The Battle of Rowlett's Station (also known as Battle of Woodsonville or Green River) was a land battle in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, fought at the railroad whistle-stop of Rowlett's in

Hart County, Kentucky Hart County is a county located in the south central portion of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,288. Its county seat is Munfordville. Hart County is a prohibition or dry county. History Hart County w ...

, on December 17, 1861. The outcome was inconclusive, although the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

continued to hold its objective, a railroad bridge across the

Green River Green River may refer to: Rivers Canada * Green River (British Columbia), a tributary of the Lillooet River *Green River, a tributary of the Saint John River, also known by its French name of Rivière Verte *Green River (Ontario), a tributary of ...

Background and opposing forces

Brig. Gen. Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Don Carlos Buell Don Carlos Buell (March 23, 1818November 19, 1898) was a United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican–American War, and the American Civil War. Buell led Union armies in two great Civil War battles— Shiloh and Perr ...

assumed command of the

Army of the Ohio The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863. History 1st Army of the Ohio General Orders No. 97 appointed Maj. Gen. Do ...

in November 1861, and in an attempt to consolidate Union control over the surrounding area, organized a spate of troop movements into the field. Part of these movements included the march of the 2nd Division under Brig. Gen.

Alexander McDowell McCook Alexander McDowell McCook (April 22, 1831June 12, 1903) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. Early life McCook was born in Columbiana County, Ohio. A Scottish family, the McCooks were prominent i ...

into Kentucky, with the goal of forcing the Confederates from the state. Meanwhile, the

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

Western Department, under General

Albert Sidney Johnston Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, figh ...

, set up a defensive line along the

near

Munfordville, Kentucky Munfordville is a home rule-class city in, and the county seat of, Hart County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,615 at the 2010 U.S. census. History The settlement was once known as "Big Buffalo Crossing". The current name came fr ...

. On December 10, 1861, under directions from McCook, Brig. Gen. Richard W. Johnson ordered troops toward the Confederate lines near Munfordville to secure the

Louisville and Nashville Railroad The Louisville and Nashville Railroad , commonly called the L&N, was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1850, the road grew into one of the ...

bridge spanning the Green River. In the meantime, Rebel divisions under Brig. Gen.

Thomas C. Hindman Thomas Carmichael Hindman Jr. (January 28, 1828 – September 28, 1868) was an American lawyer, politician, and a senior officer of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, he later moved to Miss ...

, which included a Confederate force of Texas Rangers,

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

, and

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

, responded by blowing up the south pier of the railroad bridge and about of track.

Col. Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

August Willich August Willich (November 19, 1810 – January 22, 1878), born Johann August Ernst von Willich, was a military officer in the Prussian Army and a leading early proponent of communism in Germany. In 1847 he discarded his title of nobility. He later ...

of the

32nd Indiana Infantry Regiment 32nd Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry was a Union Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. It was also known as Indiana's "1st German" regiment because its members were mainly of German descent. Organized at Indianapolis, the reg ...

sent two companies across the river to protect workers repairing the bridge and to help build a temporary pontoon bridge. When the pontoon bridge was completed on December 15, Willich ordered two more companies south of the river to reinforce the troops already on duty and posted four companies on the river's north side. Civilian stonemasons arrived from

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, on December 16 to repair the railroad bridge.Peake, ''Indiana's German Sons: A History of the 1st German, 32nd Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Baptism of Fire: Rowlett's Station, 1861'', v. 13, p. 14. The Union forces were mainly men from the 32nd Indiana Infantry Regiment, also known as

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

's "1st German" regiment, which was composed mainly of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

immigrants and descendants of German settlers from the

Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...

. Col. Willich had assumed command at the request of Indiana's governor,

Oliver P. Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton (August 4, 1823 – November 1, 1877), commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th governor (the first native-born) of Indiana during the Amer ...

