Touring The Civil War Trail in Meridian, Mississippi

In February 1864, Union Major General William T. Sherman, commanding the Army of the Tennessee, moved his troops from Vicksburg, Mississippi 130 miles directly east to the town of Meridian. Meridian was a city with two major railroad junctions, along with countless warehouses and other structures that supported the Confederacy, that made it a crucial Union target.

Sherman's 20,000 men, over the course of five days (February 14-19, 1864), destroyed 115 miles of railroad, 61 bridges, 20 locomotives, and countless warehouses. It was the first time Sherman put his Total War tactics to use, ordering his men to destroy everything that could serve as a resource to the Confederacy with the goal to break the South's capacity and will to fight. It's here that the soldiers, as they tore up the railroad ties, twisted the metal into what they called "Sherman's neckties," making it harder for the Confederates to repair.

At the end of the five day campaign, Sherman famously reported "Meridian, with its depots, store-houses, arsenal, hospitals, offices, hotels, and cantonments, no longer exists."

Thought this was a Union victory, the city of Meridian would boast 26 days later that their railroad was functional again.

Today we went to Meridian and visited its ten stops on its Civil War Trail.  A few of the stops are simply signs talking about things that happened during the Meridian campaign. You can tour Merrehope, one of the six structures that wasn't burned down, along with several cemeteries around the area for the Confederate dead. Be sure to stop by the train station, where you can see great examples of Sherman's neckties.

As a side note, the downtown area is quite nice, and if you're looking for a good Southern meal that is reasonably priced along with some serious dessert options, you want to go to Jean's. Just get there early if you want a good chance of getting a slice of their famous pies and desserts. We came too late, and it was only 11:30am!