Overview
East Tennessee became an important area of the Civil War because many of its residents remained loyal to the Union after Tennessee seceded on June 8, 1861. The region also held strategic value because a major railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, with Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Deep South passed through Knoxville. East Tennessee farms also produced large amounts of food that could supply military forces.
In the summer of 1863, General Ambrose Burnside led the Army of the Ohio into East Tennessee. Confederate forces had largely moved south because of developments in the Chickamauga Campaign, allowing Burnside’s cavalry to reach Knoxville on September 2 with little opposition. Burnside entered the city on September 3 and captured the Cumberland Gap on September 9.
Meanwhile, Confederate General Braxton Bragg defeated General William Rosecrans at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20). Bragg drove Rosecrans back to Chattanooga and placed the city under siege. Washington officials ordered Burnside to move south from Knoxville to help the Union forces at Chattanooga, although Confederate cavalry slowed his movement.
Bragg viewed Burnside as a threat to the Confederate siege at Chattanooga. With approval from Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Bragg sent General James Longstreet north to drive Burnside from East Tennessee and recapture Knoxville.
Longstreet left Chattanooga on November 4. Transportation problems in the mountainous region slowed his movement, and he did not cross the Tennessee River until November 14.
After two days of skirmishing, the armies met at Campbell’s Station (November 16). Longstreet hoped to capture the intersection of the Concord and Kingston roads before Burnside and block his route to Knoxville. Burnside ordered a rapid march and placed his soldiers at the intersection about 15 minutes before Longstreet arrived.
Confederate forces launched several attacks and repeatedly pushed the Union troops backward. However, Burnside kept his retreat organized. Longstreet failed to cut off the Union army, and Burnside successfully withdrew into the fortifications at Knoxville. This outcome made Longstreet’s mission to capture Knoxville much more difficult.
Essential Facts
- Date: November 16, 1863.
- Location: Knox County, Tennessee.
- USA Commanders: Major General Ambrose E. Burnside.
- CSA Commanders: Lieutenant General James Longstreet.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Campbell’s Station.
- Campaign: Knoxville Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, July–December, 1863.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: 400 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of the Ohio.
- Troop Strength: Undetermined.
Confederate States of America
- CSA Casualties: 570 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- CSA Forces Engaged: Confederate Forces in East Tennessee.
- CSA Troop Strength: Undetermined.
Significance
The Battle of Campbell’s Station is important to American History because it affected the struggle for control of East Tennessee and Knoxville. General James Longstreet tried to place his Confederate forces between Ambrose Burnside’s army and Knoxville, which would have prevented the Union troops from reaching the city’s fortifications. Burnside reached a critical crossroads first and maintained an orderly retreat despite repeated Confederate attacks. His army reached Knoxville safely, preventing Longstreet from destroying or trapping it. Longstreet responded by initiating the Siege of Knoxville.
History
Tennessee Secedes from the Union
On June 8, 1861, Tennessee became the last Southern state to secede from the Union. The decision, however, was far from unanimous. In the eastern part of the state, the referendum on secession lost by some 20,000 votes at the polls. Starting an independent secessionist movement, citizens of East Tennessee petitioned the state legislature to form a new state that would remain in the Union. The governor responded by sending military personnel to Knoxville to enforce the statewide vote for secession. Despite attempts to coerce the population, many residents in East Tennessee and Knoxville remained pro-Union throughout the American Civil War.
Tennessee’s Strategic Importance
President Abraham Lincoln considered the liberation of East Tennessee to be of paramount importance. Beyond the moral and political duty to support the loyal citizens of that part of the Union, East Tennessee was strategically valuable. The main railway connecting the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and on to the Deep South ran through Knoxville. In addition, East Tennessee farmers produced large amounts of food supplies that whichever side controlled the area could use.
Federals Occupy Knoxville
Despite its strategic importance and being high on the president’s list of priorities, events in other theaters of the war delayed any major Union action in the area until the Army of the Ohio, commanded by Major General Ambrose Burnside, moved to occupy East Tennessee in the summer of 1863. By the time Burnside neared Knoxville, events occurring in the Chickamauga Campaign had forced most of the Confederate defenders to move to southern Tennessee, leaving only a token force behind. Burnside’s cavalry reached Knoxville on September 2, almost unopposed. On September 3, the citizens of Knoxville warmly received Burnside’s army as it marched into town. With Knoxville occupied, Burnside next captured the Cumberland Gap on September 9, and he turned his attention to clearing the area of any remaining Confederates.
