The Battle of West Point: Confederate Triumph at Ellis Bridge

John McBryde

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781609499877
• eBook ISBN: 9781625840554
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

On February 21, 1864, Confederate and Union forces faced off over the banks of the Chuquatonchee Creek on Ellis Bridge in West Point, Mississippi. This three-hour battle pitted Nathan Bedford Forrest with his small but mighty cavalry against William Sooy Smith and his dogged Federal troops as they attempted to push through the prairie and destroy the railroad junction in Meridian. Smith's men did not succeed in their mission and suffered heavy casualties at the hands of Forrest in a precursor to the Battle of Okolona. Author John McBryde details the nuances of the battle that initiated Rebel opposition to the Meridian Campaign, including accounts from West Point locals of the time.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Part I. Preparations for a Raid
• Part II. Offense and Defense
• Part III. The Battle
• Part IV. Local Reactions to Federal Occupation
• Conclusion
• Appendix A. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cavalry Command
• Appendix B. William Sooy Smith’s Cavalry Command
• Appendix C. General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s After-Battle Report on the Battle at Ellis Bridge and His Pursuit of the Federals through the Prairie to the Outskirts of Okolona
• Appendix D. General William Sooy Smith’s After-Battle Report on the Battle at Ellis Bridge
• Notes
• Bibliography
• About the Author