Holding An Importain Bridge

The Battle of Staunton River Bridge took place June 25^th 1864 in Halifax and Charlotte Counties, Virginia.

As the Siege of Petersburg continued the Confederate troops had become dependent on supplies coming in on the Danville, Richmond and South Side Railroad lines.  Union General Ulysses S Grant knew that if those could be cut, the Confederates would have to abandon Petersburg.

On June 22^nd 1864 Grant sent 5,000 cavalry and 16 pieces of artillery under the command of Union Brigadier Generals James H Wilson and August V Kautz to destroy those railroad lines.  Despite being harassed by Confederate Major General WHF Rooney Lee, the Union troops were able to destroy 60 miles of railway over three days.

They reached the Staunton River Bridge, along which ran the Richmond and Danville Railroad and was the vital supply line for the Confederates in Petersburg.  The bridge was being held by 296 Confederates under the command of Captain Benjamin L Farinholt.  Farinholt had received intelligence warning him of the Union approach, giving him time to request reinforcements.  The extra men; about 640, arrived on the morning of the battle June 24^th 1864.  Knowing he was being watched Farinholt ordered the train station to his south to keep running a train, making it appear he was receiving a large number of troops.  Also helping along this impression was Mulberry Hill plantation owner Mrs. Nancy McPhail, who informed the Union commanders that there were 10,000 Confederate troops at the bridge.

At about 4pm on June 24^th the Union troops arrived on the northern side of the Staunton River Bridge. Kauts had his cavalry dismounted and advanced.  They attempted to capture and hold the bridge long enough to set it on fire, but were quickly repulsed.  Other Union men occupied a ditch about 150 yards from the bridge, where they made several charges, sustaining heavy casualties, gaining no ground.  About sunset WHF Rooney Lee arrived on the scene, attacking Union troops in the rear.  This forced Wilson and Kautz to retreat.

The next morning Farinholt advanced into the vacated Union lines.  They buried 42 Union dead.

If you would like to read more about the BATTLE OF STAUNTON RIVER BRIDGE  this is a good place to start.

Covered In Blood

The Battle of Selma was fought in Alabama on April 2^nd 1865.

Union Major General James H Wilson had three cavalry divisions, made up of about 13,500 men.  He led them south from Gravelly Springs, Alabama.  Wilson’s Confederate opposition was Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest.  As part of a running fight the Union troops beat Forrest at the Battle of Ebenezer Church on April 1^st 1865, and then continued towards Selma, Alabama.

Forest arrived in Selma, Alabama early on the morning of April 2^nd 1865, he and his horse covered in blood.  Forest told the commander of the city’s military force, Lieutenant Richard A Taylor to leave the city.  Selma, Alabama was well defended by three miles of fortifications, but Wilson divided his command into three columns, and broke through the resistances causing the Confederates after heavy fighting, to surrender the city.  Most of the Confederate officers including Forrest and Taylor along with a good number of the soldiers escaped capture.  The Union force saw loses of about 360 men, while the Confederate troops had about 2,700 casualties.

The End Of A Rail Raid

A part of the Wilson-Kautz Rail Raid, the Battle of Sappony Church took place on June 28th 1864.


Three rail lines supplied the Confederates at Petersburg, Virginia, the Richmond - Petersburg Railroad, the South Side Railroad, and the Weldon Railroad. Union General Ulysses S Grant on June 22nd 1864 sent a cavalry unit under the command of Brigadier Generals James H Wilson and August V Kautz to disrupt these rail lines. The raid would put 60 miles track out of use. The Union cavalry was hotly followed by Confederate Major General William HF Rooney Lee, he caught up with them at Staunton Bridge where the Confederate force attacked. Lee pursued the Union cavalry as they retreated toward Union lines.

The Union cavalry crossed the Nottoway River on June 28th 1864 at the Double Bridges, reaching Stony Creek Depot on the Weldon Railroad. There Confederate Major General Wade Hampton attacked the Union cavalry. While this was going on Lee’s cavalry joined in the attack. Kautz and Wilson disengaged and ordered a retreat to the north to the Halifax Road, try to reach Reams Railway Station.

Forrest Held Up The Union Troops

The Battle of Anthony’s Hill [also know as the Battle of King’s Hill and the Battle of Devil’s Gap] part of the north Alabama, middle Tennessee campaign took place on December 25th 1864.


Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood ordered Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest to guard the rear of the Army of Tennessee after the lost at the Battle of Nashville. Leaving Pulaski, Tennessee in the evening of December 24th 1864 Forrest had to find a way to slow Union Major General James H Wilson’s pursuit long enough so the rest of the army could make its escape to the Tennessee River.

Wilson pushing his troops to capture the Confederates, was on the road first thing Christmas morning, December 25th 1864. That afternoon a few miles south of Pulaski, Wilson’s men ran into Forrest’s skirmishers. Wilson sent 3 regiments of dismount cavalry, into a wooded gorge leading up to Anthony’s Hill. Forrest posted 2 brigades of infantry and 2 of cavalry with some field pieces along a rail barricade. The Confederates unleashed a heavy fire, causing the Union troops to retreat, with Forrest’s men pursuing. The Confederates captured some cannon, pursuing for another half-mile before coming up against a full division of Union cavalry. Forrest disengaged at this point, pulling his troops back up the hill to their original positions, behind their barricades. The Confederate withdrew south to Sugar Creek in dark.

A web site about this subject that I recommend checking out is The Battle of Anthony’s Hill

Hood Lost His Chance

The Battle of Spring Hill begun on the night of November 28th 1864 has been called a non-fighting event.

Confederate General John Bell Hood and the Army of Tennessee marched on the night of November 28th 1864 toward Spring Hill Tennessee. The object was to seal off Union Major General John McAllister Schofield’s supply line. As the Confederate’s advanced cavalry on both sides had skirmishes. With Union Brigadier General James H Wilson fighting the Confederate troopers led by Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

The next day November 29th 1864 Schofield was holding the crossroads at Spring Hill with reinforcements. Late that afternoon the Union troops were able to repulse an Confederate infantry attack. Hood’s assault was piecemeal at best and poorly executed. During the night the Union troops moved through Spring Hill to Franklin. Many have called this battle "one of the most controversial non-fighting events of the entire war.
Hood lost his best chance to envelop the Union command, and Schofield punished him for that failure the next day at Franklin Tennessee.