. Willich was a disciplinarian who used Prussian bugle calls to direct his regiment on the parade ground and in battle. The Confederates were primarily the 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, which became known as

Terry's Texas Rangers The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, (1861–1865), popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was a light cavalry regiment of Texas volunteers for the Confederate States Army assembled by Colonel Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Though lesser kn ...

, formed by Col.

Benjamin Franklin Terry Benjamin Franklin Terry (February 18, 1821 – December 17, 1861) raised and commanded the 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, during the American Civil War. An enslaver, planter and prominent citizen of Fort Bend ...

. General Johnston had requested Terry to join the army he was raising, promising him an independent command. The 8th Texas voted to join the general in Kentucky.

Battle

Around midday on December 17, 1861, while construction crews repaired the stone railroad bridge, a Union picket continued south of the bridge. Advancing into the woods, the Union forces discovered enemy

skirmisher Skirmishers are light infantry or light cavalry soldiers deployed as a vanguard, flank guard or rearguard to screen a tactical position or a larger body of friendly troops from enemy advances. They are usually deployed in a skirmish line, an i ...

s south of Woodsonville. The latter retreated until the Texas cavalry could join them, and then attacked the Union companies that crossed the river to aid their comrades. A detachment of Union companies from the 32nd Indiana (fewer than 500 men) under Lt. Col. Henry von Trebra fought 1,300 Confederate troops, including Terry's Texas Rangers, the Mississippi artillery, and the Arkansas infantry under Brig. Gen. Hindman. The outmanned 32nd Indiana companies fell into a defensive

square In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral, which means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles (90-degree angles, π/2 radian angles, or right angles). It can also be defined as a rectangle with two equal-length adj ...

formation; the Rangers responded by storming the Union lines.

Battery A, 1st Ohio Light Artillery Battery A, 1st Ohio Light Artillery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The battery was organized at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on September ...

, and Battery A, Kentucky Light Artillery, provided support to the Union troops from positions on the north side of the river, while Swett's Company, Light Artillery (Warren Light Artillery) of Mississippi fired on Union reserves and skirmishers along the road toward Munfordville. The Rangers continued their charge and hand-to-hand fighting with the Union infantrymen until the Confederates were finally repelled. During the battle, Col. Terry of the Rangers was mortally wounded. On the Union side, Lt. Max Sachs of the 32nd Indiana and a platoon of his men found themselves isolated by the Rangers, but repeatedly defied demands to surrender and continued to fight until Sachs and three of his men were either killed or mortally wounded; seven more Union soldiers in the group were wounded as well. Col. Willich, who was away at division headquarters at the beginning of the battle, returned in time to order a withdrawal to a stronger position in the rear; Brig. Gen. Hindman, who was aware of the imminent approach of McCook's Union reinforcements, ordered the Confederates to withdraw from the field.

Aftermath

Both sides claimed victory, but the outcome was indecisive. Union forces remained in control of the field of engagement and continued to ensure the movement of Union men and supplies on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Casualties from both sides were scattered over a wide area, making recovery and the accounting of those lost, wounded, or missing a difficult task. In the weeks following the battle, the 32nd Indiana gained nationwide recognition in the newspapers for its stand against Confederate forces at Rowlett's Station. The battle was one of the few times during the Civil War when the Union infantry successfully defended itself in the open against repeated Confederate cavalry assaults.Peake, ''Blood Shed In This War'', p. 18. Casualty reports varied and were initially overstated. General Buell reported Confederate casualties at 33 dead, including Col. Terry, and at least 50 wounded. General Hindman acknowledged Terry's death, but claimed few losses of his men and as many as 75 Union dead. Col. Willich initially reported casualties for the 32nd Indiana as one officer and 10 men killed, 22 wounded, and 5 missing; however, the regiment's final count was 46 (13 killed, 28 wounded, and 5 captured). The 32nd Indiana Regiment's dead were originally buried near the battle site. In 1867 the state of Kentucky transferred the remains of 21 Union soldiers, 14 of them from the 32nd Indiana, and a limestone tablet known as the

32nd Indiana Monument The 32nd Indiana Monument, also known as the August Bloedner Monument, honors the Union soldiers of the 32nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as Indiana's "1st German" regiment, who died in the Battle of Rowlett's Station on Dece ...

bearing an inscription in German in the infantry soldiers' honor to

Cave Hill National Cemetery Cave Hill Cemetery is a Victorian era National Cemetery and arboretum located at Louisville, Kentucky. Its main entrance is on Baxter Avenue and there is a secondary one on Grinstead Drive. It is the largest cemetery by area and number of buria ...

