Battle of Thompson's Station

Last updated
Battle of Thompson's Station
Part of the American Civil War
DateMarch 5, 1863 (1863-03-05)
Location
Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United States (1861-1863).svg United States (Union) Flag of the Confederate States of America (1863-1865).svg CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the United States (1861-1863).svg John Coburn The Van Dorn Flag.svg Earl Van Dorn
Units involved
Dept. of the Cumberland Army of Tennessee
Strength
1 Reinforced Infantry Brigade 1 Cavalry Corps
Casualties and losses
1,906 300

The Battle of Thompson's Station took place during the American Civil War on March 5, 1863, in Williamson County, Tennessee.

In a period of relative inactivity following the Battle of Stones River, a reinforced Union infantry brigade, under Col. John Coburn, left Franklin to reconnoiter south toward Columbia. Four miles from Spring Hill, Coburn attacked with his right wing, a Confederate Army force composed of two regiments; he was repelled. Then, Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn seized the initiative. Brig. Gen. W.H. "Red" Jackson's dismounted 2nd Division made a frontal attack, while Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's division swept around Coburn's left flank, and into his rear. After three attempts, characterized by hard fighting, Jackson carried the Union hilltop position as Forrest captured Coburn's wagon train and blocked the road to Nashville in his rear. Out of ammunition and surrounded, Coburn surrendered, along with all but two of his field officers. Union influence in Middle Tennessee subsided for a while.

Union units involved included 19th Michigan Infantry Regiment (20 killed, 92 wounded, 345 captured, total 457) and 33rd Indiana Infantry Regiment (13 killed, 85 wounded, 407 captured, total 505). [1]

Van Dorn and Forrest received help with their victory from an unlikely participant. Miss Alice Thompson, age 17 at the time, was sheltering in the basement of the residence of Lieutenant Banks. The 3rd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment was advancing through the yard, lost their Colonel (Samuel G. Earle) and their color bearer, and the regiment was thrown into disorder. Miss Alice Thompson rushed out, raised the flag and led the regiment to victory. The enemy lauded her action. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Pea Ridge</span> 1862 battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Pea Ridge, also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place during the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south from central Missouri, driving Confederate forces into northwestern Arkansas. Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn had launched a Confederate counteroffensive, hoping to recapture northern Arkansas and Missouri. Confederate forces met at Bentonville and became the most substantial Rebel force, by way of guns and men, to assemble in the Trans-Mississippi. Against odds Curtis held off the Confederate attack on the first day and drove Van Dorn's force off the battlefield on the second. By defeating the Confederates, the Union forces established Federal control of most of Missouri and northern Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Van Dorn</span> United States Confederate Army general

Earl Van Dorn was an American major-general who started his military career as a United States Army officer and became famous for successfully leading a defense of a Native American settlement from the Comanche. He joined Confederate forces in 1861 after the Civil War broke out and was a major general when he was killed in a private conflict. He is considered one of the greatest cavalry commanders to have ever lived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tullahoma campaign</span> Military campaign of the American Civil War

The Tullahoma campaign was a military operation conducted from June 24 to July 3, 1863, by the Union Army of the Cumberland under Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans, and is regarded as one of the most brilliant maneuvers of the American Civil War. Its effect was to drive the Confederates out of Middle Tennessee and to threaten the strategic city of Chattanooga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Belmont</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Belmont was fought on November 7, 1861, in Mississippi County, Missouri. It was the first combat test in the American Civil War for Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the future Union Army general in chief and eventual U.S. president, who was fighting Major General Leonidas Polk. Grant's troops in this battle were the "nucleus" of what would become the Union Army of the Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Jackson, Tennessee</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Jackson, also known as the Battle of Salem Cemetery, was fought on December 19, 1862, in Madison County, Tennessee, during the American Civil War.

The First Battle of Murfreesboro was fought on July 13, 1862, in Rutherford County, Tennessee, as part of the American Civil War. Troops under Confederate cavalry commander Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest surprised and quickly overran a Federal hospital, the camps of several small Union units, and the jail and courthouse in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. All of the Union units surrendered to Forrest, and the Confederates destroyed much of the Union's supplies and destroyed railroad track in the area. The primary consequence of the raid was the diversion of Union forces from a drive on Chattanooga.

The Third Battle of Murfreesboro, also known as Wilkinson Pike or the Cedars, was fought December 5–7, 1864, in Rutherford County, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Battle of Corinth</span> Major battle of the American Civil War

The Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans defeated a Confederate army, this time one under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Iuka</span> 1862 battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Iuka was fought on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. In the opening battle of the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans stopped the advance of the Confederate Army of the West commanded by Maj. Gen. Sterling Price.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Corinth</span> Major battle of the American Civil War

The siege of Corinth was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry Halleck engaged in a month-long siege of the city, whose Confederate occupants were commanded by General P.G.T. Beauregard. The siege resulted in the capture of the town by Federal forces.

John Mercer Brockenbrough was a farmer and a Confederate colonel in the American Civil War.

The First Battle of Franklin was fought April 10, 1863, in Williamson County, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. It was a minor engagement in about the same location as that of the more famous Battle of Franklin, which was part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Tupelo</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Tupelo, also known as the Engagement at Harrisburg, was a battle of the American Civil War fought from July 14 to 15, 1864, near Tupelo, Mississippi. The Union victory over Confederate forces in northeast Mississippi ensured the safety of Sherman's supply lines during the Atlanta Campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Baton Rouge (1862)</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Baton Rouge was a ground and naval battle in the American Civil War fought in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, on August 5, 1862. The Union victory halted Confederate attempts to recapture the capital city of Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th Michigan Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 9th Michigan Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The Ninth Michigan Infantry organized at Fort Wayne (Detroit), near Detroit, Michigan, from independent companies recruited throughout the state, and mustered into Federal service for a three-year enlistment on October 15, 1861. The regiment was under the command of William Ward Duffield as colonel and John G. Parkhurst as lieutenant colonel.

The 7th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

The 8th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th Texas Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment was a unit of mounted volunteers that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment fought at Round Mountain and Bird Creek (Chusto-Talasah) in 1861, Pea Ridge, Siege of Corinth, Second Corinth, Hatchie's Bridge and the Holly Springs Raid in 1862, and in the Atlanta campaign, Franklin, and Murfreesboro in 1864. The unit fought dismounted at Second Corinth and Hatchie's Bridge before being remounted as cavalry for the remainder of the war. The regiment surrendered to Federal forces on 4 May 1865 and its remaining personnel were paroled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">27th Texas Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 27th Texas Cavalry Regiment, at times also known as Whitfield's Legion or 1st Texas Legion or 4th Texas Cavalry Battalion, was a unit of mounted volunteers that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. First organized as the 4th Texas Cavalry Battalion or Whitfield's Legion, the unit served dismounted at Pea Ridge and First Corinth. Additional companies from Texas were added and the unit was upgraded to the 27th Texas Cavalry Regiment or 1st Texas Legion later in 1862. Still dismounted, the unit fought at Iuka and Second Corinth. The regiment was remounted and fought at Holly Springs in 1862, Thompson's Station in 1863, and at Yazoo City, Atlanta, Franklin, and Third Murfreesboro in 1864. The regiment surrendered to Federal forces in May 1865 and its remaining soldiers were paroled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6th Texas Cavalry Regiment</span> Confederate mounted volunteers, American Civil War

The 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment was a unit of mounted volunteers that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment fought at Chustenahlah in 1861. The following year the unit fought at Pea Ridge, First Corinth, Second Corinth, Hatchie's Bridge, and Holly Springs. The 6th Texas Cavalry participated in the fighting at Thompson's Station in 1863, the Atlanta campaign, and the Franklin–Nashville Campaign in 1864. The regiment formally surrendered to Union forces in May 1865 and its remaining soldiers were paroled.

References

  1. Fox, William F., Lt.-Col., 'Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865', Albany, N.Y., 1889, p. 435.
  2. Ridley, Bromfield L. Chat with Col. W.S. McLemore, Battles and Sketches of the Army of Tennessee, Missouri Printing and Publishing Company, Mexico, Missouri, 1906, p. 177.

35°47′53″N86°54′23″W / 35.7980°N 86.9063°W / 35.7980; -86.9063