Battle of Britton's Lane in Madison County,Tennessee

tdstepen

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I have just finished reading about the little-known battle of Britton's Lane. Colonel James T. Wheeler's( 6th) 1st Tennessee Cavalry participated in the battle and my James Harvey Stephenson might have been in the battle. Brigadier General Frank Crawford Armstong was sent on a cavalry raid from Mississippi into Tennessee. Armstrong accomplished his mission and could have headed back to Mississippi without a major fight, but for some reason he decided to fight a larger Union force commanded by Colonel Elias S. Dennis. The Confederate cavalry attacked an entrenched Union force several times suffering heavy losses from cannon fire. The Confederates finally broke through and forced the Union troops to flee leaving their cannons behind. Instead of pursuing the defeated Union forces, Armstrong decided to halt the attack much to the chagrin of his men. http://brittonlane1862.madison.tn.us/battle_history.htm.
 
Was the Union force cavalry as well? Interesting that cavalry troopers on a raid would attack entrenched artillery positions when they should have been busy trashing supply lines.
 
No, the Union force had the 20th Illinois Infantry,30th Illinois Infantry,4th Ohio Independent Cavalry and 34 men of the Illinois Cavalry and 2 battery of cannon totaling 1,500 men. I was wrong by writing that the Union force was larger than the Confederate force. The Confederate had 3,300 cavalry men. The Union men got behind a wormwood fence and the Confederate cavalry had to attack across an open field,thus the heavy causualties on the Confederate side.
http://brittonlane1862.madison.tn.us/battle_history.htm
That was what was strange about the battle, Armstrong and his cavalry could have gone home without fighting a major battle.
 
No, the Union force had the 20th Illinois Infantry,30th Illinois Infantry,4th Ohio Independent Cavalry and 34 men of the Illinois Cavalry and 2 battery of cannon totaling 1,500 men. I was wrong by writing that the Union force was larger than the Confederate force. The Confederate had 3,300 cavalry men. The Union men got behind a wormwood fence and the Confederate cavalry had to attack across an open field,thus the heavy causualties on the Confederate side.
http://brittonlane1862.madison.tn.us/battle_history.htm
That was what was strange about the battle, Armstrong and his cavalry could have gone home without fighting a major battle.
Interesting. I've never heard of this one, either. I would think for a cavalry force to attack like that the commander must have seen something of value to him. Tis almost seems like they kind of just found each other. And you say a relative of yours was present?
 
I think so. James Harvey Stephenson filed a Civil War pension in Ellis County,TX in which he wrote that he was with Co. K, 1st Tennessee Cavalry. James T. Wheeler recruited two companies in Giles County,TN. Because there was another 1st Tennessee Cavalry, Wheelers became know as the (6th) Tennessee 1st Tennessee Cavalry. That link I show claims Colonel Wheeler's 6th Tennessee Cavalry was at Britton's Lane. James Harvey Stephenson in his pension claimed he served three years.
This is James Harvey Stephenson on the 1860 Census of Giles County,TN

1860 US Federal Census, Southern Subdivision, Giles Co, TN
429/411
James H Stephenson, 31, 1829, farmer, AL
Martha M Stephenson, 33, 1827, wife, AL
Mary A Stephenson, daughter, 4, 1856, AL
John W Stephenson, son, 3, 1857, AL
Martha D Stephenson, daughter, 1, 1859, TN
Amanda Montgomery, 27, 1833, AL (Note on census: Religion-Insane)
Ellis County,Texas
1890 US Federal Census, Mountain Peak, Ellis Co, TX
82
James H Stephenson, 63, 1827, AL/NC/SC
Was a Confederate soldier
Martha Stephenson, 63, 1837, AL/SC/SC
I am just now learning what battles he might have been in. He was probably at Kennesaw Mountain during the Atlanta Campaign.
That link I put in about Britton's Lane mentioned something about "Gold" in the area.
James Harvey Stephenson was also at Stoneman's Raid,
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=66013
James Harvey Stephenson was also at the Battle of Chickamuaga once again with Frank C. Armstrong Division,Forest's Brigade,(6)th Tennessee.
Marinegrunt,I see you live in New York City. I wish I was there instead of here in Texas with all the tornadoes around. I have had to fight water to keep it from coming into my house.
 
Co. M of the 7th TN Cav was there, they lost a man. I can't recall if he's buried there or home in Lauderdale county, will have to look.
 
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