December 30 – This day in the Civil War

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Michael Noirot

1862

  • Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Confederate cavalry retreats towards Parker’s Crossroads from a raid in northwest Tennessee.  Arriving at
    Union artillery at Parker's Crossroads battlefield.

    Union artillery at Parker's Crossroads battlefield.

    the crossroads on December 31, Forrest ran into Cyrus Dunham’s Federals brigade.   Dunham had blocked Forrest’s path to the Tennessee River and a hard fight ensued.  Bedford Forrest’s horse artillery pushed Dunham’s brigade south.  Asking for Dunham’s surrender, Forrest found himself surrounded when US Colonel John Fuller arrived with his brigade, from the north.  Legend has it, that at this point, Forrest stated, “charge them both ways.”  Miraculously, Bedford Forest was able to escape from the Federals, and make his way across the Tennessee River at Clifton.

  • The USS Monitor, off the coast of North Carolina, at Cape Hatteras, began taking on water, while being towed through heavy seas.

About Michael Noirot

I grew up in the Central Illinois farming community, of Dunlap. Growing up, I played sports, tinkered with cars and enjoyed photography. While I did well in school, I did not become passionate about history until my early 30's. I have built a large library, of books on early America, politics and the Civil War. I am an avid reader. Fortunately, I have had plenty of opportunities to travel, over the years, and have been to most of the Civil War battlefields. I work while I travel, so more often than not, I am up, in the middle of the night, to get sunrise pictures, or I will be out until well after dark, exploring Civil War battlefields. I have other hobbies, and passions, that I really enjoy. Number one on the list would be guitar. I play my guitars on a regular basis, and enjoy the Bluegrass, and Contemporary Christian (CCM) genres. I play a style of guitar, called FLATPICKING, where using a flat pick, you play lead solos, similar to the way a fiddle would have been played during the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Laura, my wife, and I also enjoy scuba diving, travel and spending time at our property, in the country. Lastly, we spend as much time with our families, as possible. Thanks for stopping by.
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