Over A Railroad

The Cavalry Battle at Collierville November 3^rd 1863 was a move against the Memphis & Charleston Railroad.

There were four minor battles in the Collierville, Tennessee area in 1863.  On November 3^rd 1863 Confederate Brigadier General James R Chalmers was leading a raid up from Mississippi to break up the Memphis & Charleston Railroad which Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman was using for supplies and troop movements.  Chalmers learned that there were only two Union regiments defending Collierville, so he decided to attack.

Union Colonel Edward Hatch was in command at Collierville, but he also had men located at Germantown, Tennessee just five miles to the west.  Hatch got intelligence telling him of Chalmers’ approach.  Hatch sent to Germantown for Union Cavalry.  As Chalmers attacked the Union troops at Collierville, the Union Cavalry from Germantown attacked the Confederate flank.

Surprised by Union troops on his flanks, Chalmers brook off the battle and withdrew his soldiers back to Mississippi.  The Memphis & Charleston Railroad remained opened.