Video: 151st Battle of Okolona

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OKOLONA, Miss.(WCBI)–Civil War soldiers are setting up camp just off Highway 41 in Western Chickasaw County for the 151st Anniversary Re-enactment of the Battle of Okolona. Some 9,500 soldiers converged on a place called Prairie Mount, where blood was shed.

Civil War Re-enactors are coming from all across the country to bring to life a strategic battle taking place 151 years ago between men of the blue and men of the gray.

“Coming from all over the mid-south. Some people, all over Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas; Some from Kentucky,” said Andy Anderson/Civil War Re-enactor.

“All over the south. They are coming from, if we can get them here, from up north. All the way down to the Gulf Coast. We had some calling from Biloxi this morning that are coming,” said Joanna Carter/Re-enactment Chairperson.

Fifty Confederate soldiers and 100 Union troops were killed in a battle that resulted in a victory for Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forest that day. Okolona was a well established town in February of 1864. Tradition has it that Prairie Mount native and prosperous landowner Littleberry Gilliam buried gold and other valuables at the battle site.

“This is where Okolona was before the railroad came through. This was the earliest settlement in the area. The town of Prairie Mound, this was a stagecoach stop. WE had grist mills, we had a post office out here, saw mill,” said Andy Anderson.

Due to the Battle of Okolona with the retreat of the Union Army and the setting of the sun, some Civil War enthusiasts say one Golden Triangle City was spared that day.

“This battle here saved the town of Columbus. If they had not been fighting here they, stopped the Yankees from getting down and burning Columbus,” said Andy Anderson.

“In fact they burned Egypt before they got to us. They burned us, we have one civil war home left here,” said Joanna Carter.

The unprotected city of Okolona was burned to the ground in January of 1865 as the war was winding down.

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