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Civil War

Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC

1863
North Carolina
Era
Civil War
Year
1863
Location
North Carolina
Status
Historical record
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Union
Forces
Confederate: Confederate cavalry
VS
Victor
Confederate
Forces
Union: Union cavalry patrol from New Bern
Outcome
Confederate success; Union patrol ambushed and driven back.
The Battle

History & Significance

One of many small cavalry engagements in the contested zone between New Bern and Kinston, as both sides skirmished to control the roads and rivers of eastern NC between major operations.

Historical context

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the deadliest conflict in American history, killing an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The Confederate States of America, formed by eleven seceding Southern states, faced the Union in four years of warfare across 23 states and territories. Major engagements included First and Second Bull Run, Antietam (the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Vicksburg (surrendered July 4, 1863), and Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–1865). President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, transforming the war's stated purpose to include the abolition of slavery and enabling the enlistment of approximately 180,000 Black men in the United States Colored Troops. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The war resolved the question of secession and ended American slavery, though Reconstruction would face sustained resistance in its attempt to secure civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Casualties & Losses

Union: ~20; Confederate: ~10

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC take place?
Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC took place in 1863.
Where was Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC fought?
Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC was fought in North Carolina, United States.
What was the outcome of Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC?
Confederate success; Union patrol ambushed and driven back.
What was the significance of Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC?
One of many small cavalry engagements in the contested zone between New Bern and Kinston, as both sides skirmished to control the roads and rivers of eastern NC between major operations.
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Skirmish at Gum Swamp NC

Cedar Dell
Early Republic · 3.5 mi
Kennedy Memorial Home Historic District
Industrial · 3.8 mi
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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