You are Here Map-Cumberland River Campaign - Gainesboro TN - 'You Are Here' Maps on Waymarking.com

The "You are Here Map" is on this historical marker.

TEXT on the Cumberland River Campaign-Burning of Old Columbus.
Cumberland River Campaign-Burning of Old Columbus.

North of this marker lies the site of Old Columbus, once an important landing on the Cumberland River. In the winter of 1863–1864, the war had disastrous consequences for this river village.

Late in December 1863, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant sent a naval convoy up the river from Nashville to Creelsboro, Ky., on a reconnaissance and supply mission. The U.S. gunboats Reindeer and Silver Lake No. 2 under U.S. Navy Lt. Henry A. Glassford accompanied three transports carrying a detachment of 140 sharpshooters from the 129th Illinois Infantry, under the command of Col. Andrew J. Cropsey. At five locations including Gainesboro, the county seat, Confederate guerrilla bands fired on the convoy as it headed upriver. Tennessee military governor Andrew Johnson had decided to establish a Federal army post there because the town was a base of operations for Confederate partisans in the region. He ordered gunboat commanders not to destroy the town so that the buildings could be used for military purposes. After the Federals occupied Gainesboro, Union forces began to suppress partisan warfare. During a February 1864 raid into the countryside, Col. Henry K McConnell's 71st Ohio Infantry pursued two companies of Confederate rangers led by Cols. Oliver P. Hamilton and John M. Hughs. The Federal force arrived at Columbus, where many of the partisans lived and kept their horses. After removing the women, children, and livestock, the Federals burned the village to the ground.

Location Name: Cumberland River near Gainesboro NT

Visit Instructions:

A photo of either you or your GPS at the site is welcomed but not required.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   12/31/2021 Don.Morfe visited it