Second Battle of Collierville: Difference between revisions
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The battle on November 3 was intended to be a [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] cavalry raid to break up the [[Memphis and Charleston Railroad]] behind [[William T. Sherman|Sherman]]'s [[XV Corps (Union Army)|Fifteenth Army Corps]], then in the process of marching to the relief of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]. But, when Confederate Brigadier-General [[James Ronald Chalmers|James Chalmers]], leading a cavalry division riding up from [[Mississippi]], learned that only one Union regiment was left to defend [[Collierville, Tennessee]], he decided to attack. He supposed [[Union Army|Union]] Colonel [[Edward Hatch]] possessed fewer men stationed at Collierville and at [[Germantown, Tennessee|Germantown]], {{cvt|5|mi|km|0}} to the west, than he actually did. Hatch's scouts warned him of Chalmers's approach from the south, so he ordered Collierville's defenders to be prepared and rode from Germantown with cavalry reinforcements. |
The battle on November 3 was intended to be a [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] cavalry raid to break up the [[Memphis and Charleston Railroad]] behind [[William T. Sherman|Sherman]]'s [[XV Corps (Union Army)|Fifteenth Army Corps]], then in the process of marching to the relief of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]. But, when Confederate Brigadier-General [[James Ronald Chalmers|James Chalmers]], leading a cavalry division riding up from [[Mississippi]], learned that only one Union regiment was left to defend [[Collierville, Tennessee]], he decided to attack. He supposed [[Union Army|Union]] Colonel [[Edward Hatch]] possessed fewer men stationed at Collierville and at [[Germantown, Tennessee|Germantown]], {{cvt|5|mi|km|0}} to the west, than he actually did. Hatch's scouts warned him of Chalmers's approach from the south, so he ordered Collierville's defenders to be prepared and rode from Germantown with cavalry reinforcements. |
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Chalmers, as he had done only three weeks earlier, attacked from the south with McCulloch's and Slemon's brigades. The Union post was defended by eight companies of the [[7th Illinois Cavalry Regiment|7th Illinois Cavalry]] and two howitzers. Hatch quickly arrived with the [[6th Illinois Cavalry Regiment|6th Illinois]] and [[2nd Iowa Cavalry Regiment|2nd Iowa]] cavalry. The Confederates launched an attack with only part of Slemon's brigade, believing faulty intelligence that it was lightly defended. The Union's 2nd Iowa Cavalry opened fire with their [[Colt's New Model Revolving rifle]]s and repulsed the attack. Surprised by the unexpected appearance of the enemy on his flanks, Chalmers concluded that he was outnumbered, called off the battle, and, to ward off Union pursuit, withdrew back to Mississippi. He reported |
Chalmers, as he had done only three weeks earlier, attacked from the south with McCulloch's and Slemon's brigades. The Union post was defended by eight companies of the [[7th Illinois Cavalry Regiment|7th Illinois Cavalry]] and two howitzers. Hatch quickly arrived with the [[6th Illinois Cavalry Regiment|6th Illinois]] and [[2nd Iowa Cavalry Regiment|2nd Iowa]] cavalry. The Confederates launched an attack with only part of Slemon's brigade, believing faulty intelligence that it was lightly defended. The Union's 2nd Iowa Cavalry opened fire with their [[Colt's New Model Revolving rifle]]s and repulsed the attack. Surprised by the unexpected appearance of the enemy on his flanks, Chalmers concluded that he was outnumbered, called off the battle, and, to ward off Union pursuit, withdrew back to Mississippi. He reported 6 dead and 89 wounded or missing, including Colonel [[James Z. George]], commanding the 5th Mississippi Cavalry. Hatch reported the loss of approximately 60 casualties. The Memphis and Charleston Railroad remained open to [[Tuscumbia, Alabama]], for Union troop movements. |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 05:52, 18 October 2022
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (September 2022) |
| Battle of Collierville | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War | |||||||
 Collierville Battlefield | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 Confederate States | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Col. Edward Hatch |
 Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Third Cavalry Brigade | Chalmers cavalry division | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 850 | 2,500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 60 | 6 dead and 89 wounded or missing | ||||||
  Collierville Location of Collierville in Tennessee | |||||||
The Battle of Collierville, also known as the Second Battle of Collierville, took place on November 3, 1863, in Shelby County, Tennessee.
Background
Four minor battles occurred in 1863 in Shelby County during a three-month period. The two largest battles occurred on October 11 and November 3, 1863. The battle on October 11 was the largest land battle fought in the county.
Battle
The battle on November 3 was intended to be a Confederate cavalry raid to break up the Memphis and Charleston Railroad behind Sherman's Fifteenth Army Corps, then in the process of marching to the relief of Chattanooga, Tennessee. But, when Confederate Brigadier-General James Chalmers, leading a cavalry division riding up from Mississippi, learned that only one Union regiment was left to defend Collierville, Tennessee, he decided to attack. He supposed Union Colonel Edward Hatch possessed fewer men stationed at Collierville and at Germantown, 5 mi (8 km) to the west, than he actually did. Hatch's scouts warned him of Chalmers's approach from the south, so he ordered Collierville's defenders to be prepared and rode from Germantown with cavalry reinforcements.
Chalmers, as he had done only three weeks earlier, attacked from the south with McCulloch's and Slemon's brigades. The Union post was defended by eight companies of the 7th Illinois Cavalry and two howitzers. Hatch quickly arrived with the 6th Illinois and 2nd Iowa cavalry. The Confederates launched an attack with only part of Slemon's brigade, believing faulty intelligence that it was lightly defended. The Union's 2nd Iowa Cavalry opened fire with their Colt's New Model Revolving rifles and repulsed the attack. Surprised by the unexpected appearance of the enemy on his flanks, Chalmers concluded that he was outnumbered, called off the battle, and, to ward off Union pursuit, withdrew back to Mississippi. He reported 6 dead and 89 wounded or missing, including Colonel James Z. George, commanding the 5th Mississippi Cavalry. Hatch reported the loss of approximately 60 casualties. The Memphis and Charleston Railroad remained open to Tuscumbia, Alabama, for Union troop movements.
Notes
This article incorporates public domain material from Collierville. National Park Service. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
Further reading
- Rowland, Dunbar & Howell, H. Grady, Jr., "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898", Chickasaw Bayou Press, 2003, Library of Congress Number 2002117732
- Smith, Timothy B. (2012). James Z. George: Mississippi's Great Commoner. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press. ISBN 978-1-61703-231-8.
