The Battle of Bulls Gap took place during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
from November 11 to November 13, 1864, in
Hamblen County
Hamblen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,499. Its county seat and only incorporated city is Morristown. Hamblen County is the core county of the Morristown, Tennessee Met ...
and
Greene County, Tennessee
Greene County is a county located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 70,152. Its county seat is Greeneville. Greene County comprises the Greeneville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Ar ...
.
Background
In November 1864,
Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an American politician who served as the 14th vice president of the United States, with President James Buchanan, from 1857 to 1861. Assuming office at the age of 36, Breckinrid ...
undertook an expedition into
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 coun ...
from
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
to secure the countryside for food and forage and to drive the Federals from the area. A Federal force under the command of
Brig. Gen. Alvan C. Gillem had advanced beyond
Greeneville, but retired in front of the larger
Confederate
A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
force moving out of
Jonesborough toward Greeneville. To protect the rail lines to Knoxville, the Federals fell back to
Bulls Gap east-southeast of
Whitesburg on the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad.
Battle
On November 11, the Confederate forces attacked in the morning, but were repulsed by 11:00 a.m. Artillery fire continued throughout the day.
Both sides launched morning attacks on November 12. The Confederates sought to hit the
Union forces in a variety of locations but they gained little ground.
On November 13, firing occurred throughout most of the day, but the Confederates did not assault the Union lines. The Union forces, short on everything from ammunition to rations, withdrew from Bulls Gap toward
Russellville late in the evening.
Aftermath
Breckinridge pursued the Union soldiers on November 14 and engaged them near Russellville, causing a rout. The Union fell back to
Strawberry Plains (outside of
Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...
) where Breckinridge again engaged his forces. Union reinforcements soon arrived and foul weather began to play havoc with the roads and streams. Breckinridge, with most of his force, retired back to Virginia. The Confederate victory at the Battle of Bulls Gap was a setback in the Federal plans to rid East Tennessee of Confederate military presence, though temporary following Breckinridge's withdrawal to Virginia.
See also
*
Samuel P. Carter
References
National Park Service battle descriptionCWSAC Report Update and Resurvey: Individual Battlefield Profiles
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Bulls Gap
Bulls Gap
Bulls Gap
Hamblen County, Tennessee
Greene County, Tennessee
Bulls Gap
1864 in Tennessee
November 1864