Second Battle of Memphis

Battle of the American Civil War

Second Battle of Memphis

Part of the American Civil War

Attack on Irving Block Prison
| Date| August 21, 1864 (1864-08-21)

|

Location|

Memphis, Tennessee

35°08′41″N 90°03′14″W﻿ / ﻿35.1446°N 90.0540°W﻿ / 35.1446; -90.0540
Result|  Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States|  Confederate States of America
Commanders and leaders
Cadwallader C. Washburn|  Nathan Bedford Forrest
Units involved
Memphis garrison|  Forrest's Cavalry Division
Strength
6,000[1]|  2,000 [1]
Casualties and losses
480 [1][2]|  62 [1]

* v
* t
* e

Forrest's Defense of Mississippi

* Yazoo City
* Brices Cross Roads
* Tupelo
* Second Memphis

General Washburne escapes

The Second Battle of Memphis was a battle of the American Civil War occurring on August 21, 1864, in Shelby County, Tennessee.[3]

## Battle[edit]

Map of Memphis II Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.

At 4:00 a.m. on August 21, 1864, Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest made a daring raid on Union-held Memphis, Tennessee, but it was not an attempt to capture the city, which was occupied by 6,000 Federal troops. The raid had three objectives: to capture three Union generals posted there; to release Southern prisoners from Irving Block Prison; and to cause the recall of Union forces from northern Mississippi. Striking northwestward for Memphis with 2,000 cavalry, Forrest lost about a quarter of his strength because of exhausted horses. Surprise was essential. Taking advantage of a thick dawn fog and claiming to be a Union patrol returning with prisoners, the Confederates eliminated the sentries.

Galloping through the streets and exchanging shots with other Union troops, the raiders split to pursue separate missions. One Union general was not at his quarters. During the raid, another—General Cadwallader C. Washburn—escaped to Fort Pickering dressed in his night-shirt after John Alexander Bryan of Co I, 15th Tennessee Cavalry, captured his horse. [4] Forrest took Washburn's uniform, but later returned it under a flag of truce.[5] According to Memphis legend, Confederate cavalrymen rode into the lobby of the luxurious Gayoso House seeking US army officers.[6] A street in Memphis is named "General Washburn's Escape Alley" in commemoration of the ordeal.[7] The attack on Irving Block Prison also failed when Union troops stalled the main body at the State Female College. After two hours, Forrest decided to withdraw, cutting telegraph wires and taking 500 prisoners along with large quantities of supplies, including many horses.

## Results[edit]

Although Forrest failed in Memphis, his raid influenced Union forces to return there from northern Mississippi to protect the city. Union General Stephen A. Hurlbut was quoted afterward as saying, "There it goes again! They superseded me with Washburn because I could not keep Forrest out of West Tennessee, and Washburn cannot keep him out of his own bedroom!"

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d National Park Service. "Memphis II", Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database. Retrieved on 6 November 2017.
2. ^ The NPS Battle Description lists casualties of 160, but that number is inconsistent with the description text, "Forrest decided to withdraw, cutting telegraph wires, taking 500 prisoners".
3. ^ The War of the Rebellion: A compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies "AUGUST 21, 1864.— Attack on Memphis, Tenn." Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892. pp. 468ff.
4. ^ Memphis Commercial Appeal, March 17, 1912
5. ^ Street, Julian. American Adventures: A Second Trip "Abroad at Home". Chapter XLIX, "What Memphis has endured" The Century Co., New York, 1917, pp. 523-525.
6. ^ Wyeth, J.A. Life of Lieutenant-General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Harper & Bros., 1908, p. 473.
7. ^ Weeks, Linton. Memphis, a Folk History. Parkhurst, Little Rock, 1982. p. 73.

## External links[edit]

* CWSAC Report Update
* Gayoso House Hotel
* National Park Service Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database

* v
* t
* e

City of Memphis and Memphis metropolitan area (counties in TN, MS and AR)

Topics|

* History
* Timeline
* Geography
* Government
* Economy
* Education
* Culture
* Tourism
* Sports
* Transportation
* Memphians

*   *   *   *   *   *   *

Districts|

* Downtown
* Midtown
* North Memphis
* South Memphis
* East Memphis

Neighborhoods|

* Belle Meade
* Berclair
* Binghampton
* Boxtown
* Capleville
* Central Gardens
* Chickasaw Gardens
* Cooper-Young
* Cordova
* Douglass
* Evergreen
* Frayser
* Glenview
* Harbor Town
* Hickory Hill
* High Point Terrace
* Hollywood
* Hyde Park
* Lenox
* Medical District
* Mud Island
* Normal Station
* Northaven
* Nutbush
* Orange Mound
* Parkway Village
* Raleigh
* Riverside
* Sherwood Forest
* South Main
* Scutterfeld
* Southwind
* Uptown
* Victorian Village
* Vollintine Hills
* Westwood
* Whitehaven
* Wolfchase