. In December 2008 the monument was removed from the national cemetery for conservation treatment due to its deteriorated condition. It was relocated indoors at the

Frazier History Museum The Frazier History Museum, previously known as the Frazier Historical Arms Museum and the Frazier International History Museum, is a history museum located on Museum Row in the West Main District of downtown Louisville, Kentucky. An affiliate of t ...

in Louisville in August 2010 as a long-term loan from the

National Cemetery Administration The United States National Cemetery System is a system of 164 cemeteries in the United States and its territories. The authority to create military burial places came during the American Civil War, in an act passed by the U.S. Congress ...

. Although the stone monument has been moved from its original location, it is generally considered to be the oldest surviving American Civil War monument in the United States.The

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

considers the

Hazen Brigade Monument The Hazen Brigade Monument at Stones River National Battlefield, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is the oldest American Civil War monument remaining in its original battlefield location. The Hazen Brigade at the Battle of Stones River On December 31, 186 ...

Stones River National Battlefield Stones River National Battlefield, a park along the Stones River in Rutherford County, Tennessee, three miles (5 km) northwest of Murfreesboro and twenty-eight miles southeast of Nashville, memorializes the Battle of Stones River. This ke ...

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

, placed in January 1863, a year after the 32nd Indiana Monument's initial installation, the oldest intact Civil War monument in the United States. An earlier monument erected after

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

(1861) in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

has not survived. See Michael A. Peake, "German Indiana Regt. Monument To be Preserved". A replacement monument to the 32nd Indiana was dedicated at Cave Hill National Cemetery on December 16, 2011. The

8th Texas Cavalry Regiment The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, (1861–1865), popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was a light cavalry regiment of Texas volunteers for the Confederate States Army assembled by Colonel Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Though lesser kn ...

changed its name to "Terry's Texas Rangers" in honor of the fallen colonel. The Battle of Rowlett's Station was soon overshadowed by Union victories at Mill Springs, Kentucky, and Fort Henry and

Fort Donelson Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...

Order of battle

;Union Army Brig. Gen. Alexander McDowell McCook
''Infantry'' *

''Artillery'' * Battery A, Kentucky Light Artillery (Stone's Battery) *

;Confederate Army Brig. Gen. Thomas Carmichael Hindman
''Infantry'' * 1st Arkansas Infantry Battalion *

2nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment The 2nd Arkansas Infantry (June 1, 1861 – May 26, 1865) was an army regiment of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was raised in May 1861 under Colonel Thomas C. Hindman. It served throughout the war in the weste ...

6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment The 6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (also known as the "Sixth Arkansas"; June 10, 1861 – May 1, 1865) was a regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Organized mainly from volunteer companies, including several prewar ...

''Artillery'' * Swett's Company, Light Artillery (Warren Light Artillery) ''Cavalry'' *

6th Arkansas Cavalry Battalion The 6th Arkansas Cavalry Battalion (1861 – October 25, 1864) was a Confederate Army cavalry battalion during the American Civil War. Battles During its brief existence, the 6th Battalion was assigned to Hardee's Division of the Confederate C ...

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * *

External links

Papers at the Terry's Texas Rangers website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowlett's Station Rowlett's Station Rowlett's Station Rowlett's Station Rowlett's Station Hart County, Kentucky 1861 in Kentucky 1861 in the American Civil War December 1861 events