Battle of Egypt Station

{{about|Grierson's December 1864–January 1865 raid|Grierson's more famous 1863 raid|Grierson's Raid}} {{Infobox military conflict |conflict = Battle of Egypt Station |image = File:The photographic history of the Civil War - in ten volumes (1911) (14782552983).jpg |image_size = 280px |caption = Union cavalryman |partof = the [[American Civil War]] |date = December 28, 1864 |place = [[Egypt, Chickasaw County, Mississippi]] |result = Union victory |combatant1 = {{flagicon|USA|1863}} [[United States]] |combatant2 = {{flagicon|CSA|1861}} [[Confederate States of America|Confederate States]] |commander1 = [[Benjamin Grierson]] |commander2 = [[Franklin Gardner]] [[Samuel J. Gholson]]{{WIA}} |strength1 = 3,500 |strength2 = 1,200–2,000, 4 guns |casualties1= 128 |casualties2= Over 500 captured |campaignbox= {{Campaignbox Franklin-Nashville Campaign}} }} The '''Battle of Egypt Station''' (December 28, 1864) was an engagement in [[Mississippi]] that took place during a successful Union cavalry raid during the [[American Civil War]]. A 3,500-man Union cavalry division under [[Brigadier General]] [[Benjamin Grierson]] defeated Confederate troops led by [[Franklin Gardner]] and [[Samuel J. Gholson]]. Grierson's raiding cavalry left [[Memphis, Tennessee]] on 21 December and first demolished a Confederate supply depot at [[Verona, Mississippi|Verona]]. Moving south while wrecking bridges and track along the [[Mobile and Ohio Railroad]], the Union raiders encountered the Confederate defenders at [[Egypt, Chickasaw County, Mississippi|Egypt Station]]. After their victory, Grierson's cavalry headed southwest to [[Vicksburg, Mississippi|Vicksburg]] which it reached on January 5, 1865. The raiders destroyed a large amount of Confederate supplies and also damaged the [[Mississippi Central Railroad]]. Some of the men captured by Grierson's raiders proved to be former Union soldiers who volunteered to fight for the Confederacy rather than languish in prison camps. When [[John Bell Hood]]'s army retreated into northern Mississippi after the [[Battle of Nashville]], it was unable to obtain supplies because Grierson's raiders had damaged the railroad so badly.

==Background== The Battle of Nashville ended on December 16, 1864, with Hood's Confederate [[Army of Tennessee]] fleeing from the battlefield after being routed by the Union army under [[George Henry Thomas]].{{sfn|Sword|1992|p=386}} The Federal troops inflicted losses of about 2,300 killed and wounded and 4,462 captured on their opponents, while seizing 53 artillery pieces.{{sfn|Sword|1992|p=425}} At [[Franklin, Tennessee|Franklin]] on December 17, the retreating Confederates managed to destroy the bridges, but [[James H. Wilson]]'s Union cavalrymen forded the [[Harpeth River]] to capture 2,000 enemy soldiers too badly wounded to be moved.{{sfn|Sword|1992|pp=395–396}} Later that day, Wilson's troopers overran [[Douglas's Texas Battery]], capturing its three guns. Yet the Confederate [[rearguard]] was able to fend off Wilson's pursuit. Meanwhile, a blunder by Thomas sent the pontoon train by the wrong road so that the Federal pursuit was delayed.{{sfn|Sword|1992|pp=399–401}} After bitter rearguard actions conducted by [[Nathan Bedford Forrest]], the survivors of Hood's army crossed the [[Tennessee River]] on December 28 and passed out of the reach of Thomas and Wilson.{{sfn|Sword|1992|pp=417–421}}

==Verona== The commander of the Military Division of West Mississippi, [[Major General]] [[Napoleon J.T. Dana]] ordered Grierson and 3,300 cavalry to leave Memphis and attempt to break the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.{{sfn|Official Records|1893|pp=999–1000}} Grierson ordered his 1st Brigade under Colonel [[Joseph Kargé]] to move northeast on December 19 from Memphis toward [[Bolivar, Tennessee]] in a [[feint]], then move south and join the main column near [[Ripley, Mississippi]]. Because the 1st Brigade was unable to cross a flooded river, it returned to Memphis without accomplishing this mission. Grierson's expedition left Memphis on December 21, 1864, and headed east along the [[Memphis and Charleston Railroad]] in the direction of [[Corinth, Mississippi]]. Grierson reported having 3,500 men, including 11 cavalry regiments organized into three brigades led by Colonels Kargé, [[Edward Francis Winslow]], and [[Embury D. Osband]]. In addition, there was a 40-man company acting as escort, 50 African-Americans acting as pioneers, and 20 days' rations carried by pack mules. Grierson reported having no artillery and no wagons.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|pp=844–845}} However, historian [[Frederick H. Dyer]] stated that [[Battery "K", 2nd Illinois Light Artillery Regiment]] accompanied the raid and fought at Egypt Station.{{sfn|Dyer|1908|p=1042}}

