Richmond, Kentucky (Union Final Position)

Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate forces in midsummer 1862, undertook an offensive aimed at central Tennessee and Kentucky. Late on August 29 his advance guard encountered a Union force, near Richmond, Kentucky. At this point, Kirby Smith …

1862-08-30

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Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate forces in midsummer 1862, undertook an offensive aimed at central Tennessee and Kentucky. Late on August 29 his advance guard encountered a Union force, near Richmond, Kentucky. At this point, Kirby Smith had around 6,000 troops with him while the Union force had 6,500 untrained troops in two brigades, under Brig. Gen. Mahlon D. Manson and Charles Cruft. Smith judged that it was worth risking an attack, because one major aim of the invasion of Kentucky was to win that state over to the Confederate cause. Backing away from the first Union army encountered would hardly encourage potential Confederate supporters in the state. At dawn on August 30, the main battle began near Mt. Zion Christian Church. The Confederate attack was delivered in two waves, starting with General Cleburne's two brigades. After two hours of skirmishing and counter-battery artillery fire east of the road, Cruft's Union troops arrived, and began to reinforce the Union right flank. Manson's overextended left flank however, was overwhelmed and the entire Confederate army then advanced, with Scott's cavalry on either flank. The Union troops fell back and reformed at White's farm, but volleys from a wide Confederate advance broke this defense. The new Union troops had fought well, but after the third line was breached they began to surrender in droves.

Richmond, Kentucky

The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, fought August 29–30, 1862, was a stunning Confederate victory by Major General Edmund Kirby Smith against Union major general William "Bull" Nelson's forces, which were defending the town. It was the first major battle in the Kentucky Campaign. The battle took place on and around what is now the grounds of the Blue Grass Army Depot, outside Richmond, Kentucky.

Wikipedia: Battle of Richmond

the Confederacy

the Union