Battle of Rivers' Bridge

Battle of Rivers' Bridge Part of the American Civil War Charge of Weaver's Brigade Across the Salkehatchie Date February 3, 1865 (1865-02-03) Location Bamberg County, South Carolina 33°3′10″N 81°5′59″W / 33.05278°N 81.09972°W / 33.05278; -81.09972Coordinates: 33°3′10″N 81°5′59″W / 33.05278°N 81.09972°W / 33.05278; -81.09972 Result Union victory Belligerents United States (Union)  Confederate States Commanders and leaders Francis Preston Blair, Jr. John A. Logan Lafayette McLaws Units involved XVII Corps XV Corps Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida Strength 5,000 1,200 Casualties and losses 124 (18 killed, 106 wounded)[1] 97 (8 killed, 44 wounded, 45 captured/missing)[1]

Carolinas Campaign Rivers' Bridge Aiken Columbia Wyse Fork Monroe's Crossroads Averasborough Bentonville Morrisville

The Battle of Rivers' Bridge, also known as Salkehatchie River, Hickory Hill, Owen's Crossroads, Lawtonville, and Duck Creek, was a Union victory fought on February 3, 1865, during the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War.

While Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's Union armies marched north across South Carolina, about 1,200 Confederates under Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws were posted at the crossing on the Salkehatchie River. Union soldiers began to build bridges to bypass McLaws on February 2. The next day two brigades under Maj. Gen. Francis P. Blair waded through the swamp and flanked the Confederates. McLaws withdrew toward Branchville after stalling Sherman's advance for only one day and Sherman's forces continued moving north towards the state capital Columbia.

The site is commemorated by the Rivers Bridge State Historical Site.^[2]

Notes

References

• National Park Service battle description
• The Battle for the Salkehatchie
• These Honored Dead: The Battle of Rivers Bridge and Civil War Combat Casualties, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
• CWSAC Report Update

South Carolina in the American Civil War Pre-War Secession Star of the West Montgomery Convention 1861 Battle of Fort Sumter Battle of Port Royal 1862 First Battle of Pocotaligo Battle of Secessionville Battle of Simmon's Bluff Second Battle of Pocotaligo 1863 First Battle of Charleston Harbor First Battle of Fort Wagner Battle of Grimball's Landing Second Battle of Fort Wagner Second Battle of Charleston Harbor Second Battle of Fort Sumter Atttack on USS New Ironsides 1864 Sinking of USS Housatonic by Hunley Battle of Honey Hill Battle of Tulifinny Capture of Columbia 1865 Battle of Rivers' Bridge Grimball's Causeway/Surrender of Charleston Military Units South Carolina Civil War Confederate units South Carolina Civil War Union units Reconstruction Reconstruction