Battle of Tebbs' Bend

Battle of Tebbs Bend
Part of the American Civil War
Overview of the battlefield
Date July 4, 1863 (1863-07-04) Location Taylor County, Kentucky, USA 37°14′42″N 85°21′50″W / 37.24497°N 85.36394°W / 37.24497; -85.36394Coordinates: 37°14′42″N 85°21′50″W / 37.24497°N 85.36394°W / 37.24497; -85.36394 Result Union victory
Belligerents
Confederate States of America	United States of America
Commanders and leaders
John Hunt Morgan	Orlando H. Moore
Strength
800-1000 cavalry 4 Artillery pieces	5 companies of the 25th Michigan Infantry (approx. 200 men)
Casualties and losses
35 killed 45 wounded	6 killed 23 wounded
Battle of Tebbs Bend
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Show map of Kentucky Show map of the US
Nearest city	Campbellsville, Kentucky
Area	376 acres (152 ha)
Built	1863
NRHP Reference #	99000900
Added to NRHP	July 28, 1999

The Battle of Tebbs' Bend (or Tebbs Bend or Green River) was fought on July 4, 1863, near the Green River in Taylor County, Kentucky during Morgan's Raid in the American Civil War. Despite being badly outnumbered, elements of the Union army thwarted repeated attacks by Confederate Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan's dismounted cavalry.

Brigadier General Morgan and his 2,460 handpicked Confederate cavalrymen rode west from Sparta in middle Tennessee on June 11, 1863, intending to divert the attention of the Union Army of the Ohio from Southern forces in the state. Morgan moved northward on June 23, bound for Kentucky. On the night of July 2, he crossed the rain-swollen Cumberland River and advanced into Kentucky, proceeding as far as Cane Valley, camping between Campbellsville and Columbia. The next day, he planned to cross the Green River at Tebbs' Bend, which was guarded by five companies of about 200 men of the 25th Michigan Infantry led by Colonel Orlando Hurley Moore (July 13, 1827 to October 31, 1890). Moore had erected earthworks in the woods near the river crossing, guarded by a line of abatis of felled trees and several forward rifle pits. His goal was to protect the Lebanon-Campbellsville-Columbia Turnpike, a vital supply line and the easiest route for Morgan to take to reach Louisville.

Morgan divided his force, sending the bulk of his cavalry to flank the small garrison and cut off their avenue of retreat. At sunrise on July 4, Union pickets opened fire on approaching enemy cavalrymen. Soon, Morgan's artillery answered, wounding two Union soldiers in the rifle pits. About 7 a.m., Morgan called a cease fire and sent forward three officers under a flag of truce, demanding that Moore surrender, wishing to avoid further bloodshed. However, the Union commander refused and firing resumed. Sharpshooters soon silenced Morgan's artillery battery of four guns.