Hatchie's Bridge, TN

Date: October 5, 1862

Location:

Campaign: Iuka and Corinth Operations [September-October 1862]

Battles in Campaign:

• Iuka, MS - September 19, 1862 C¹  

• Corinth, MS II - October 3-4, 1862 A

• Hatchie's Bridge, TN - October 5, 1862 C

Situation:

• Earl Van Dorn's Army of Tennessee retreated from Corinth, Mississippi, on October 4, 1862.

• Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans did not send forces in pursuit until the morning of October 5.

• Maj. Gen. Edward O. C. Ord, commanding a detachment of Grant's Army of the Tennessee, advanced to Corinth to assist Rosecrans.

• On the night of October 4–5, Ord's forces camped near Pocahontas.

Commanders:

• Union: Maj. Gen. Edward O. C. Ord and Maj. Gen. Stephen A. Hurlbut

• Confederate: Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn

Principal Forces:

• Union: Department of Jackson

• Confederate: Army of the West

Map: Davis Bridge - Civil War Preservation Trust

Description:

• Between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. the next morning, Ord's troops encountered Union Maj. Gen. Stephen A. Hurlbut's 4th Division, District of Jackson, in the Confederates’ front.

• Ord took command of the now-combined Union forces and pushed Van Dorn’s advanced element, Maj. Gen. Sterling Price's Army of the West, back about five miles to the Hatchie River and across Davis's Bridge.

• While forcing the Confederates across the Davis Bridge , Ord was wounded in the ankle and Hurlbut assumed command of the combined Union forces.

• While Price's men were hotly engaged with Ord's force, Van Dorn's scouts found another crossing of the Hatchie River.

• Van Dorn then led his army back to Holly Springs.

• Grant ordered Rosecrans to abandon the pursuit.

• Ord had forced Price to retreat, but the Confederates escaped capture or destruction.

• Rosecrans' army had failed to capture or destroy Van Dorn's force.

Slide Presentation: None

Classification²: C

Casualties³:

• Union: 500

• Confederate: 400

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Websites:

• Hatchie's Bridge, TN - National Park Service

• Battle of Hatchie's Bridge - Wikipedia

• Davis Bridge - Civil War Preservation Trust

• Battle of Davis Bridge - Tennessee Encyclopedia 

Lodging and Restaurants: Tennessee Tourism

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

³ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 03/05/2012