Action at Fayetteville

The Battle of Fayetteville was a skirmish of the American Civil War fought on 18 April 1863 and had an undecided result.

The battle

Confederate Brigadier General William L. Cabell departed Ozark, Arkansas with 900 cavalry with the intent to dislodge the Union from Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Union was using the city as a recovery center following their tactical victory months earlier at the Battle of Prairie Grove just to Fayetteville's west. Approaching the city from the south, the Confederates captured nine Union soldiers near West Fork, Arkansas at night on April 17. The following morning the Confederates lost the element of surprise when attacking dismounted Union pickets in east Fayetteville. The Rebels climbed East Mountain and fired their artillery south into the city, and the Union responded by deploying three companies of the First Arkansas Infantry.

The Confederates rushed the city streets around 6:00 am intending to attack the Tebbetts House which held the Union command. The attackers halted and waited for cannon fire from the Rebels on the mountain to damage the headquarters. Confederate Colonel James Monroe took this time to attack the flank the Union army. Fire was first concentrated on the left flank followed by an attack on the center before the Confederates managed to take hold of the Baxter House. The Confederates continued into Fayetteville, capturing Union soldiers and destroying a supply train before the Union rallied and repelled the Southern troops.

Union soldiers began approaching the artillery upon East Mountain under cover. Now being pushed back, Monroe took his Confederate cavalry up Dickson Street in a final charge at the headquarters house. It quickly became clear that the crossfire was too heavy and Monroe withdrew his troops quickly. By this time the cannons on the mountain were under attack and out of ammunition, causing the Southerners to withdraw from the city.

The aftermath

Casualties are not known exactly, but are estimated at fifty for each side. The house under siege is now a Civil War museum named the Headquarters House.

References

External links

• Action at Fayetteville