US ResearchConflictsCivil WarBattle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN)
Civil War

Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN)

1863
Tennessee
Era
Civil War
Year
1863
Location
Tennessee
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Union
Forces
Union cavalry brigade
VS
Victor
Confederate
Forces
Confederate cavalry brigades
Outcome
Confederates completely routed Wolford's troopers
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Philadelphia saw the Confederate cavalry brigades of Colonels J. Morrison and George Gibbs Dibrell attack a Union cavalry brigade under Colonel Frank Wolford at Philadelphia, Tennessee, during the Knoxville campaign of the American Civil War. While Dibrell's brigade skirmished with Wolford's cavalrymen, Morrison led his brigade around the west side of Philadelphia to attack the Union force from the rear.

Duration
Single day engagement (October 20, 1863)
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

over 400 captured

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN) take place?
Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN) took place in 1863. Single day engagement (October 20, 1863).
Where was Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN) fought?
Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN) was fought in Tennessee, United States.
What was the outcome of Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN)?
Confederates completely routed Wolford's troopers
What was the significance of Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN)?
The Battle of Philadelphia saw the Confederate cavalry brigades of Colonels J. Morrison and George Gibbs Dibrell attack a Union cavalry brigade under Colonel Frank Wolford at Philadelphia, Tennessee, during the Knoxville campaign of the American Civil War. While Dibrell's brigade skirmished with Wol
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Battle of Philadelphia (Loudon County TN)

Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Loudon
Early Republic · 5.1 mi
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Source

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

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