Metro area
landmarks

| Tennessee|

* A. Schwab's
* Art Museum of the University of Memphis
* Bartlett Museum
* Beale Street
* Bellevue Baptist Church
* Belz Museum
* Botanic Garden
* Brooks Museum
* Burkle Estate
* Central Station
* Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
* Chickasaw Bluff
* Children's Museum
* Chucalissa Museum
* Cotton Museum
* Davies Manor
* Dixon Gallery and Gardens
* Downtown Trolleys
* Elmwood Cemetery
* Fire Museum
* Fort Assumption
* Fort Wright
* Graceland
* Hernando de Soto Bridge
* Libertyland
* Lichterman Nature Center
* Lincoln American Tower
* Magevney House
* Mallory–Neely House
* Mason Temple
* Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
* Memorial Park Cemetery
* Cotton Exchange
* Memphis International Airport
* National Cemetery
* Parkway System
* Railroad & Trolley Museum
* Memphis Zoo
* Mississippi River
* Mississippi River Park
* Mud Island Monorail
* National Civil Rights Museum
* National Ornamental Metal Museum
* Oaklawn Garden
* Orpheum Theatre
* Overton Park
* Peabody Hotel
* Pink Palace
* The Pyramid
* Rhodes College
* Rock N' Soul Museum
* St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
* St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral
* Shelby Farms
* Stax Museum
* Sun Studio
* South Main Arts District
* Temple Israel
* Tennessee Brewery
* Tipton County Museum
* T. O. Fuller State Park
* Tom Lee Park
* Union Station
* University of Memphis
* Victorian Village
* Wolf River

|

Mississippi|

* Arkabutla Lake
* BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove
* DeSoto County Museum
* 1st Jackpot Casino
* Gold Strike Tunica
* Holly Springs National Forest
* Landers Center
* Horseshoe Casino
* Mississippi River
* Resorts Casino
* Sam's Town Gambling Hall
* Southaven Towne Center
* Tunica Resorts
* Snowden Grove Park
* Tanger Outlets Southaven
* Tunica Roadhouse Casino
* Wall Doxey State Park

Arkansas|

* Horseshoe Lake
* Mississippi River
* Southland Park Gaming and Racing
* Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Metro area
suburbs

| Tennessee|

* Arlington
* Atoka
* Bartlett
* Collierville
* Covington
* Germantown
* Lakeland
* Millington
* Munford
* Northaven
* Oakland
* Piperton
* Somerville
* Shelby Forest

|

Mississippi|

* Byhalia
* Hernando
* Holly Springs
* Horn Lake
* Olive Branch
* Senatobia
* Southaven
* Tunica
* Tunica Resorts (Robinsonville)
* Walls

Arkansas|

* Earle
* Marion
* West Memphis

Metro area
counties

| Tennessee|

* Shelby
* Fayette
* Tipton

|

Mississippi|

* DeSoto
* Marshall
* Tate
* Tunica

Arkansas|

* Crittenden

See also: Memphis, Tennessee sports venues

* v
* t
* e

Tennessee in the American Civil War

Origins|

* East Tennessee
* Middle Tennessee
* West Tennessee

Combatants|

* Confederacy
* Union

Campaigns|

* Chattanooga campaign

Battles|

| 1862|

* Fort Henry
* Fort Donelson
* Island Number Ten
* Shiloh
* Lebanon
* Plum Point Bend
* First Battle of Memphis
* First Battle of Chattanooga
* First Battle of Murfreesboro
* Britton's Lane
* Riggins Hill
* Hatchie's Bridge
* Hartsville
* Lexington
* Jackson
* Parker's Cross Roads
* Stones River

|

1863|

* Dover
* Thompson's Station
* Vaught's Hill
* Brentwood
* First Battle of Franklin
* Hoover's Gap
* Liberty Gap
* Second Battle of Chattanooga
* Blountville
* Farmington
* Blue Springs
* Campbell's Station
* Third Battle of Chattanooga
* Brown's Ferry
* Wauhatchie
* Collierville
* Rogersville
* Fort Sanders
* Bean's Station
* Mossy Creek

1864|

* Dandridge
* Fair Garden
* Fort Pillow
* Second Battle of Memphis
* Morristown
* Second Battle of Franklin
* Johnsonville
* Bull's Gap
* Columbia
* Spring Hill
* Third Battle of Murfreesboro
* Nashville
* Anthony's Hill

Involvement
(by city or town)

* Chattanooga
* Nashville

Leaders|

| Confederate|

* John Bell
* Isham G. Harris
* John Henninger Reagan

|

Union|

* Andrew Johnson

Aftermath|

* Confederate monuments and memorials

Related topics|

* 14th Amendment

* Category
* Commons

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