Battle of Richmond Facts

August 29–30, 1862

Battle of Richmond 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.

Portrait of William Nelson

Union Major General William “Bull” Nelson was shot in the thigh and barely escaped being captured at the Battle of Richmond. [Wikimedia Commons]

Date and Location

  • August 29–30, 1862
  • Richmond, Kentucky

Campaign

Principal Union Commanders

  • Major General William “Bull” Nelson
  • Brigadier General Mahlon Dickerson Manson
  • Brigadier General Charles Cruft
  • Brigadier General James S. Jackson

Principal Confederate Commanders

Union Forces Engaged

  • Army of Kentucky (USVA)

Confederate Forces Engaged

  • Army of Kentucky (CSA)

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 6,800

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 6,500

Estimated Union Casualties

  • 5,353 (206 killed, 844 wounded, and 4,303 captured or missing)

Estimated Confederate Casualties

  • 451 (78 killed, 372 wounded, and one missing)

Result

  • Confederate victory

Significance

  • The Battle of Richmond was the first major Battle of the Confederate Heartland Campaign.
  • Union Major General William “Bull” Nelson was shot in the thigh and barely escaped being captured at the Battle of Richmond.
  • Confederate Brigadier General Patrick R. Cleburne was shot in the mouth and lost several teeth during the Battle of Richmond.
  • The Confederate victory at the Battle of Richmond cleared Union resistance in central Kentucky during the Confederate Heartland Campaign.
  • In the aftermath of the Battle of Richmond, the Confederate Army of Kentucky marched into Lexington, Kentucky, unopposed on September 2, 1862.
  • In the aftermath of the Battle of Richmond, the Confederate Army of Kentucky marched unopposed into Frankfort, Kentucky on September 3, 1862, and hoisted the Confederate flag over the state capitol building. Smith’s triumph at Frankfort marked the only Confederate occupation of a Union capital during the Civil War.
  • The Battle of Richmond is deemed by many Civil War scholars as the most complete victory one side had over the other during the entire conflict.
  • The Confederate victory at the Battle of Richmond coincided with the Confederate victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run, at Manassas, Virginia.

Timeline of the Confederate Heartland Campaign

These are the main battles and events of the Confederate Heartland Campaign in order.