Battle of Cherokee Station facts for kids

The Battle of Cherokee Station was a fight during the American Civil War. It happened on October 21, 1863, near Cherokee Station, Alabama. The battle was between the Union Army and the Confederate Army.

The Union forces, led by General Sherman, wanted to rebuild the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. This railroad was important because it would help Union troops get to Chattanooga more easily from Mississippi. Sherman started rebuilding the railroad at Corinth, Mississippi and moved into northern Alabama.

On October 20, the Union captured Barton's Station. They then started their attack on Cherokee Station with a small fight involving cavalry (soldiers on horseback). The XV Corps attacked the Confederate soldiers near Cherokee Station. After about an hour of intense fighting, the Confederates had to retreat. Union soldiers used powerful cannons called Parrott rifles to cause more losses among the retreating Confederates.

The Union continued to push forward. They won another important battle at Little Bear Creek on October 27. This victory forced the Confederates to give up Tuscumbia. However, the Confederates kept fighting back. This made the Union decide to find safer routes to Chattanooga, further north.

Why This Battle Happened

General Sherman wanted to rebuild the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. This was a key railway line. It would make it much simpler for Union soldiers to reach Chattanooga. From there, they planned to attack Atlanta, Georgia. The Union began fixing the railroad near Corinth, Mississippi. They then moved their forces through Northwest Alabama.

Sherman's push began on October 20 near Cane Creek. His troops won a battle against the Confederates there. On the same day, smaller fights happened at Barton's and Dickson's Stations. The Union won both of these skirmishes too. Later on October 20, Sherman's forces moved east toward Cherokee Station.

That evening, a small fight broke out. It was between the 5th Ohio Cavalry and a large group of Confederate cavalry. The 3rd U.S. Cavalry came to help. But the 5th Cavalry managed to defeat the Confederates on their own. The 5th Ohio Cavalry lost three men and two horses in this skirmish.

The Main Fight at Cherokee Station

On October 21, at 8:00 in the morning, the XV Corps moved toward where the Confederate troops were. The 1st Division of the XV Corps led the way. They found a large group of Confederate soldiers and immediately started firing.

Muskets were fired back and forth for about an hour. The Confederates lost many soldiers during this time. After losing a significant number of their men, the Confederates had to retreat. The Union division then brought up several large 20-pound Parrott rifles (cannons). These cannons caused dozens more casualties among the retreating Confederates. Several Confederate soldiers were also captured by the Union forces.

What Happened Next

After the battle, the Confederates retreated from the field. They went back to their defenses near Tuscumbia. The Union forces had 35 soldiers killed or wounded. The Confederates suffered much heavier losses, with 300 to 400 soldiers killed, wounded, or captured.

Lieutenant-General Stephen Dill Lee used cannons and his soldiers to slow down the Union's attack on Tuscumbia. He also had small fights with Union troops, like the one at Barton's Station. However, on October 27, Lee was forced to leave Tuscumbia. This happened after his forces were defeated at Little Bear Creek.

As Union troops moved toward Georgia, Lee tried to attack Cherokee Station again. But the XV Corps pushed him back. After this defeat, the Confederates tried another skirmish at Barton's Station. Because they didn't have enough supplies, Lee had to pull his troops out of Alabama and move them to northern Georgia.

Even though Lee's forces retreated, their resistance was important. It stopped the Union from rebuilding the Memphis and Charleston Railroad right away. Instead, the Union had to use longer, northern routes to get to Chattanooga. General Bragg praised Lee for slowing down the Union forces and preventing the railroad's reconstruction.