July 20, 1862 (Monday): Bragg Leaves Tupelo

General William S. Rosecrans

ROSECRANS' HEADQUARTERS, July 20, 1862.

General GRANT:
    GENERAL: From a gentleman whom I know, who was imprisoned by the rebels and escaped after two unsuccessful attempts, bringing with him the irons with which he was manacled at Tupelo, I learn the following important facts:
    Bragg with a large force left Tupelo on the 7th, the date of his flag-of-truce letter to General Halleck, for the east, marching by Peeksville toward Chattanooga. A small force left Tupelo for Mobile July 1. There has been additional forces sent from Tupelo to Saltillo. Bradfute's cavalry is at Fulton. Thomas Jordan commands at Saltillo. Price is at Priceville, 6 miles east of Tupelo. A brigade is half west of Tupelo. No troops any farther west. Total force in that vicinity will not exceed 20,000. No troops were seen by him north of New Albany except a few strolling cavalry.


W. S. ROSECRANS,
Brigadier-General.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 17, Part 2, Page 107.

This is the beginning of Bragg's campaign.  With a relatively small force and 270 miles between Tupelo and Chattanooga, he faced severe obstacles in trying to wrest control of eastern Tennessee back from the Unionists.