Battle of Fair Garden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Fair Garden
Part of the American Civil War
Date January 27, 1864 (1864-01-27) Location Sevier County, Tennessee Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Samuel D. Sturgis Edward M. McCook	William T. Martin
Units involved
Army of the Ohio	Department of East Tennessee
Strength
1 cavalry division	1 cavalry division
Casualties and losses
100	165

The Battle of Fair Garden was a small but important fight during the American Civil War. It happened on January 27, 1864, in Sevier County, Tennessee. This battle was mostly fought by cavalry (soldiers on horseback). Even though it was a small battle, many soldiers were hurt or killed on both sides. The Union Army won this battle.

Why the Battle Happened

After the Battle of Dandridge in mid-January 1864, Union cavalry moved south. They crossed the French Broad River. Their goal was to stop Confederate soldiers from gathering food and supplies. The Union troops successfully captured many supply wagons.

On January 25, 1864, Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet gave an order. He told his commanders to stop the Union soldiers. He wanted them out of the area south of the French Broad River.

Setting the Stage for Battle

On January 26, Union Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis knew the Confederates were nearby. He sent his cavalry (horse soldiers) to watch the river crossings. Two Confederate cavalry groups and their cannons moved forward. They came from Fair Garden. But Union soldiers stopped them about four miles from Sevierville.

Another group of Confederates attacked a Union cavalry group. This happened at Fowler's on Flat Creek. The Union soldiers were pushed back about two miles. No more fighting happened that day.

The Main Fight at Fair Garden Road

Union scouts (soldiers who gather information) saw something important. They noticed that the Confederates had gathered their forces on Fair Garden Road. So, General Sturgis decided to attack them there.

Union Attack and Victory

On the morning of January 27, a thick fog covered the area. Col. Edward M. McCook led his Union division (a large group of soldiers). They attacked the Confederates led by Maj. Gen. William T. Martin. The Union soldiers pushed the Confederates back.

Around 4:00 p.m., McCook's men charged forward with their sabers (swords). They completely defeated the Confederates. The Confederate soldiers ran away in a disorganized mess.

Chasing the Enemy

General Sturgis decided to chase the fleeing Confederates the next day, January 28. His troops captured and killed more of the scattered Confederate soldiers.

As the Union forces reached the French Broad River near Dandridge, they saw something unexpected. Three large groups of Longstreet's infantry (foot soldiers) were crossing the river. Sturgis realized his soldiers were tired. They also didn't have enough supplies, ammunition, or weapons. The enemy was much stronger now.

So, Sturgis wisely decided to leave the area.

A Risky Last Attack

Before leaving, Sturgis decided to try one more attack. He wanted to hit Brig. Gen. Frank C. Armstrong's Confederate cavalry division. Sturgis thought Armstrong's group was only a few miles away by the river.

However, Sturgis didn't know something important. Armstrong had made his position very strong. Also, three groups of Confederate infantry had arrived to help him. Because of this, the Union troops suffered many casualties (soldiers hurt or killed) in their attack. The fighting continued until it got dark. Then, the Union soldiers finally left the area.

The Union forces had won the first part of the battle. They pushed back the Confederates and won the tactical fight. But they were later forced to leave the area where they had been gathering supplies. This meant they lost access to those important foraging grounds.

Around 100 Union soldiers were hurt or killed in the battle. The Confederates lost about 165 men.