Battle of Johnsonville

The Battle of Johnsonville grew out of the Confederate effort to destroy Sherman's supply lines during his March to the Sea. Johnsonville, a Tennessee River landing named for Andrew Johnson, was a vital Federal supply point where goods arrived by boat from Ohio and Mississippi River ports and were transferred by railroad to Nashville and then to Sherman's army. After disrupting other U.S. supply lines through middle Tennessee and northern Alabama, Nathan Bedford Forrest was sent into West Tennessee to capture and destroy Johnsonville as part of a larger objective that looked toward the Confederate capture of Nashville. With never more than 3,000 men, some 400 without horses, and ultimately ten cannon, Forrest took positions on the west side of the Tennessee River and, through bold movements and deceptive appearances, led Northern commanders to greatly exaggerate his strength. The battle's first phase, beginning October 28, was largely naval. Confederate artillery placed at Fort Heiman and farther upriver ambushed Federal vessels, capturing or damaging steamers including the Mazeppa, Anna, Undine, Venus, and J. W. Cheeseman. Forrest arrived on October 31 and organized a small Confederate navy from the captured Venus and Undine, while artillery was dragged along the muddy west bank toward Johnsonville. After further fighting with Federal gunboats on November 2 and 3, Forrest placed his troops and batteries opposite Johnsonville on November 4, with additional batteries above and below the town to block reinforcements. Although Federal gunboats mounted more than 100 guns in all, the channel near Reynoldsburg Island made them vulnerable, and after severe fighting they destroyed the Undine and withdrew. Forrest then brought his land batteries into concealed positions across from the town, where the lower ground and the limitations of Federal guns favored the Confederates. At 2 p.m. ten Confederate guns opened fire on Johnsonville, concentrating first on the gunboats, transport steamers, barges, warehouses, open storage, trains, and U.S. soldiers, then on the supplies along the banks and hills. The destruction was immense, with boats burned, sunk, or destroyed, supplies set ablaze, and burning alcohol spreading fire through the town for a mile along the river. Forrest left that night with his corps traveling by the glare of the flames. He reported enemy losses of four gunboats, fourteen steamboats, seventeen barges, and quartermaster stores estimated at $6,700,000, while capturing 150 prisoners and losing two killed, nine wounded, and two guns lost on the Venus. Despite its scale, the victory did not achieve its full potential importance because Sherman had already decided to cut the rail lines behind him, live off the country, and continue toward seaborne supplies at Savannah.

Tennessee · United States