Battle of Dover (1863) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Dover
Part of American Civil War
Date February 3, 1863 (1863-02-03) Location Stewart County, Tennessee Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	Confederate States of America
Commanders and leaders
Abner C. Harding	Joseph Wheeler
Units involved
83rd Illinois Infantry 5th Iowa Cavalry	Second Corps, Army of Tennessee
Strength
800	2,500
Casualties and losses
126	670

The Battle of Dover, sometimes called the Second Battle of Fort Donelson, was an important fight during the American Civil War. It happened on February 3, 1863, in Stewart County, Tennessee. This battle was a victory for the Union forces.

Why Did the Battle of Dover Happen?

In early 1863, Confederate Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler led two groups of cavalry soldiers. He set up his troops along the Cumberland River at a place called Palmyra. His goal was to stop Union supply boats from moving on the river.

However, the Union army found out about Wheeler's plan. So, they stopped sending boats on the river. Since Wheeler couldn't stop the boats, he needed a new plan. He heard that the Union army's camp in Dover, Tennessee was small. He thought it would be easy to attack and win.

The Battle Begins

Map showing the battlefield areas near Dover, Tennessee.

The Confederate soldiers marched to Dover and started their attack. It was between 1 and 2 p.m. on February 3. The Union camp had about 800 soldiers. Their leader was Colonel Abner C. Harding.

The Union soldiers had picked good spots around Dover. They had also dug special trenches called rifle pits. These pits helped protect them during the fight. They also had places for their cannons.

The Confederates attacked very hard. They used their cannons skillfully. But the Union soldiers fought back strongly. The Confederates lost many soldiers in their attack. As evening came, both sides were running out of ammunition. The Confederates looked at the Union defenses. They decided the Union soldiers were too well protected to be captured.

What Happened After the Battle?

General Wheeler's Confederate forces decided to leave. The Union soldiers tried to chase them, but they couldn't catch them. The Confederates had failed to stop the Union boats on the Cumberland River. They also failed to capture the Union camp at Dover.

This loss meant the Union army stayed in control of Middle Tennessee. Another Confederate general, Nathan Bedford Forrest, was very upset with Wheeler. He said he would not fight under Wheeler again.