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.

Resupply And Recruit

Nathan Bedford Forrest

Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest led a raid on the Ohio River in March, which included the Battle of Paducah on March 25^th 1864.

Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest headed into Tennessee and Kentucky with about 3,000 men.  The object of this raid was to disrupt Union troops in the area, resupply and recruit.  They reached Paducah, Kentucky on March 25^th 1864 and occupied the town.  Union troops in the town under the command of Colonel Stephen G Hicks, numbering around 650 men withdrew into Fort Anderson on the west side of Paducah.  Forrest tried to get the Union men to surrender, telling them "... if I have to storm your works, you may expect no quarter."  But with support of two gunboats on the Ohio River, Hicks would not surrender.

With Hicks men bottled up in the Fort, the Confederates rounded up horse and mules, and loaded Union Army supplies into wagons, destroying anything they couldn't take.  Some of Forrest’s men decided to attack the Fort, but they were repulsed with heavy casualties.

Facing A Heavy Column

The Battle of Brentwood was fought March 25^th 1863 in Williamson County, Tennessee.

Brentwood was a station on the Nashville & Decatur Railroad and was held on the morning of March 25^th 1863 by Union Lieutenant Colonel Edward Bloodgood and his 400 men.  On that morning a heavy column under the command of Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest was closing in on the town.  Forest had sent his 2^nd Brigade under the command of Colonel JW Starnes, the day before to take up railroad track, and cut the telegraph lines.

Bloodgood learned of Forrest’s movements about 7am on March 25^th when a messenger informed him that Forrest was about attack.  He tried to send a message to Union superiors only to find the telegraph not working.  Forrest demanded that Bloodgood surrender, but he refused.  Forrest then had his artillery open on the Union position, and he very quickly surrounded Bloodgood and his men.  Bloodgood was forced to surrender, causing a loss of the railroad to the Union.  Bloodgood had about 305 casualties, while Forrest only reported the lost 6 men.

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.

A Military Man

General Andrew Jackson Smith who was a Union Corps commander was born April 28th 1815.

Andrew Jackson Smith was born April 28th 1815 in Bucks County Pennsylvania. He attended the United States Military Academy and graduated 36th out of 45 in 1837. Smith saw service in the Mexican American War, and saw action in the Oregon and Washington territories. He moved up the ranks and was a Major by 1861.

When the Civil War started Smith was made Colonel of the 2nd California Volunteer Cavalry. In 1862 he had moved east to command the Union cavalry of the Department of Mississippi and had the rank of Brigadier General. He would be assigned to the Army of Tennessee and took part in the capture of Arkansas Post. Smith commanded a division in the Vicksburg Campaign. He was brevetted Brigadier General for defeating Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest in the Battle of Tupelo July 14th 1864. He then joined forces with Major General George Henry Thomas when Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood threatened Nashville, Tennessee. Smith was in command of the 16th Corps in the final campaign in Mobile Alabama in 1865.

Smith resigned his commission and became a Colonel of the United States 7th Cavalry in 1866, serving in West. In April 1869 Smith retired from the military. He became the Postmaster of St Louis, Missouri thanks to an appointment from Ulysses S Grant. Smith died in St Louis January 30th 1897 and is buried there.