Battle of Buffington Island Facts

July 19, 1863

Buffington Island Battle facts, including dates, location, casualties, leaders, who won, and more interesting facts you might not know. This fact sheet provides a quick overview of the battle and is for kids doing research and students preparing for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) exam.

John Hunt Morgan portrait

On July 8, 1863, Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan and approximately 2,000 Confederate soldiers crossed the Ohio River into southern Indiana. Morgan’s Raid reached its pinnacle on July 19 at the Battle of Buffington Island near Portland, Ohio, in Meigs County. [Wikimedia Commons]

Date:

  • July 19, 1863

Location:

  • Meigs County, Ohio

Campaign:

  • Morgan’s Raid in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio

Principal Union commander:

  • Brigadier General Edward H. Hobson

Principal Confederate commander:

  • Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan

Union troops engaged:

  • Edward H. Hobson’s federal cavalry
  • Ohio militia

Confederate troops engaged:

  • John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry

Number of Unions soldiers engaged:

  • Roughly 3,000

Number of Confederate soldiers engaged:

  • Roughly 1,700

Estimated Union casualties:

  • 25 (killed, wounded, captured/missing)

Estimated Confederate casualties:

  • 900 (52 killed, 100 wounded, 750 captured)

Result:

  • Union victory