Battle of Thompson's Station

Battle of Thompson's Station. A Fiasco For The Union. The Battle of Thompson's Station on March 5, 1863, convincingly showed Union commanders that their armies still lacked control of vital transportation routes in Middle Tennessee. On March 4, U.S. Gen. turnpike and railroad routes between Franklin and Columbia were open for his army to begin its advance southward., The Federal troops never reached Columbia. Coburn's men encountered an advance force of 1,200 cavalry led by C.S. Gen. William H. Jackson, who was part of the overall command of Gen. Earl Van Dorn. The two sides exchanged artillery fire until Coburn's cavalry attacked. The Confederates made an orderly retreat in the hills south of Thompson's Station and were joined by Van Dorn bringing the force to 6,000. Unsure of each other's number, the two armies camped until the next morning. However, during the night Van Dorn learned the small size of the enemy, while Coburn learned his foe was larger., The next morning, Coburn moved first, taking high ground overlooking Thompson's Station and his artillery launched cannonballs on the Confederates and the town itself. Coburn's assault initially found success and he pushed into town while ordering much of his artillery and supply wagons to return to Franklin. The Confederates had superior numbers, however, and quickly wiped away the Federal gains. C.S. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest's cavalry rode cast to flank Coburn and cut off his retreat. Surrounded, Coburn and his remaining men resisted Confederate attacks for five hours until the exhausted men surrendered, their surveillance mission having turned into a Union fiasco., Union losses totaled 1,221 captured, 48 killed, and 267 wounded. Confederates reported 357 killed, wounded or missing. Coburn and his troops were only briefly imprisoned. By June 1863, most had been exchanged and returned to the North., 3rd Arkansas Regiment Flag , During the Battle of Thompson's Station, the Thompson family took refuge in the basement of Homestead Manor, then owned by Charles Banks. Seventeen year old Alice Thompson, daughter of Dr. Elijah Thompson, saw the 3rd Arkansas's color bearer fall in the yard and "rushed out, raised the flag, and led the regiment to victory." , Courtesy of Old State House Museum, Little Rock, Ark.