Battle of Blue Springs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Blue Springs |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ambrose Burnside | John S. Williams | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Army of the Ohio | 1st Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry 4th Kentucky Cavalry |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 100 | 216 | ||||||
The Battle of Blue Springs was a fight during the American Civil War. It happened on October 10, 1863, in Greene County, Tennessee. This battle was part of a bigger plan by the Union Army to control East Tennessee.
Contents
Why Did the Battle of Blue Springs Happen?
A Union general named Ambrose Burnside led an important mission. He wanted to clear roads and mountain passes in East Tennessee. His goal was to open routes to Virginia and possibly capture salt mines there.
In October 1863, a Confederate general, John Stuart Williams, had a different plan. He wanted to stop Union communication and supply lines. General Williams hoped to take control of Bulls Gap, a key spot on the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad.
First Skirmishes Near Bulls Gap
On October 3, as General Williams moved toward Bulls Gap, his troops met Union forces. These Union soldiers were part of the Cavalry Division led by General Samuel P. Carter. They clashed at Blue Springs, which was about nine miles from Bulls Gap.
General Carter wasn't sure how many enemy soldiers he was facing. Because of this, he decided to pull his troops back. For the next few days, Carter and Williams had small fights. These were called skirmishes.
How Did the Battle Unfold?
On October 10, General Carter returned to Blue Springs with more soldiers. General Williams had also received some extra troops. The main battle started around 10:00 AM.
Union cavalry (soldiers on horseback) fought the Confederates for most of the day. At the same time, another group of Union mounted soldiers tried to get behind the Confederates. Their aim was to block any escape routes.
The Main Attack
An engineer named Captain Orlando Metcalfe Poe scouted the area. He was looking for the best place for Union foot soldiers to attack.
At 3:30 PM, a Union division led by General Edward Ferrero moved forward. They launched their attack at 5:00 PM. Ferrero's soldiers broke through the Confederate lines. They caused many injuries to the Confederate troops.
The Union soldiers pushed almost to the back of the enemy's position. However, they were eventually stopped.
Confederate Retreat and Union Victory
After it got dark, the Confederate soldiers pulled back. They left the battlefield. The Union forces began chasing them the next morning.
Within a few days, General Williams and his men had retreated all the way to Virginia. General Burnside's mission in East Tennessee was to reduce Confederate power there. The Battle of Blue Springs helped the Union achieve that goal.
