Streight's Raid (19 April – 3 May 1863) took place in northern

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

(1861-1865). It was led by Union Army Col. Abel D. Streight (1828-1892) and opposed by the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

of Brig. Gen.

Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was an List of slave traders of the United States, American slave trader, active in the lower Mississippi River valley, who served as a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Con ...

(1820-1877), Streight's goal was to destroy parts of the

Western and Atlantic Railroad The Western & Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia (W&A) is a railroad owned by the State of Georgia and currently leased by CSX, which CSX operates in the Southeastern United States from Atlanta, Georgia, to Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was f ...

, which was supplying the Confederate

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was a Field army, field army of the Confederate States Army in the Western theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. Named for the Confederate States of America, Confederate state of Tenn ...

to the north. The raid was poorly supplied and planned, and ended with the defeat of Col. Streight and his 1,700 men at Cedar Bluff, Alabama, by Gen. Forrest who bluffed his opponent into surrendering to his 500 men in the town there."Streight's Raid"
Encyclopedia of Alabama website. Accessed 10 July 2015. Streight was additionally hindered by Southern locals throughout his march, while pursued by Forrest, who had the advantage of knowing the home territory and the sympathy and aid of the local Alabama populace, most famously of Emma Sansom (1847-1900), who later had a statue erected for her in

Gadsden, Alabama Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located on the Coosa River about northeast of Birmingham and southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statist ...

, which subsequently became controversial in 2020.

Raid

The actual capture of Col. Streight's larger and better equipped forces was achieved by a clever ruse, when General Forrest paraded his much smaller force back and forth in front of Streight, convincing him that he was opposed by a superior force. After surrendering and being informed of the deception Streight reputedly demanded his arms back to prepare for a proper fight, a request cheerfully declined by Forrest. This unsuccessful Northern raid was coordinated with the more famous Grierson's Raid, also in April-May 1863, with 1,700 mounted troopers in three regiments by Col.

Benjamin Grierson Benjamin Henry Grierson (July 8, 1826 – August 31, 1911) was a music teacher from Illinois who, although afraid of horses, volunteered for service in the Cavalry in the American Civil War, cavalry during the American Civil War, Civil War, ...

(1826-1911), further west driving south around the besieged

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port town and fortress of Vicksburg down through

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

from LaGrange, Tennessee to the Federal-occupied state capital of

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

in the south, partially as a feint to confuse the scattered Confederate forces. Union losses were 12 killed, 69 wounded, and 1,466 captured, for a total of 1,547.

Chronology of events / locations of Streight's Raid in April-May 1863

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(state capital) (7–10 April) — proceeded by river *Palmyra, Tennessee (11–13 April) — proceeded on foot *Yellow Creek, Tennessee (13–14 April) — proceeded on foot *Fort Henry, Tennessee (15–17 April) — proceeded by river *Eastport, Mississippi (19–21 April) — proceeded either by foot or river *Bear Creek/River, Mississippi (22 April) — proceeded on foot the rest of the way *Tuscumbia, Alabama (24–26 April) *Mount Hope, Alabama (27–28 April) *Moulton, Alabama (28 April) *Day's Gap, Alabama (29–30 April) *

Battle of Day's Gap The Battle of Day's Gap, fought on April 30, 1863, was the first in a series of American Civil War skirmishes in Cullman County, Alabama, that lasted until May 2, known as Streight's Raid. Commanding the Union Army, Union forces was Colonel (Un ...

(30 April) *Skirmish at Crooked Creek (30 April) *Skirmish at Hog Mountain (30 April) *Arrival at Blountsville (1 May) *Skirmishes at Blountsville (1 May) *Skirmishes at the East Branch of the Black Warrior River (1 May) *Skirmishes at the crossing of Black Creek, near Gadsden (2 May) *Damaged ammunition while crossing Will's Creek, near Gadsden (2 May) *Gadsden, Alabama (2 May) *Blount's plantation, about 15 miles from Gadsden (2 May) *Skirmishes at/near Blount's Plantation, Cherokee County (2–3 May) *Centre, Alabama (3 May) *Cedar Bluff, Alabama (3 May) *Surrender to Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest, 3 miles east of Cedar Bluff, Alabama (3 May) *Taken east to Confederate States capital at

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

, as prisoners of war

Union order of battle

Colonel Abel D. Streight * 80th Illinois Infantry Regiment * 51st Indiana Infantry Regiment * 73rd Indiana Infantry Regiment * 3rd Ohio Infantry Regiment * 1st Middle Tennessee Cavalry Regiment (2 companies)

Notes

References

* *

External links

Nathan Bedford Forrest Historical Society
*Abel D. Streight biographical sketch i

Indiana Historical Society {{authority control Cavalry raids of the American Civil War Battles of the Western Theater of the American Civil War Military operations of the American Civil War in Alabama The Lightning Mule Brigade 1863 in Alabama Nathan Bedford Forrest April 1863 May 1863