oakes, CSA

150 years ago, my great grandfather, Nathan Richardson Oakes, served as a private in Company D of the distinguished 32nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment in the Army of Tennessee. He participated in the great Civil War campaigns, including the battles of Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville, and Bentonville. I am writing about his engagements as well as some details about fighting for the Lost Cause. I hope to honor him and commemorate the events and individuals that contributed to making this a renowned unit in the Confederate Army of Tennessee.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Beginning of the evacuation of Corinth, MS, 1862

During the very warm night of May 29th, 1862, without detection by the enemy, Confederate Gen. Gen. 
P.G.T. Beauregard masterfully withdrew his army of 45,000 troops to a point 7 miles south of Corinth, across Tuscumbia Creek. Various units from my great grandfather’s division took part in guarding the turnpike bridge over the Tuscumbia Creek while the army passed, then they burned the bridge, then followed army to Baldwyn, Mississippi. Other units guarded the railroad bridge, and after all the cars passed over, burned this bridge also. Jessee Cheeves, of Great Grandfather's 32nd Regiment, remembered guarding the wagon train as the Confederate army evacuated Corinth.

The 6th Tennessee Cavalry Regimentof which another of my ancestors, Great-Great Grandfather David Crockett Neal was a memberwas cut off by the Federal forces during the evacuation. But it cut it's way through and followed the army on to Tupelo.

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