Battle of Brown's Ferry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Brown's Ferry
Part of the American Civil War
Wauhatchie battlefield with location of Brown's Ferry in top right
Date October 27, 1863 Location Hamilton County, Tennessee Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
William F. Smith	Evander M. Law William C. Oates
Strength
1st Brigade 3rd Division, IV Corps 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIV Corps Engineer Brigade, Dept. of the Cumberland	Law's Brigade, Longstreet's Corps
Casualties and losses
38	21

The Battle of Brown's Ferry was a small but important battle during the American Civil War. It happened on October 27, 1863, in Hamilton County, Tennessee. During this fight, two Union army groups pushed Confederate soldiers away from the Tennessee River. This allowed much-needed supplies to reach the Union army stuck in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Even though it was a minor fight, the Battle of Brown's Ferry was very important. It helped the Union win the larger Chattanooga battle about a month later.

Why the Battle Happened: The Cracker Line Story

After losing the Battle of Chickamauga, the Union's Army of the Cumberland was trapped in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Confederate Army of Tennessee, led by General Braxton Bragg, surrounded the city. Instead of attacking directly, Bragg decided to try and starve the Union soldiers out. He wanted them to give up or leave.

To do this, Bragg sent a group of soldiers, called a brigade, led by General Evander Law. Their job was to stop Union supply wagons along the Tennessee River. Law's soldiers spread out for about 5 miles, firing at any Union wagons they saw. When the Union army tried to use other routes, Law's commander, General James Longstreet, pulled some soldiers back. This left only two groups of soldiers along the river, led by Colonel William C. Oates.

The Union commander, William Rosecrans, was worried. He told President Abraham Lincoln, "We have no certainty of holding our position here." Lincoln quickly sent more soldiers. General Ulysses S. Grant was put in charge of all these Union forces.

On October 26, Grant started a plan to open a new supply route. This plan was created by his chief engineer, General William F. "Baldy" Smith. Food was running very low for the Union soldiers. They were even begging for "hardtack" crackers, which soldiers usually hated. Because of this, the new supply route was nicknamed the "Cracker Line."

Who Fought: The Armies

Here are the main groups of soldiers who fought at Brown's Ferry.

Union Forces

The Union forces were led by Brigadier General William F. Smith.

Confederate Forces

The Confederate forces were part of Longstreet's Corps, led by Lt. Gen. James Longstreet.

The Battle: Union Soldiers Attack

General Baldy Smith was given two brigades of soldiers. These were led by Brigadier Generals William B. Hazen and John B. Turchin. He also had an Engineer Brigade under Colonel Timothy Robbins Stanley.

General Turchin's soldiers had to march over land. They went around a bend in the Tennessee River called Moccasin Point. Their job was to hold the east side of the river at Brown's Ferry.

General Hazen's soldiers had a tougher job. They were split into 50 small groups of 21 men each. These men would float down the river in special flat-bottomed boats called pontoon boats. Colonel Stanley's engineers would steer these boats. A third group, led by Major General Joseph Hooker, would march from Bridgeport, Alabama. They were ready to help Hazen's men if needed.

At 3:00 AM, Hazen's soldiers got into the pontoon boats. They floated quietly around Moccasin Point, past the Confederate guards on Lookout Mountain. The river's current helped them move fast. A thick morning fog also helped hide their movements.

The plan was to land at the ferry crossing and another spot downriver. On the morning of October 27, only one company of Confederate soldiers was guarding the ferry. Five other companies were nearby as backup. Hazen's men reached their landing spots at 5:00 AM. It was mostly quiet, though some Union soldiers were fired upon early on. A few landing parties missed their exact spots. But in the end, the Union troops landed successfully. They quickly pushed back the Confederate guards and started digging defensive trenches.

When Colonel Oates heard about the Union landing, he immediately planned a counterattack. He used two companies to attack from the front to distract the Union soldiers. He led three other companies to try and cut off the Union forces from the ferry. However, the 6th Indiana Infantry had just landed. They were able to push back the Confederates. During the fighting, Colonel Oates was shot in the hip and had to leave the battle. His soldiers then began to retreat.

At the same time, Colonel Stanley's engineers started ferrying General Turchin's soldiers across the river. Now, Hazen and Turchin's combined forces were too strong for the Confederates. The Confederates had to retreat south toward Wauhatchie.

What Happened Next: The Cracker Line Opens

With the "Cracker Line" now open, General Hazen happily shouted, "We've knocked the lid off the cracker box!" This meant that food and supplies could finally reach the trapped Union army.

By the middle of the afternoon on October 27, a pontoon bridge was finished across the river. This bridge was built by the 1st Michigan Engineers. General Hooker's Union reinforcements were also on their way to Brown's Ferry.

General Longstreet, the Confederate commander, was worried. He thought this attack might just be a trick. He feared the real Union attack would come from the south. Because of this, he did not immediately counterattack. Two days later, under pressure from General Bragg, Longstreet did launch an attack in the Battle of Wauhatchie. But this attack failed. The "Cracker Line" stayed open, saving the Union army in Chattanooga.