Battle of Okolona

Battle of Okolona
Part of the American Civil War
Date February 22, 1864 (160 years ago) (1864-02-22) Location Chickasaw County, Mississippi 34°00′08″N 88°45′20″W / 34.0021°N 88.7556°W / 34.0021; -88.7556 Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
Confederate States	United States (Union)
Commanders and leaders
Nathan B. Forrest	William S. Smith
Units involved
Forrest's Cavalry Corps	Meridian Mississippi Expedition Cavalry
Strength
2,500	7,000
Casualties and losses
144	388
Okolona class=notpageimage| Location of Okolona in Mississippi

The Battle of Okolona took place on February 22, 1864, in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, between Confederate and Union forces during the American Civil War. Confederate cavalry, commanded by Major-General Nathan B. Forrest, faced over 7,000 cavalry under the command of Brigadier-General William S. Smith and defeated them at Okolona, causing 100 casualties for the loss of 50.^[1]

Smith's force had been ordered to set off from Memphis, Tennessee, and rendezvous with the main Union army of 20,000 that was marching on Meridian, Mississippi, and was under the command of Major-General William T. Sherman. However, Smith disobeyed orders^[1] and delayed his march for ten days waiting on a unit that was ice bound in Kentucky. When he eventually left, he encountered the Confederate cavalry force on February 21, and on February 22 was engaged in a running battle across eleven miles with Forrest's forces. With Confederate reinforcements, Forrest routed Smith but did not pursue due to lack of ammunition, and Smith limped over the state line to Tennessee on February 26, where he was criticized for putting Sherman's Meridian campaign in danger.^[1]