Held The Line Until After Dark

BG Micah Jenkins

A minor fight the Battle of Dandridge was fought January 17^th 1864 in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

Union forces commanded by Major General John G Parke looking for forage south of the French Broad River and to push the Confederates out of their winter headquarters, advanced on Dandridge, Tennessee.  This movement forced Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet who was operating in the Dandridge area to fall back to Kimbrough’s Crossroads and bring up reinforcements.

Union Brigadier General Samuel D Sturgis who commanded the Cavalry Corps in the Army of the Ohio, road along the Morristown Road from Dandridge on January 16^th 1864.  As the Cavalry neared Kimbrough’s Crossroad they engaged a brigade with artillery from Alabama commanded by Confederate Brigadier General Micah Jenkins.  At the same time another unit of Union cavalry under Colonel Frank Wolford engaged another Confederate force on a bend of Chunky Road, east of Dandridge.  Unable to move the Confederates, the Union troops retired to Dandridge.  Sturgis prepared his men into a line of battle.  At about 4 pm the Confederates moved towards Dandridge, where the battle quickly grew into general fighting.  The Battle continued until after dark, with Union forces holding onto their line.

Having not crossed the river and not knowing how much of Longstreet’s force was in their front, Parke ordered a retreat to New Market during the night.  The Confederates followed, but without supplies they broke off and fell back to holding Dandridge.