Hoover’s Gap
The Battle at Hoover’s Gap took place in Bedford and Rutherford Counties in the state of Tennessee. This battle was a part of the Tullahoma Campaign also known as the Middle Tennessee Campaign.
The Battle at Hoover’s Gap took place on June 24th through the 26th 1863. It was headed on the Union States side by Major General George H. Thomas. On the Confederate States side the battle was headed by Major General Alexander P. Stewart. Major General George H. Thomas was in charge of only one group: XIV Army Corps. Major General Alexander P. Stewart was in charge of five groups: Bate’s and Johnson’s Brigades, Stewart’s Division, Hardee’s Corps, the Army of Tennessee, and J.R. Butler’s 1st Kentucky Calvary Regiment. General Braxton Bragg was the commander of the Army of Tennessee.
The battle arose when General William S. Rosecrans, commander of the Army of the Cumberland, pretended he was going to attack Shelbyville on June 23rd. Instead he mounded against General Braxton Bragg’s army the next day.
The 3rd Kentucky Calvary Regiment, which was a part of the Confederate army, was under the control of Colonel J.R. Butler. He and his army were able to hold down Hoover’s Gap for only a short duration of time. General George H. Thomas’s men, without difficulty, effortlessly overtook Butler and his men. As the Yankees took over and the Confederates drew back, they ran into Brig. General Bushrod R. Johnson and Brig. General William B. Bate and their armies. These two general’s armies were commonly known as Bate’s and Johnson’s Brigades. The regiment also ran into Stewart’s Division, Hardee’s Corps, and the Army of Tennessee. All five of these armies were marching on their way to meet Major General Thomas and his men.
The combating persisted until noon on June 26th. Major General Alexander P. Stewart sent a message to Brig. General’s Johnson and Bate informing them that he was drawing back and advised them to do the same. Major General Rosecrans...