When the Union column reached a point {{cvt|3|mi|km|1}} west of [[Moscow, Tennessee]], it veered to the southeast and passed through [[Lamar, Mississippi]] before arriving at Ripley. The [[10th Missouri Cavalry Regiment (Union)|10th Missouri Cavalry Regiment]] left the column and cut the telegraph lines at [[La Grange, Tennessee|LaGrange]] and [[Grand Junction, Tennessee]] and rejoined Grierson's division before it reached Ripley. From Ripley, a detachment from the [[2nd New Jersey Cavalry Regiment]] marched to [[Booneville, Mississippi|Booneville]] and the [[4th Illinois Cavalry Regiment]] moved to [[Guntown, Mississippi|Guntown]] to damage the Mobile and Ohio Railroad at those places. They destroyed four bridges, several miles of track, and military supplies before rejoining the main column.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=845}}

It was learned that a Confederate supply depot existed at Verona. Since civilians encountered had expressed complete surprise at the Union raiders' presence, Grierson detached Kargé's brigade and authorized that officer to attack Verona on the night of December 25. Federal troopers of the [[7th Indiana Cavalry Regiment]] scattered the Confederate garrison and destroyed 200 wagons captured at the [[Battle of Brices Cross Roads]] and loaded with stores for Hood's army, eight warehouses filled with military stores,{{sfn|Official Records|1894|pp=844–845}} 450 English carbines, 500 Austrian rifles, and a train of 20 cars. Kargé then withdrew his brigade to the sound of exploding shells from the burning warehouses.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=848}} At the same time, Grierson sent the [[11th Illinois Cavalry Regiment]] to wreck the bridge at Old Town Creek and tear up track between there and [[Tupelo, Mississippi|Tupelo]].{{sfn|Official Records|1894|pp=844–845}}

==Egypt Station== [[File:1864_Griersons_2nd_Raid.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=Map of Mississippi shows the route of Grierson's 1864–1865 raid.|Map shows the route of Grierson's 1864–1865 raid.]] [[File:Rebel telegraph operator near Egypt, on the Mississippi Central R.R. LCCN2002725413.jpg|thumb|Telegraph operator tapping Rebel telegraph line near Egypt, on the Mississippi Central Railroad]] On December 26–27, Grierson's division moved south along the Mobile and Ohio, destroying track and culverts. An enemy force was reported at [[Okolona, Mississippi|Okolona]], but it withdrew to the south as the Union column approached. At Okolona, the raiders tapped the telegraph line and discovered that Confederate reinforcements were being sent from [[Mobile, Alabama]] and other points along the railroad. Getting information from deserters that the reinforcements would not arrive until 11:00 am, Grierson determined to attack the Confederate force at Egypt Station on the morning of December 28. Grierson estimated the Confederate force at 1,200–2,000 men and four train-mounted guns.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|pp=1845–1846}} Kargé's brigade marched at 7:00 am that morning, brushed aside the Confederate cavalry, and encountered a defense line about {{cvt|0.5|mi|km|1}} north of Egypt Station.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=848}}

[[File:Samuel J. Gholson.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.45|alt=Black and white photo shows an elderly balding and bearded man.|Gen. Gholson]] At 8:15 am, Kargé ordered the 2nd New Jersey Cavalry to drive back the Confederate skirmish line which was done. He then deployed the 2nd New Jersey on the left and the 7th Indiana and [[4th Missouri Cavalry Regiment (Union)|4th Missouri Cavalry]] on the right. The Unionist [[1st Battalion, Mississippi Mounted Rifles (Union)|1st Mississippi Mounted Rifles]] guarded the pack train. Despite firm resistance, the Confederate line was pressed back. After shelling the Union cavalrymen, the train with its four-gun battery began to withdraw. Kargé ordered the 7th Indiana and 4th Missouri to seize the train. Grierson arrived on the field and led these two regiments after the train. By this time, the defenders had fallen back to a wooden stockade on the east side of the railroad. Two mounted companies charged the stockade on the left while three dismounted companies rushed the right side. The stockade's defenders then surrendered, altogether about 500 men including a [[lieutenant colonel]] and 15 officers. The 7th Indiana captured an additional 47 men including a lieutenant colonel.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=848–849}} During the action, two trains of reinforcements under Major General [[Franklin Gardner]] appeared from the south, but these were stopped and prevented from joining the battle.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=846}} From Osband's brigade, the 4th Illinois supported the action on the right while the 11th Illinois and [[3rd United States Colored Cavalry Regiment]]s helped in the attack on the stockade.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=857}}

