Battle of Paducah

Battle of Paducah
Part of the American Civil War
Date March 25, 1864 (1864-03-25) Location McCracken County, Kentucky Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States of America (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Stephen G. Hicks James Shirk	Nathan Bedford Forrest
Units involved
8th Colored Heavy Artillery 16th Kentucky Cavalry 122nd Illinois Infantry USS Peosta (1857) USS Paw Paw (1863)	Forrest's Cavalry Department
Strength
650 men 2 gunboats	3,000
Casualties and losses
90	50

The Battle of Paducah was fought on March 25, 1864, during the American Civil War. A Confederate force led by Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest launched a successful raid on Paducah, Kentucky, to capture supplies.

In March 1864, Forrest set out from Columbus, Mississippi, into West Tennessee and Kentucky with a force of fewer than 3,000 men. Their object was to recruit soldiers, reoutfit their force with supplies, and disrupt Union activities. They arrived in Paducah, Kentucky, on March 25 and quickly occupied the town. The Union garrison of 650 men under the command of Col. Stephen G. Hicks retired to Fort Anderson in the town's west end. Hicks had support from two gunboats on the Ohio River and refused to surrender, while shelling the area with his artillery. There, on that day, Forrest unsuccessfully demanded Hicks' surrender:

“

... if I have to storm your works, you may expect no quarter.

”

which Hicks courteously declined.

Most of Forrest’s command destroyed unwanted supplies, loaded what they wanted, and rounded up horses and mules. A small segment of Forrest's command assaulted Fort Anderson and was repulsed, suffering heavy casualties. Soon afterwards, Forrest's men withdrew. In reporting the raid on the town, many newspapers stated that Forrest had not found the more than a hundred fine horses hidden from the raid. As a result, one of Forrest’s subordinate officers, Abraham Buford, led a force back into Paducah in mid-April and seized the infamous horses.

Casualties were 90 Union, 50 Confederate. Although this was a Confederate victory, other than the destruction of supplies and capture of animals, no lasting results occurred. It did, however, warn the Federals that Forrest, or someone like him, could strike anywhere at any time.

The non-commissioned officer in charge of the supplies for the 16th Ky Cavalry, encamped at this time in Paducah, was Quartermaster Sgt. Robert Walker Jump.

References

• National Park Service battle description
• CWSAC Report Update - Kentucky