Battle of Tulifinny

Part of the American Civil War

Date	December 6, 1864 (1864-12-06)
Location	Jasper County, near Yemassee, South Carolina 32°40′23″N 80°52′44″W / 32.673°N 80.879°W / 32.673; -80.879Coordinates: 32°40′23″N 80°52′44″W / 32.673°N 80.879°W / 32.673; -80.879
Result	Confederate victory

Belligerents

United States (Union)

CSA (Confederacy)

Commanders and leaders

MajGen John G. Foster
RAdm John A. Dahlgren
CDR George H. Preble
1LT George G. Stoddard

MajGen Sam Jones

Units involved

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron

Strength

approx 5,000

approx 900

The Battle of Tulifinny was an American Civil War engagement fought December 6–9, 1864 in South Carolina during General Sherman's March to the Sea, also known as the Savannah Campaign. Outnumbered 5-1 a Confederate force successfully defended a critical section of the Charleston-Savannah railroad. This engagement was historically significant because it was one of the rare occasions when United States Marines fought in combat during the Civil War, in addition the Confederate forces included the entire Corps of Cadets from the South Carolina Military Academy (now The Citadel) who comprised more than a third of the Rebel force, it is also the only occasion when the entire student body of a U.S. college fought in combat.

In early December 1864 Major General William T. Sherman and his formidable army numbering an estimated 62,000 men approached the South Carolina border and their final objective of Savannah, Georgia. Sherman had ordered his men to apply "scorched earth" tactics which resulted in the burning of crops and homes, confiscation and killing of livestock and the consumption of any supplies available for his army. This total war strategy, though brutal was believed to cause mass desertion among Confederate troops and break the South's will to fight.

Tulifinny was one of eight engagements in which cadets from the South Carolina Military Academy (SCMA) (also known as the Battalion of State Cadets) participated. The amphibious landing on the Tulifinny River conducted primarily by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps was successful in moving 5,000 troops to Gregorie Point (also known as Deveaux's Neck) which is a peninsula bounded by the Tulifinny and Coosawatchie Rivers located near the town of Yemassee and some 45 miles north of Savannah. Much of the peninsula was covered with swamps, thick foliage and large trees. General Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox" of American Revolutionary War fame fought the British and encamped near the Tulifinny on several occasions. The Union objective was to cut the Charleston-Savannah rail line by destroying a railroad trestle that crossed the Tulifinny River.

Estimated at a total of 5,000 men

Military District of the South - Major General John G. Foster, Commanding; Brigadier General John P. Hatch (Medal of Honor recipient); Brigadier General Edward E. Potter

Units
56th New York Infantry Regiment, 127th New York Infantry Regiment, 144th New York Infantry Regiment, 157th New York Infantry Regiment, 25th Ohio Infantry Regiment, 3d New York Light Artillery Regiment Battery F, 3d Rhode Island Heavy Artillery Regiment, 32d U.S. Colored Troops, 33d U.S. Colored Troops

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Wikipedia