Forgotten

Battle of Meridian
At the start of the Civil War in 1861, Meridian was still a small village. Confederates made use of its strategic position at the railroad junction and constructed several military installations.
During the Battle of Meridian in 1864, Union General Wm. Tecumseh Sherman led troops into the city, destroying the railroads, an arsenal, storehouses and burned many of the buildings to the ground. Sherman is reported to have said afterwards, Meridian “no longer exists.”
Workers rapidly repaired the railroad lines and they were back in operation 26 working days after the battle.