Burnside Moves toward Chattanooga
Shortly after Burnside secured East Tennessee, Confederate General Braxton Bragg and his Army of Tennessee soundly defeated Major General William Rosecrans and his Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20). Bragg drove Rosecrans’s army out of northern Georgia, back to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and then besieged the city for two months. As the Union situation at Chattanooga worsened, Washington officials ordered Burnside to leave Knoxville and march south to help lift the siege. Burnside moved toward Chattanooga, but skirmishes with Confederate cavalry slowed his advance.
Bragg Sends Longstreet North
Meanwhile, in southern Tennessee, Bragg knew of the threat Burnside’s army posed to his investment of Chattanooga. During the siege, relations between Bragg and fellow Confederate General James Longstreet deteriorated because of Longstreet’s criticism of Bragg’s failure to pursue the defeated Federals more aggressively at Chickamauga. Wanting to rid himself of Longstreet, Bragg received approval from Confederate President Jefferson Davis to detach Longstreet from Bragg’s command and to send Longstreet north to deal with Burnside. Bragg planned on Longstreet being able to drive Burnside away, re-capture Knoxville, and return south before Ulysses S. Grant, who had replaced Rosecrans, could attempt a breakout from Chattanooga.
On November 4, 1863, Longstreet departed from the Chattanooga area on the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad with a force of about 10,000 infantrymen, supported by about 5,000 cavalry troopers. Progress was slower than expected, however, as the transport trains loaded with soldiers and supplies had trouble negotiating the steep mountainous grades in the region. Longstreet could not cross the Tennessee River until November 14.
Collision at Campbell’s Station
The two armies skirmished for two days until they met at the Battle of Campbell’s Station on November 16. Longstreet had hoped to occupy the intersection of Concord and Kingston roads at Campbell’s Station before Burnside, positioning the Confederates between the Federals and Knoxville. Burnside realized the danger of not being able to fall back to his fortifications at Knoxville. Thus, he ordered a forced march to the critical intersection and deployed his soldiers just fifteen minutes before Longstreet arrived. The Confederates launched several successful assaults, each driving the Federals back, but the Union retreats were orderly. Longstreet could not prevent Burnside from withdrawing to the safety of his fortifications at Knoxville.
Aftermath
The Battle of Campbell’s Station was a Union victory, and Longstreet’s failure to stop the Union retreat made his mission to capture Knoxville much more difficult.
Timeline
- 1861, June 8 — Tennessee became the last Southern state to secede from the Union, although many residents of East Tennessee opposed secession.
- 1863, September 2 — Ambrose Burnside’s cavalry reached Knoxville with little opposition.
- 1863, September 3 — Burnside marched his army into Knoxville, which was welcomed by the inhabitants.
- 1863, September 9 — Burnside captured the Cumberland Gap.
- 1863, September 19–20 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Chickamauga.
- 1863, November 4 — James Longstreet left Chattanooga and moved toward East Tennessee.
- 1863, November 14 — Longstreet crossed the Tennessee River.
- 1863, November 16
- Burnside reached the crossroads at Campbell’s Station about 15 minutes before Longstreet arrived.
- Confederate forces attacked and pushed the Union troops backward, but Burnside maintained an orderly retreat toward Knoxville.
- Burnside withdrew into the fortifications at Knoxville, preventing Longstreet from cutting off the Union army.
- 1863, November 19 — Longstreet initiated the Siege of Knoxville.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Campbell’s Station (1863) — The Battle of Campbell’s Station was fought in Knox County, Tennessee, on November 16, 1863, during the Knoxville Campaign. General James Longstreet moved north to drive Ambrose Burnside from East Tennessee and recapture Knoxville. Burnside reached the important Concord and Kingston roads intersection shortly before Longstreet arrived. Confederate attacks pushed Union forces backward, but Burnside conducted an orderly retreat and reached Knoxville’s fortifications, making Longstreet’s mission more difficult.
Alignment
The Battle of Campbell’s Station is part of the following AP US History sections:
