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Hub AI
First Battle of Murfreesboro AI simulator
(@First Battle of Murfreesboro_simulator)
Hub AI
First Battle of Murfreesboro AI simulator
(@First Battle of Murfreesboro_simulator)
First Battle of Murfreesboro
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 Colonel 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.
On June 10, 1862, Union Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell, commanding the Army of the Ohio, started a leisurely advance toward Chattanooga. Brig. Gen. James S. Negley and his force threatened the city on June 7–8. In response to the threat, the Confederate government sent Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest to Chattanooga to organize a cavalry brigade. By July, Confederate cavalry under the command of Forrest and Colonel John Hunt Morgan were raiding into Middle Tennessee and Kentucky.
Forrest left Chattanooga on July 9 with two cavalry regiments and joined other units on the way, bringing the total force to about 1,400 men. The major objective was to strike Murfreesboro, an important Union supply center on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, at dawn on July 13.
Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Crittenden commanding the Murfreesboro garrison consisting of four units: one regiment of cavalry, two regiments of infantry, and a battery of artillery.
Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry brigade consisting of three cavalry units and two infantry battalions.
The Murfreesboro garrison was camped in three locations around town: the 7th Pennsylvania and 9th Michigan infantry in the town and on the Woodbury Pike east of Murfreesboro and the 3rd Minnesota and Hewitt's Battery on Wilkinson's Pike west of the town. Brig. Gen. Thomas Turpin Crittenden, who had just arrived on July 12 took command of the garrison from Col. Lester of the 3rd Minnesota. Between 4:15 and 4:30 a.m. on the morning of July 13, a group of 15 cavalrymen avoided the midnight patrols and surprised the Union pickets on the Woodbury Pike, east of Murfreesboro. The firing did not ignite reaction from the units in and east of Murfreesboro, allowing Forrest to move on the town itself.
Confederate cavalry and infantry poured into the city streets in three columns. The first, under Col. John Warton of the 8th Texas Cavalry moved north to the Maney House and overran the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry without inflicting or taking any casualties. The second column under Forrest and the 1st Georgia Cavalry rode to the city square and liberated the prisoners in the jail. The third column composed of the Col. William Lawton's 2nd Georgia Cavalry and the attached infantry battalions moved north to the Lebanon Pike and cut off an escape route for the 9th Michigan. The courthouse was set ablaze and the guards inside surrendered to put out the fire. Around this time, Brig Gen. Crittenden was awoken by Confederate cavalrymen and captured. Now being the highest-ranking officer inside Murfreesboro, Colonel Duffield gave Lt. Col. Parkhurst the command to form the 9th Michigan on their company streets as more enemy cavalry approached. Col. Duffield then ordered his men into square, which they were unable to execute under the awkward circumstances. Wharton's Texans struck the Michiganders, compelling them to withdraw to the fence line in front of the Maney House where they would hold their position against multiple attacks.
Hearing the firing, Col. Lester had his regiment formed into line alongside Capt. Hewitt's Battery on a high ridge in front of the Murfree house northwest of the town. Advancing a quarter mile to the timber in front, Confederates of the 2nd Georgia Cavalry fired at the Minnesotans. Skirmishers on both sides exchanged fire as artillery from Hewitt's battery crashed into the woods. The 3rd's skirmishers fell back into line with the rest of the regiment, and the 2nd Georgia charged. However, the charge quickly dithered under the fire of Lester's men. Both sides proceeded to exchange shots once again. Colonel Lawton was impressed by the 3rd Minnesota, later remarking that "the enemy sharpshooters were quite effective".
First Battle of Murfreesboro
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 Colonel 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.
On June 10, 1862, Union Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell, commanding the Army of the Ohio, started a leisurely advance toward Chattanooga. Brig. Gen. James S. Negley and his force threatened the city on June 7–8. In response to the threat, the Confederate government sent Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest to Chattanooga to organize a cavalry brigade. By July, Confederate cavalry under the command of Forrest and Colonel John Hunt Morgan were raiding into Middle Tennessee and Kentucky.
Forrest left Chattanooga on July 9 with two cavalry regiments and joined other units on the way, bringing the total force to about 1,400 men. The major objective was to strike Murfreesboro, an important Union supply center on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, at dawn on July 13.
Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Crittenden commanding the Murfreesboro garrison consisting of four units: one regiment of cavalry, two regiments of infantry, and a battery of artillery.
Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry brigade consisting of three cavalry units and two infantry battalions.
The Murfreesboro garrison was camped in three locations around town: the 7th Pennsylvania and 9th Michigan infantry in the town and on the Woodbury Pike east of Murfreesboro and the 3rd Minnesota and Hewitt's Battery on Wilkinson's Pike west of the town. Brig. Gen. Thomas Turpin Crittenden, who had just arrived on July 12 took command of the garrison from Col. Lester of the 3rd Minnesota. Between 4:15 and 4:30 a.m. on the morning of July 13, a group of 15 cavalrymen avoided the midnight patrols and surprised the Union pickets on the Woodbury Pike, east of Murfreesboro. The firing did not ignite reaction from the units in and east of Murfreesboro, allowing Forrest to move on the town itself.
Confederate cavalry and infantry poured into the city streets in three columns. The first, under Col. John Warton of the 8th Texas Cavalry moved north to the Maney House and overran the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry without inflicting or taking any casualties. The second column under Forrest and the 1st Georgia Cavalry rode to the city square and liberated the prisoners in the jail. The third column composed of the Col. William Lawton's 2nd Georgia Cavalry and the attached infantry battalions moved north to the Lebanon Pike and cut off an escape route for the 9th Michigan. The courthouse was set ablaze and the guards inside surrendered to put out the fire. Around this time, Brig Gen. Crittenden was awoken by Confederate cavalrymen and captured. Now being the highest-ranking officer inside Murfreesboro, Colonel Duffield gave Lt. Col. Parkhurst the command to form the 9th Michigan on their company streets as more enemy cavalry approached. Col. Duffield then ordered his men into square, which they were unable to execute under the awkward circumstances. Wharton's Texans struck the Michiganders, compelling them to withdraw to the fence line in front of the Maney House where they would hold their position against multiple attacks.
Hearing the firing, Col. Lester had his regiment formed into line alongside Capt. Hewitt's Battery on a high ridge in front of the Murfree house northwest of the town. Advancing a quarter mile to the timber in front, Confederates of the 2nd Georgia Cavalry fired at the Minnesotans. Skirmishers on both sides exchanged fire as artillery from Hewitt's battery crashed into the woods. The 3rd's skirmishers fell back into line with the rest of the regiment, and the 2nd Georgia charged. However, the charge quickly dithered under the fire of Lester's men. Both sides proceeded to exchange shots once again. Colonel Lawton was impressed by the 3rd Minnesota, later remarking that "the enemy sharpshooters were quite effective".