In the battle, the 2nd New Jersey lost three officers killed and two wounded, and 16 enlisted men killed and 69 wounded. The 7th Indiana lost two killed and 11 wounded while the 4th Missouri lost one officer wounded and captured and one enlisted man wounded.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=849}} The 4th Illinois lost two enlisted men wounded while the 11th Illinois lost one enlisted man killed and two officers and 13 men wounded.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=857}} One officer and 39 men from the 2nd New Jersey were left at Egypt Station under the care of the regiment's assistant surgeon because they were too badly hurt to be moved.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=849}} Nine enlisted men from the 11th Illinois in the same condition were also left behind.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=858}} At the time, it was believed that Confederate Brigadier General [[Samuel J. Gholson]] was mortally wounded,{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=846}} but he lived until 1883, though he lost his left arm.{{sfn|Boatner|1988|p=340}} After the action, Grierson ordered his column to move west to [[Houston, Mississippi|Houston]]. The [[2nd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment]] was assigned to guard the over 500 captured Confederates.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=846}}

From Houston, Grierson ordered feints north toward [[Pontotoc, Mississippi|Pontotoc]] and southeast toward [[West Point, Mississippi|West Point]]. However, the main Union column marched southwest through [[Bellefontaine, Mississippi|Bellefontaine]] to [[Winona, Mississippi|Winona]] on the Mississippi Central Railroad.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=846}} At Winona, the depot, two locomotives, and Confederate supplies were destroyed.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=849}} From Winona, a detachment from the [[4th Iowa Cavalry Regiment]] moved to [[Bankston, Mississippi|Bankston]] where it destroyed the cloth and shoe factories making equipment for Confederate soldiers. A detachment of 300 horsemen from Winslow's brigade under Colonel [[John Willock Noble|John W. Noble]] of the [[3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment]] went north from Winona toward [[Grenada, Mississippi|Grenada]], wrecking the railroad and Confederate facilities. Noble's force rejoined the main column at [[Benton, Mississippi|Benton]]. Grierson sent Osband's brigade to the south with the mission of tearing up additional railroad track. The remainder of Grierson's column moved southwest to [[Lexington, Mississippi|Lexington]] and then Benton.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=846}}

On January 1, 1865, Osband's brigade marched south through [[Vaiden, Mississippi|Vaiden]] and [[West, Mississippi|West Station]], destroying an estimated {{cvt|2.5|mi|km|1}} of track, plus bridges, culverts, stations, and water tanks. The following day, a Confederate force was reported assembling at [[Goodman, Mississippi|Goodman]] so Osburn moved his brigade southwest toward [[Ebenezer, Mississippi|Ebenezer]]. Near [[Franklin, Mississippi|Franklin]], the 3rd U.S. Colored Cavalry ran into a Confederate force led by Brigadier General [[William Wirt Adams]]. The 11th Illinois took position on the right flank while the 4th Illinois supported the 3rd U.S. Colored. After a struggle lasting one hour and a half, both sides disengaged. Osband lost one officer killed and one wounded, and three enlisted men killed, seven wounded, and two missing. Two enlisted men were too severely wounded to be moved and were left at Franklin. Osband's brigade moved through Ebenezer and joined Grierson's main column at Benton at night on January 2.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|pp=858–859}} Adams reported 22 casualties: two officers and five enlisted men killed, and three officers and 12 men wounded.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|p=875}}

Grierson's division rode into Vicksburg on January 5, 1865. Grierson claimed to have destroyed four running locomotives, 10 locomotives under repair, 95 railroad cars, 300 army wagons, two caissons, {{cvt|20,000|ft|m|0}} of bridges and trestles, {{cvt|10|mi|km|0}} of railroad track, {{cvt|20|mi|km|0}} of telegraph poles and wire, 30 warehouses of military stores, seven depots, 500 bales of cotton, 700 hogs, and various other Confederate property. The Union column was accompanied by 1,000 escaped slaves and brought in an estimated 600 Confederate prisoners and 800 horses and mules. Grierson noted that at least 100 prisoners were Union soldiers who had been confined at Southern prison camps and recruited into the Confederate army; he recommended leniency. Grierson reported the following casualties: four officers and 23 enlisted men killed, four officers and 89 men wounded, and seven men missing.{{sfn|Official Records|1894|pp=844–847}}

