It Wasn't A Mire Diversion

The First Battle of Franklin was fought in Williamson County, Tennessee on April 10^th 1863, taking place near where the more famous battle of the same name would happen in 1864.

On April 10^th 1863 Confederate Major General Earl Van Dorn advanced his cavalry, about 6,000 strong, north from Spring Hill, Tennessee, towards Franklin, Tennessee.  His force would run into skirmishers of Union Major General Gordon Granger.  Granger had received a report of an attack to his north in Brentwood, Tennessee, and thought Van Dorn’s attack was a mire diversion.  When Granger learned that there was no threat to Brentwood, he decided to drive Van Dorn.  When the Union commander sent orders, he found that one of his subordinates had already initiated an attack.

The 4^th United States Cavalry under the command of the Brigadier General David S Stanley came in behind Van Dorn’s troopers by crossing the Harpeth River at Hughes’ Ford.  The Union troopers captured Freeman’s Tennessee Battery, but loose it when Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest made a counterattack.  Finding Union cavalry in his rear, Van Dorn withdrew back to Spring Hill, leaving the Union in control of the area.  This battle cost the Confederates 137 and the Union 100 casualties.

The Western Fort Surrendered

A Siege against Fort Gaines, a part of the Battle of Mobile Bay, came to an end on August 8^th 1864 after six days.

Union Major General Gordon Granger landed a force on Dauphin Island on August 3^rd 1864.  The 3,300 men moved against Fort Gaines located on the western side of Mobile Bay.  The Fort was of pentagonal design and was built in the mid 1800’s.  It was held by about 820 Confederate soldiers under the command of Colonel Charles A Anderson.  Anderson’s commander Confederate Brigadier General Richard Lucian Page gave him orders not to surrender the Fort.

On August 5^th 1864 Admiral David G Farragut’s Union Navy fleet of 18 ships, ran past Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan; the other fort defending the Bay, defeating the Confederate ships in Mobile Bay.  Seeing this Anderson decided he couldn’t hold the Fort if attacked by both Granger’s force and the Union Navy.  He surrendered the Fort August 8^th 1864.

A Celebration Of Freedon

Juneteenth also called Freedom or Emancipation Day, celebrates the day that the abolition of slavery was announced in Texas on June 19^th 1865.

President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became effective on January 1^st 1863, but it meant little to the slaves in the Confederate states.  This was true for the African Americans living in bondage in Texas.  On June 18^th 1865 Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with 2,000 troops to reinstate Federal law and control.

Standing on the balcony of Ashton Villa in Galveston on June 19^th 1865, Granger read General Order Number 3, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”  The former slaves took to the streets of Galveston in celebration.

The next year on June 19^th 1866 the celebration known as Juneteenth began in Texas.

Closing The Bay

A part of the Battle for Mobile Bay, Fort Morgan fell on August 23^rd 1864 to Union forces.

The Confederate navy in Mobile Bay was defeated by Union Admiral David Glasgow Farragut on August 5^th 1864.  Fort Gaines which protected the western side of the Bay surrendered to a land force under the commanded of Union Major General Gordon Granger.  The Union command then turn their attention to Confederate held Fort Morgan.  The Fort was under Confederate Brigadier General Richard Lucian Page, who had about 600 men in his command.

Granger’s soldiers began moving siege artillery into range of the Fort on August 9^th 1864.  Farragut had his ships guns turned toward the Fort.  For the next two weeks the Union guns fired on the Fort, keeping up consistent bombardment.

Page was forced on August 23^rd 1864 to unconditionally surrender the Fort.  Refusing the turn over his sword to the Union, Page broke it over his knee.  He had his cannon spiked before surrendering and turning the Fort over.  The fall of this Fort shut down Mobile Bay as a port for the Confederates.

A Fort Falls

A part of the Battle of Mobile Bay, the Siege of Fort Gaines ran from August 3rd 1864 to August 8th 1864.


Union commander Major General Gordon Granger landed troops on Dauphin Island August 3rd 1864 and moved against Fort Gaines. Fort Gaines guarded the western side of Mobile Bay. Granger had about 3,000 men. The fort was under the command of Confederate Colonel Charles D Anderson. Anderson had about 800 men, and had been ordered not to surrender the fort.

On August 5th 1864 the Union fleet defeated the Confederate ships in Mobile Bay after running the guns of Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan. Anderson decided he would not be able to hold Fort Gaines against a combined land and water attack, and he surrender on August 8th 1864.

If you are looking for more information on this subject check out A Guardian of Mobile Bay