Battle of Cynthiana

| Battle of Cynthiana
Kellar’s Bridge

| Began:|

June 11, 1864

|

| Ended:|

June 12, 1864

|

| Location:|

Harrison County, Kentucky

|

| Theater:|

Western Theater

|

| Campaign:|

Morgan’s Raid into Kentucky

|

| Outcome:|

Union victory

|

Combatants

168th Reg. Vol. Inf. (OH)
171st Ohio National Guard
Harrison County (KY) Home Guards

Morgan’s Division

Commanders

Stephen G. Burbridge
Brigadier General, USA

John H. Morgan
Brigadier General, CSA

Strength

3,150

| |

1,200

|

Casualties

1,092

1,000

Brig. Gen. Morgan approached Cynthiana with 1,200 men, on June 11, 1864, at dawn. Col. Conrad Garis, with the 168th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry and some home guard troops, about 300 men altogether, constituted the Union forces at Cynthiana. Morgan divided his men into three columns, surrounded the town and launched an attack at the covered bridge, driving the Union forces back towards the depot and north along the railroad. The Rebels set fire to the town, destroying many buildings and some of the Union troops. As the fighting flared in Cynthiana, another Union force, about 750 men of the 171st Ohio National Guard under the command of Brig. Gen. Edward Hobson, arrived by train about a mile north of the Cynthiana at Kellar’s Bridge. Morgan trapped this new Union force in a meander of the Licking River. After some fighting, Morgan forced Hobson to surrender. Altogether, Morgan had about 1,300 Union prisoners of war camping with him overnight in line of battle. Brig. Gen. Stephen Gano Burbridge with 2,400 men, a combined force of Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan mounted infantry and cavalry, attacked Morgan at dawn on June 12. The Union forces drove the Rebels back, causing them to flee into town where many were captured or killed. Morgan escaped. Cynthiana demonstrated that Union numbers and mobility were starting to take their toll; Confederate cavalry and partisans could no longer raid with impunity. (NPS summary)

v • d • e

Battles of the American Civil War: 1864

Eastern Theater|

Morton's Ford \-- Walkerton \-- Plymouth \-- Albemarle Sound \-- The Wilderness \-- Port Walthall Junction \-- Todd's Tavern \-- Cloyd’s Mountain \-- Spotsylvania Court House \-- Swift Creek \-- Chester Station \-- Cove Mountain \-- Yellow Tavern \-- Proctor's Creek \-- New Market \-- Ware Bottom Church \-- North Anna \-- Wilson’s Wharf \-- Haw's Shop \-- Totopotomoy Creek \-- Old Church \-- Cold Harbor \-- Piedmont \-- 1st Petersburg \-- Trevilian Station \-- Jerusalem Plank Road \-- 2nd Petersburg \-- Lynchburg \-- Saint Mary's Church \-- Staunton River Bridge \-- Sappony Church \-- Monocacy \-- Fort Stevens \-- Heaton's Crossroads \-- Cool Spring \-- Rutherford's Farm \-- 2nd Kernstown \-- 1st Ream's Station \-- 1st Deep Bottom \-- The Crater \-- Folck's Mill \-- Moorefield \-- 2nd Deep Bottom \-- Guard Hill \-- Globe Tavern \-- Summit Point \-- Smithfield Crossing \-- 2nd Ream's Station \-- Berryville \-- Beefsteak Raid \-- Opequon \-- Fisher's Hill \-- Chaffin's Farm \-- Peebles' Farm \-- Darbytown and New Market Roads \-- Darbytown Road \-- Tom's Brook \-- Cedar Creek \-- Boydton Plank Road \-- Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road \-- Rainbow Bluff Expedition \-- 1st Fort Fisher \-- Fort Branch

Western Theater|

Dandridge \-- Athens \-- Fair Garden \-- Meridian \-- Okolona \-- 1st Dalton \-- Paducah \-- Fort Pillow \-- Rocky Face Ridge \-- Resaca \-- Adairsville \-- New Hope Church \-- Dallas \-- Pickett's Mill \-- Marietta \-- Brice's Crossroads \-- Cynthiana \-- Kolb's Farm \-- Kennesaw Mountain \-- Pace's Ferry \-- Tupelo \-- Peachtree Creek\-- Atlanta \-- Ezra Church \-- Brown's Mill \-- Utoy Creek \-- 2nd Dalton \-- Lovejoy's Station \-- Mobile Bay \-- Fort Gaines \-- 2nd Memphis \-- Fort Morgan \-- Jonesborough \-- 1st Saltville \-- Allatoona \-- Decatur \-- Johnsonville \-- Bull's Gap \-- Griswoldville \-- Columbia \-- Buck Head Creek \-- Honey Hill \-- Spring Hill \-- 2nd Franklin \-- Waynesboro \-- 3rd Murfreesboro\-- Altamaha Bridge \-- 2nd Fort McAllister \-- Nashville \-- Marion \-- 2nd Saltville

Trans-Mississippi Theater|

Fort De Russy \-- Elkin’s Ferry \-- Mansfield \-- Pleasant Hill \-- Prairie D'Ane \-- Blair's Landing \-- Monett's Ferry \-- Poison Spring \-- Marks' Mills \-- Jenkins' Ferry \-- Calcasieu Pass \-- Mansura \-- Yellow Bayou \-- Old River Lake \-- Killdeer Mountain \-- Fort Davidson \-- Glasgow \-- 2nd Lexington \-- Little Blue River \-- 2nd Independence \-- Byram's Ford \-- Westport \-- Marais des Cygnes \-- Marmiton River \-- Mine Creek \-- 2nd Newtonia

Lower Seaboard Theater|

Olustee \-- Gainesville

Naval|

Hunley vs Housatonic \-- Cherbourg