US ResearchConflictsCivil WarTennesseeBlountsville
Civil War

Blountsville

1863
Tennessee
Era
Civil War
Year
1863
Location
Tennessee
Status
Historical record
Part ofWestern TheaterThe Civil War
The Battle

History & Significance

Blountsville was a Civil War engagement fought in Tennessee, 1863. It was a Union victory.

Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside, commander of the Department of the Ohio, undertook an expedition into East Tennessee to clear the roads and gaps to Virginia, and, if possible, secure the saltworks beyond Abingdon. On September 22, Union Col. John W. Foster with his cavalry and artillery engaged Col. James E. Carter and his troops at Blountsville. Foster attacked at noon and in the four-hour battle, shelled the town and initiated a flanking movement, compelling the Confederates to withdraw. Blountsville was the initial step in the Union's attempt to force Confederate Maj. Gen. Sam Jones and his command to retire from East Tennessee.

Result
Union victory
Forces engaged
2nd Brigade, 4th Division, XXIII Army Corps, Department of the Ohio [US]; 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment and Artillery (approx. 1,200) [CS]
Casualties
192 total (US 27; CS 165)
Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Blountsville take place?
Blountsville took place in 1863.
Where was Blountsville fought?
Blountsville was fought in Tennessee, United States.
What was the significance of Blountsville?
Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside, commander of the Department of the Ohio, undertook an expedition into East Tennessee to clear the roads and gaps to Virginia, and, if possible, secure the saltworks beyond Abingdon. On September 22, Union Col. John W. Foster with his cavalry and artillery engaged Col. Jam
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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
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The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Source

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