Battle of Riggins Hill - Clarksville TN - Battlefields on Waymarking.com

LOCATION: Intersection of Magnolia Drive and Dover Road (U.S. 79), Clarksville TN 37042

TEXT ON THE HISTORICAL MARKER

Battle of Riggins Hill-Fight for Control
In mid-August 1862, Confederate cavalry recaptured Clarksville to disrupt Union transportation on the Cumberland River to Nashville and to gather new recruits and supplies. Early in September, Union Col. William W. Lowe led 1,100 men including detachments of the 5th Iowa Cavalry, the 71st Ohio, 11th Illinois, and 13th Wisconsin Infantry, as well as sections of Flood’s and Starbuck’s Illinois Batteries to retake the town in early September.

As Lowe marched eastward from Dover, scouts from Confederate Col. Thomas Woodward’s 2nd Kentucky Cavalry fired on the column as it neared Clarksville on September 7. Woodward’s force numbered some 700 men including armed townsmen. The Federals pushed the Confederates back for a few miles to their main line at Riggins’ Hill. The center of the line was along a ridge across present-day U.S. Route 79 and Dotsonville Road, near here. The dismounted Confederates used woods, rail and stone fences, and houses and barns as cover.

Lowe’s men deployed on a parallel ridge south and west of here as his artillery opened fire, causing havoc in the Confederate position. After forty-five minutes, Woodward’s line began to buckle, and when Lowe’s flank units pushed forward, the Confederate line collapsed. Lowe’s cavalry aggressively pursued Woodward’s men through Clarksville. Confederate losses were 17 killed, 40 wounded, and about 50 captured. Reported Union losses were “negligible.”

The Federals occupied Clarksville and reopened the river as a supply line. With too few Federal troops to hold the area, however, Clarksville was not permanently occupied until December 1862. Clashes over the control of the river continued in this area until late in 1864, when the Union finally gained the upper hand.

(captions)
5th Iowa Cavalry - Courtesy Customs House Museum and Cultural Center, Clarksville, Tennessee
Col. William Lowe Courtesy Rootsweb.ancestory.com
Col. Thomas Woodward Courtesy Kentucky Library, Western Kentucky University
(map) Ahead of you is the road on which a Union force from Fort Donelson approached Clarksville bent on recapturing the town.

Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Name of Battle: Battle of Riggins Hill Name of War: U.S. Civil War Date(s) of Battle (Beginning): 09/07/1862 Entrance Fee: Not Listed Parking: Not Listed Date of Battle (End): Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Post a photo of you in front of a sign or marker posted at the site of the battle (or some other way to indicate you have personally visited the site.

In addition it is encouraged to take a few photos of the surrounding area and interesting features at the site.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   11/11/2022 Don.Morfe visited it