Battle of West Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of West Point |
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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 | |||||||
| Oscar Hugh La Grange | Robert C. Tyler † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Cavalry Brigade (3,750 men, 4 cannons) |
120–265 men 3 cannons |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 7 killed 29 wounded |
19 killed 28 wounded |
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The Battle of West Point happened in West Point, Georgia, on April 16, 1865. It was a part of the American Civil War. This battle was a key moment in the final month of the war. It was part of a larger plan by the Union army called Wilson's Raid. This raid aimed to destroy important Confederate supplies and railroads in Alabama and Georgia.
West Point was a very important place because it had a railroad junction. Two different railroads met there. It also had bridges over the Chattahoochee River. Union General James H. Wilson wanted to destroy these crossings. He sent Colonel Oscar Hugh La Grange to attack West Point. Meanwhile, General Wilson himself went to attack Columbus, Georgia.
West Point was protected by a fort called Fort Tyler. It was named after Confederate General Robert C. Tyler. Union soldiers, using powerful repeating carbines and cannons, attacked the fort. They forced the Confederate soldiers to give up. General Tyler was killed by a sniper during the battle. He was the last Confederate general to die in the war. After the Union won, they burned the railroad bridges and trains. This was one of the very last battles of the Civil War.
Why the Battle Happened
After winning battles at Selma, Alabama, and capturing Montgomery, Alabama, Union General Wilson looked east. He needed to cross the Chattahoochee River. The river was high from rains, so bridges were needed.
General Wilson decided to attack two places with bridges. These were West Point and Columbus. The towns were only 35 miles apart. He split his army to attack both. This increased the chance of capturing at least one bridge. Colonel Oscar Hugh La Grange was sent to attack West Point.
West Point was not a factory town. But it was a very important rail center. It connected two railroads that had different track sizes. This meant West Point had a large rail yard. It was full of locomotives and train cars.
The railroad bridges were protected by Fort Tyler. This fort was a square earthwork on a hill. It was on the Alabama side of the river. The fort had strong walls and a deep ditch around it. It also had three cannons.
The Battle Begins
On the morning of April 16, Colonel La Grange's Union soldiers arrived at West Point. His group included cavalry from Indiana, Wisconsin, and Kentucky. They also had light artillery cannons. Most of the cavalry soldiers carried Spencer carbines. These were fast-firing rifles.
Inside Fort Tyler, a small group of Confederate soldiers waited. There were between 120 and 265 men. They were led by General Robert C. Tyler. Besides the fort's three cannons, they had older muskets. Many of these soldiers were recovering from injuries or were local militia.
The fighting started at 10 a.m. Union soldiers pushed back the fort's guards. Union cannons began shelling the fort from half a mile away. Union cavalry soldiers got off their horses. They moved closer to the fort, firing at the defenders. They even found long wooden planks from nearby buildings. They planned to use these to cross the ditch around the fort.
Union soldiers kept firing at the Confederate cannon crews. Colonel La Grange wanted to capture the bridge before it could be burned. He led the 4th Indiana Cavalry in a fast charge toward the bridge. The Confederate cannons tried to stop them. But the cavalry moved too fast and got out of range. An exploding shell hit the colonel's horse. But the Union soldiers kept going. They crossed a gap in the bridge and fought the Confederate guards on the other side. They stopped the Confederates from burning the bridge.
Back at the fort, Union cannons and snipers kept firing. Many Confederate soldiers were hit in the head. This was because they didn't have good protection. General Tyler bravely looked out to see the battle. He was shot and killed by a sniper from a nearby cottage. His second-in-command was also killed. Colonel James H. Fannin then took command.
To end the fight, Union soldiers used their planks to cross the ditch. The Confederate defenders were running out of ammunition. Some even threw rocks and lit cannon shells. A bugle sounded for a final Union charge. The Union soldiers stormed over the fort's walls. The fort immediately surrendered.
Who Was Lost
The Union army had seven soldiers killed and twenty-nine wounded. The Confederate army lost nineteen soldiers killed and twenty-eight wounded. Two hundred eighteen Confederates were captured. General Tyler's death was notable. He was the last Confederate general to die in a battle. The Confederate soldiers who died were buried in Fort Tyler Cemetery. This cemetery is in West Point, on the east side of the river. It is thought that the Union dead were buried there too. Many other unknown Civil War soldiers are also buried there.
What Happened Next
Before Montgomery fell, trains and supplies were sent to West Point. These trains were trapped because of their narrow tracks. After the fort surrendered, Union cavalry took control of West Point. They also took the important bridges over the river.
The Union soldiers then burned all the railroad trains. They destroyed 19 or 20 locomotives and about 340 to 350 train cars. Before burning the cars, some food was taken out. This food was given to the mayor of West Point. It was used to feed the wounded soldiers from both sides. It also helped citizens who had lost everything. The bridges were saved for a short time. Colonel La Grange waited to hear if the attack on Columbus was successful.
