Along Big Creek on the early morning of November 6, 1863, after the 2nd Illinois Artillery had spent a cold, rainy night, two Confederate brigades crossed the Holston River under orders to strike the Union camp. Gen. William E. "Grumble" Jones divided his troopers into two columns, with one brigade approaching from Rogersville and hitting the 7th Ohio Cavalry and the Union wagon train, while the second brigade under Col. Henry L. Giltner reached the intersection, overran the Illinois artillerymen, captured their two cannon, and then splashed across the creek to cut off the Union escape route. Maj. Daniel A. Carpenter recalled that the attackers advanced from every direction, and within minutes many men of his 2nd Tennessee Infantry surrendered. Col. Israel Garrard, who barely escaped, later reported that he had been attacked and totally defeated. Jones reported capturing 775 Federal prisoners along with countless wagons, horses, and supplies. Rogersville, astride the turnpike between Knoxville and Virginia, remained in Confederate hands for the rest of the war. Andrew Owen, a farmer from Fentress County who had enlisted in Company D, 2nd Tennessee Infantry, by December 15, 1861, was captured there, imprisoned at Andersonville, and died of diarrhea on June 9, 1864, at age 29, leaving a widow and two daughters.