Moscow in Fayette County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Battle of Moscow

"The river seemed like running blood"

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, October 21, 2010

1. Battle of Moscow Marker

Inscription.

Battle of Moscow. "The river seemed like running blood". , By late in 1863, the Union army occupying West Tennessee strongly defended the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, which ran eastward from Memphis through Moscow. Federal infantry, including the U.S. Colored Troops of the 2nd West Tennessee Infantry, manned a nearby fort. It guarded a large wooden railroad bridge and a plank wagon bridge that both spanned the Wolf River one-half mile to your left. Union guards in rifle pits there protected State Line Road (today's Highway 57). At midday on December 4, Union Col. Edward Hatch's cavalry brigade passed by here heading west from a week-long patrol., Pvt. Augustus Hurff, 6th Illinois Cavalry, described what happened next: "We were returning to our camp in Germantown...marching without an advance guard, which was very careless... . We had no sooner crossed the bridge than we were fired upon from ambush. This threw our forces into a panic. They forced us back to the river; we were ordered to draw our sabers and charge... but the rebels were reinforced [by Col. L.S. Ross's Texas Cavalry Brigade]... we dismounted and fought as infantry. Many of our horses were shot in the river as were a great number of our men. The rivers seemed like running blood instead of water. We fought until we were out of ammunition.", Confederate Gens. Stephen D. Lee and James R. Chalmers commanded the cavalry that made the sudden assault, planning to burn the railroad bridge. Union Gen. Stephen Hurlbut had recently warned that "Lee is the dangerous man." Fighting continued all afternoon, with the USCT unit earning special notice for bravery. Hatch suffered a bullet through the lung but survived. Near sunset, Union Col. W.H. Morgan's infantry brigade arrived by train from LaGrange and drove off the Confederates. About 3,000 Confederates and 5,000 Federals had been engaged.,

"The recent affair at Moscow, Tennessee, has demonstrated the fact that colored troops, properly disciplined and commanded, can and will fight well." - Union Gen. Stephen Hurlbut

By late in 1863, the Union army occupying West Tennessee strongly defended the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, which ran eastward from Memphis through Moscow. Federal infantry, including the U.S. Colored Troops of the 2nd West Tennessee Infantry, manned a nearby fort. It guarded a large wooden railroad bridge and a plank wagon bridge that both spanned the Wolf River one-half mile to your left. Union guards in rifle pits there protected State Line Road (today's Highway 57). At midday on December 4, Union Col. Edward Hatch's cavalry brigade passed by here heading west from a week-long patrol.

Pvt. Augustus Hurff, 6th Illinois Cavalry, described what happened next: "We were returning to our camp in Germantown...marching without an advance guard, which was very careless... . We had no sooner crossed the bridge than we were fired upon from ambush. This threw our forces into a panic. They forced us back to the river; we were ordered to draw our sabers and charge... but the rebels were reinforced [by Col. L.S. Ross's Texas Cavalry Brigade]... we dismounted and fought as infantry. Many of our horses were shot in the river as were a great number of our men. The rivers seemed like running blood instead of water. We fought until we were out of ammunition."

Confederate Gens. Stephen D. Lee and James R. Chalmers commanded

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the cavalry that made the sudden assault, planning to burn the railroad bridge. Union Gen. Stephen Hurlbut had recently warned that "Lee is the dangerous man." Fighting continued all afternoon, with the USCT unit earning special notice for bravery. Hatch suffered a bullet through the lung but survived. Near sunset, Union Col. W.H. Morgan's infantry brigade arrived by train from LaGrange and drove off the Confederates. About 3,000 Confederates and 5,000 Federals had been engaged.

"The recent affair at Moscow, Tennessee, has demonstrated the fact that colored troops, properly disciplined and commanded, can and will fight well." - Union Gen. Stephen Hurlbut

Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical 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 December 4, 1863.

Location. 35° 3.6′ N, 89° 23.98′ W. Marker is in Moscow, Tennessee, in Fayette County. It is on State Highway 57 east of Somerville Street, on the left when traveling east. Located in front of Moscow City Hall. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Moscow TN 38057, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in West Tennessee

and in Greater Memphis.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, October 21, 2010

2. Battle of Moscow Marker

Looking west along TN 57.

: Battle of Moscow / Union Troops of African Descent (here, next to this marker); The Skirmish at Lafayette Station (approx. 8.1 miles away); "Mississippi" Fred McDowell (approx. 8.2 miles away); Lucy Petway Holcombe Pickens House (approx. 8.7 miles away); Home of Lucy Holcombe Pickens (approx. 8.8 miles away); Grierson's Raid (approx. 8.9 miles away); La Grange (approx. 8.9 miles away); LaGrange (approx. 8.9 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 26, 2010, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. This page has been viewed 2,869 times since then and 82 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 26, 2010, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.