Near Sevierville in Sevier County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Battle of Fair Garden

Furious Clash of Cavalry

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 3, 2017

1. Battle of Fair Garden Marker

Inscription.

Battle of Fair Garden. Furious Clash of Cavalry. On January 25, 1864, Confederate Gen. James Longstreet ordered Gen. William T. Martin to eject Union cavalry from an area south of the French Broad River stretching from Dandridge to the Little Pigeon River. The next day, Union Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis directed his cavalrymen to watch area fords. Two Confederate cavalry brigades and artillery advanced from Fair Garden in the afternoon, only to be stopped about four miles from Sevierville. Other Confederates attached Union troopers at Fowler's on Flat Creek, driving them back about two miles before fighting ended the day., The morning of January 27, in a heavy fog, Col. Archibald Campbell and elements of the First Cavalry Division (2nd Michigan Cavalry, 9th Indiana Cavalry, and Capt. Eli Lilly's "Hoosier" Light Artillery Battery) attacked Martin's Crossroads. The Federals fought all day across the farms of Stewart Dickey, Dr. Robert Hodsden, and John McNutt. At about 4 p.m., Federal cavalry charged with drawn sabers to scatter the Confederates, and then bivouacked for the night. Sturgis pursued the Southerners on January 28 with his entire force to the French Broad River near Dandridge before three of Longstreet's infantry brigades offered serious resistance. Realizing that he was outgunned, Sturgis prudently decided to evacuate the area, but first launched an unsuccessful attack against Confederate Gen. Frank C. Armstrong's isolated cavalry division. Sturgis lost the foraging grounds when forced to withdraw. The Federals suffered about 65 casualties, and the Confederates lost about 100 men., (captions) , Gen. James Longstreet Courtesy Library of Congress, Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis Courtesy Library of Congress, Capt. Eli Lilly, who founded the pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and Co. in 1876 - Courtesy Eli Lilly and Co., Federal troops used Stewart Dickey's home as their headquarters and hospital, installing a telegraph line from there to their main base in Knoxville. - Courtesy King Family Library History Center, Dr. Robert Hodsden, a Union loyalist, lay bedridden in his home, rose Glen, during the battle. He had been a physician on the Trail of Tears (Cherokee Removal) in the 1830s. Courtesy Sally Ripatti Polhemus

On January 25, 1864, Confederate Gen. James Longstreet ordered Gen. William T. Martin to eject Union cavalry from an area south of the French Broad River stretching from Dandridge to the Little Pigeon River. The next day, Union Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis directed his cavalrymen to watch area fords. Two Confederate cavalry brigades and artillery advanced from Fair Garden in the afternoon, only to be stopped about four miles from Sevierville. Other Confederates attached Union troopers at Fowler's on Flat Creek, driving them back about two miles before fighting ended the day.

The morning of January 27, in a heavy fog, Col. Archibald Campbell and elements of the First Cavalry Division (2nd Michigan Cavalry, 9th Indiana Cavalry, and Capt. Eli Lilly's "Hoosier" Light Artillery Battery) attacked Martin's Crossroads. The Federals fought all day across the farms of Stewart Dickey, Dr. Robert Hodsden, and John McNutt. At about 4 p.m., Federal cavalry charged with drawn sabers to scatter the Confederates, and then bivouacked for the night. Sturgis pursued the Southerners on January 28 with his entire force to the French Broad River

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near Dandridge before three of Longstreet's infantry brigades offered serious resistance. Realizing that he was outgunned, Sturgis prudently decided to evacuate the area, but first launched an unsuccessful attack against Confederate Gen. Frank C. Armstrong's isolated cavalry division. Sturgis lost the foraging grounds when forced to withdraw. The Federals suffered about 65 casualties, and the Confederates lost about 100 men.

(captions)
Gen. James Longstreet Courtesy Library of Congress

Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis Courtesy Library of Congress

Capt. Eli Lilly, who founded the pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly & Co. in 1876 - Courtesy Eli Lilly & Co.

Federal troops used Stewart Dickey's home as their headquarters and hospital, installing a telegraph line from there to their main base in Knoxville. - Courtesy King Family Library History Center

Dr. Robert Hodsden, a Union loyalist, lay bedridden in his home, rose Glen, during the battle. He had been a physician on the Trail of Tears (Cherokee Removal) in the 1830s. Courtesy Sally Ripatti Polhemus

Erected 2013 by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 3, 2017

2. Battle of Fair Garden Marker

marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is January 25, 1864.

Location. 35° 51.699′ N, 83° 29.895′ W. Marker is near Sevierville, Tennessee, in Sevier County. It can be reached from Jim Hickman Drive north of Old Newport Highway, on the left when traveling west. Marker is located outside the Connor-Short Center on the Walters State Community College - Sevier Campus. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1720 Old Newport Hwy, Sevierville TN 37876, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee

and in the Great Smoky Mountains.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

the State of Franklin,

and the Antebellum

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 3, 2017

3. Battle of Fair Garden Marker

South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Sweden Furnace (approx. 0.6 miles away); Harrisburg Covered Bridge (approx. 0.9 miles away); a different marker also named Harrisburg Covered Bridge (approx. 0.9 miles away); a different marker also named Harrisburg Covered Bridge (approx. 0.9 miles away); 1962 Euclid 71TD Rear Dump Truck (approx. 2.6 miles away); 1956 Bay City Model 450 Dragline (approx. 2.6 miles away); 1968 Northwest 190D Pullshovel (approx. 2.6 miles away); In Memory of Robert Stewart Trump (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sevierville.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 24, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 24, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 3,081 times since then and 193 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 24, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.