Goodlettsville in Sumner County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Mansker Creek

Louisville and Nashville Railroad

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 18, 2014

1. Mansker Creek Marker

Inscription.

Mansker Creek. Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad, among Tennessee’s most strategically important lines, closely followed Mansker Creek here, and a railroad bridge stood two miles downstream. To protect the railroad and the bridge, several companies of Union soldiers camped along Mansker Creek beginning in 1862.

On August 20, 1862, Confederate Col. John Hunt Morgan and his brigade pursued a detachment of 300 Union cavalrymen along the railroad in this vicinity. The Federals had arrested nearly all the male citizens, boys and old men, of Gallatin and were marching them along the tracks to Nashville. Morgan chased the cavalrymen down, killed most of them (allegedly shooting some after they surrendered), and attacked a nearby guard stockade. Morgan succeeded in freeing most of the civilian prisoners.

The next month, Union Col. William B. Stoke and the 5th Tennessee Cavalry returned the favor, raiding a Confederate position near Goodlettsville and surprising Confederate Col. James D. Bennett’s 9th Tennessee Cavalry (Morgan’s command). Numbering only 150 against Bennett’s 400, Stokes and his men galloped, shooting into the Confederate camp. Bennett’s men returned fire as they scattered in all directions, and the Federals chased them for at least three miles. Bennett lost 40 killed or wounded and 39 prisoners, while the Federals suffered no casualties. Stokes reported, “The way was strewn with clothing, arms, &c., showing it was a complete rout.”

(sidebar) , Union Gen. William Bowen Campbell (1807-1867) was born on Mansker Creek in 1807, either in a house on the bank about a hundred yards to your left, or in the larger brick house to your right. When the war came, both United States and the Confederate governments offered a general’s commission to Campbell, who was a Mexican War hero and former governor of Tennessee. President Abraham Lincoln commissioned him a brigadier general of volunteers in 1862, but Campbell resigned later that year because of ill health. After the war, Campbell served briefly in the U.S. Congress., (captions) , (lower left) Louisville and Nashville Railroad , (upper center)Stockade for U.S. guard on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Harper’s Weekly, Feb 7, 1863 , (upper right) Gov. William B. Campbell Courtesy Historic Mansker’s Station Museum . This historical marker was erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails. It is in Goodlettsville in Sumner County Tennessee

The Louisville and Nashville Railroad, among Tennessee’s most strategically important lines, closely followed Mansker Creek here, and a railroad bridge stood two miles downstream. To protect the railroad and the bridge, several companies of Union soldiers camped along Mansker Creek beginning in 1862.

On August 20, 1862, Confederate Col. John Hunt Morgan and his brigade pursued a detachment of 300 Union cavalrymen along the railroad in this vicinity. The Federals had arrested nearly all the male citizens—boys and old men—of Gallatin and were marching them along the tracks to Nashville. Morgan chased the cavalrymen down, killed most of them (allegedly shooting some after they surrendered), and attacked a nearby guard stockade. Morgan succeeded in freeing most of the civilian prisoners.

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camp. Bennett’s men returned fire as they scattered in all directions, and the Federals chased them for at least three miles. Bennett lost 40 killed or wounded and 39 prisoners, while the Federals suffered no casualties. Stokes reported, “The way was strewn with clothing, arms, &c., showing it was a complete rout.”

(sidebar)
Union Gen. William Bowen Campbell (1807-1867) was born on Mansker Creek in 1807, either in a house on the bank about a hundred yards to your left, or in the larger brick house to your right. When the war came, both United States and the Confederate governments offered a general’s commission to Campbell, who was a Mexican War hero and former governor of Tennessee. President Abraham Lincoln commissioned him a brigadier general of volunteers in 1862, but Campbell resigned later that year because of ill health. After the war, Campbell served briefly in the U.S. Congress.

(captions)
(lower left) Louisville and Nashville Railroad
(upper center)Stockade for U.S. guard on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Harper’s Weekly, Feb 7, 1863
(upper right) Gov. William B. Campbell Courtesy Historic Mansker’s Station Museum

Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil

Close up of map shown on the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 18, 2014

2. Close up of map shown on the marker

. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1921.

Location. 36° 19.292′ N, 86° 41.334′ W. Marker is in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, in Sumner County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Caldwell Drive and Indian Hills Mound, on the right when traveling east. The marker is located on the grounds of Moss-Wright Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 745 Caldwell Drive, Goodlettsville TN 37072, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Bowen Plantation House (within shouting distance of this marker); First Long Hunters (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Mansker's Station (about 600 feet away); Mansker’s First Fort (approx. 0.7 miles away); William Bowen House (approx. 0.7 miles away); Davidson County / Sumner County (approx. 1.2 miles away); Goodlettsville Cumberland Presbyterian Church (approx. 1.3 miles away); Casper Mansker (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Goodlettsville.

Also see . . . William Bowen Campbell -The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. (Submitted on June 11, 2014, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.)

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 18, 2014

3. Mansker Creek Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 11, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 853 times since then and 140 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 11, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.