Preservation Dream 20 Years in the Making at Parker’s Cross Roads

Parker’s Cross Roads battlefield in West Tennessee.

Courtesy Paul Geden, Wikimedia Commons

Recipient: City of Parkers Crossroads

Award Amount: $92,822.50
Acreage: 0.38

As 1862 came to a close, President Abraham Lincoln was poised to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, the executive order that freed enslaved people in rebel states. Meanwhile, Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest was concluding his raids in West Tennessee meant to disrupt Union supply lines when he was confronted by federal forces at Parker’s Crossroads.

On December 31, 1862, Union forces attempted to cut Forrest off from retreating across the Tennessee River. Though things looked grim for the Confederate forces, Forrest demand an unconditional surrender. His demand rebuked, Union forces approached the Confederate rear, surrounding them. Though surprised, Forrest boldly ordered his soldiers to “Charge ‘em, both ways.” Confederate forces were able to successfully break through Union lines and retreat across the river. While both sides claimed victory, Confederate forces were able to escape, unpursued, with their supplies intact.

With the help of a Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program, the City of Parkers Crossroads and the American Battlefield Trust will acquire .38 acres of this battlefield in Henderson County, Tennessee. For over twenty years, the City and its partners have shown a strong commitment to preserving the battlefield, saving approximately 350 acres. This most recent tract is part of the core area of the battlefield where Confederate artillery was located. The Trust will transfer the property to the State of Tennessee to be incorporated into the Parker’s Crossroads Battlefield Park for future interpretation.

Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants empower preservation partners nationwide to acquire and preserve threatened Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War battlefields. In addition, the program administers three other grants: Preservation Planning Grants, which are open to all sites of armed conflict on American soil, the newly authorized Battlefield Restoration and Battlefield Interpretation grant programs. This financial assistance generates community-driven stewardship of historic resources at the state, tribal and local levels.

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Check out the American Battlefield Protection Program's website for more information about various grant offerings and eligibility.

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