Trying To Slow The Union Movement

In Benton County Tennessee on November 4th 1864 the Battle of Johnsonville was fought.

Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest with 3,500 cavalry and infantry lead an attack on the Union supply base at Johnsonville Tennessee, in an effort to slow the Federal’s movement through Georgia. Forrest moved north from Corinth Mississippi, temporarily blockading the Tennessee River, and than moving along the river he captured several Union steamers and a gunboat. On the 4th of November 1864 the Confederates set up their ten cannon on the river across from the Union supply base at Johnsonville Tennessee. The Union troops under the command of Lieutenant E M King and Colonel C R Thompson, observed the Confederates in the afternoon, and engaged them with their artillery and gunboats. The Confederate gun were well placed and soon disabled the Federal guns.

In an attempt to keep the Confederates from crossing the river and capturing transports, the Union set them on fire. A wind caught the fire and caused it to spread across the levee and to a nearby warehouses. The Confederates shelled the Union soldiers keeping them from putting out the fire. With the fire lighting his way Forrest withdrew in the night, without any serious losses. Union damages were estimated to be over two million dollars.