Hood's defeated soldiers reached [[Corinth, Mississippi]], hoping to be issued new clothing, but there was none there. Grierson's cavalry had wrecked large sections of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Unable to resupply his troops at Corinth, Hood was compelled to order a {{cvt|50|mi|km|0}} retreat to Tupelo on January 3. Even when the last unit trudged into camp on January 12, there was a shortage of food and equipment. Unable to feed his soldiers from his inadequate supplies, Hood resorted to a system of furloughs from which many of the men never returned to the ranks.{{sfn|Sword|1992|p=425}}

==Union order of battle== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:70%;" |+Division of West Mississippi, Cavalry Division: Brig. Gen. [[Benjamin Grierson]]{{sfn|Official Records|1894|pp=847–861}} ! Brigade ! Strength ! Units ! Commander ! Strength ! Losses |- | rowspan=5 | 1st Brigade Colonel [[Joseph Kargé]] | rowspan=5 | 1,101 | [[7th Indiana Cavalry Regiment]] || Capt. Elliott || 167 || 13 |- | [[1st Battalion, Mississippi Mounted Rifles (Union)|1st Mississippi Mounted Rifles Battalion]] || Lieut. Holman || 88 || 0 |- | [[4th Missouri Cavalry Regiment (Union)|4th Missouri Cavalry Regiment]] || Capt. Hencke || 104 || 2 |- | [[2nd New Jersey Cavalry Regiment]] || [[Patton Jones Yorke|Lieut. Col. Yorke]] || 742 || 95 |- | Pack train with 90 mules || - || 65 || 0 |- | rowspan=4 | 2nd Brigade Colonel [[Edward Francis Winslow|Edward F. Winslow]] | rowspan=4 | 825 | [[3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment]] || Col. [[John Willock Noble|John W. Noble]] || 320 || 5 |- | [[4th Iowa Cavalry Regiment]] || Maj. William W. Woods || ? || 2 |- | [[10th Missouri Cavalry Regiment (Union)|10th Missouri Cavalry Regiment]] || Capt. F. R. Neet || ? || 3 |- | Pack train with 42 mules || - || 19 || 0 |- | rowspan=5 | 3rd Brigade Colonel [[Embury D. Osband]] | rowspan=5 | 1,726 | [[4th Illinois Cavalry Regiment]] || Capt. Anthony T. Search || 260 || 5 |- | [[11th Illinois Cavalry Regiment]] || Lt. Col. Otto Funke || ? || 16 |- | [[3rd United States Colored Cavalry Regiment|3rd U.S. Colored Cavalry Regiment]] || Maj. E. M. Main || ? || ? |- | [[2nd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment]] || Maj. William Woods || ? || ? |- | Pack train || - || ? || ? |}

==Notes== {{reflist|3}}

==References== *{{Civil War Dictionary}} *{{cite book |last=Dyer |first=Frederick H. |author-link=Frederick H. Dyer |title=A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Battery K, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OBkNAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1042 |year=1908 |location=Des Moines, Iowa |publisher=Dyer Publishing Co. |access-date=October 18, 2020 |page=1042 }} *{{cite book|last=Sword |first=Wiley |title=The Confederacy's Last Hurrah: Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville |publisher=University Press of Kansas for HarperCollins |year=1992 |isbn=0-7006-0650-5 |location=New York, N.Y. }} *{{cite web|ref={{harvid|Official Records|1893}} |title=The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Vol. XLI Part 1 |volume=41 |year=1893 |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=October 18, 2020 |url=https://collections.library.cornell.edu/moa_new/waro.html |pages=999–1000 }} *{{cite web|ref={{harvid|Official Records|1894}} |title=The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Vol. XLV Part 1 |volume=45 |year=1894 |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=October 18, 2020 |url=https://collections.library.cornell.edu/moa_new/waro.html |pages=844–875 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Egypt Station, Battle of}} [[Category:Battles of the western theater of the American Civil War]] [[Category:Union victories of the American Civil War]] [[Category:Battles of the American Civil War in Mississippi]] [[Category:1864 in Mississippi]] [[Category:1864 in the American Civil War]] [[Category:Cavalry raids of the American Civil War]]