Battle of Kabletown

Battle of Kabletown
Part of American Civil War
Location of Kabletown, West Virginia.
Date November 18, 1864 Location Kabletown, West Virginia Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States	Confederacy
Commanders and leaders
Richard R. Blazer	John S. Mosby
Strength
Blazer's Scouts	43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry
Casualties and losses
42 (half)	unknown

The Battle of Kabletown was a battle between Confederate and Union forces near the end of the American Civil War. Captain John S. Mosby, with nine companies of cavalry, defeated Captain Richard R. Blazer's outnumbered Blazer's Scouts.

Background

In late 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign came to a close. He had laid siege to Petersburg. Captain Blazer's Scouts, a Union company, had already raided the city of Lynchburg, Virginia in the campaign against Richmond. Captain John S. Mosby of the Confederates decided to stop these raids against Virginia by bringing them to battle. On November 18, 1864, the forces met at Kabletown, West Virginia.

Battle

Mosby had nine companies, the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry, to Captain Richard R. Blazer's one. Mosby was able to defeat Blazer's Scouts due to superior numbers, inflicting 42 casualties, almost half of the Union force. This short cavalry skirmish was the Blazer's Scouts' final battle. Mosby had defeated the most famous scouting company of the Union Army.^{[citation needed]}

Aftermath

Blazer's Scouts were disbanded officially in January 1865. The Confederates had weakened the Union VIII Corps under Philip Sheridan by defeating its scouts.