By the early fall of 1861, the Union Army’s
Western Department under Major General John C. Frémont is still reeling from the crushing
defeat of Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon’s Army of the West at the Battle of Wilson’s
Creek in August. With his department’s headquarters located
in St. Louis, Missouri, Major General Frémont aches to strike back at Brigadier General
Sterling Price’s pro-Southern Missouri State Guard. However, the threat posed by Confederate forces
in southeastern Missouri under Major Generals Leonidas Polk, William J. Hardee, and Brigadier
General Gideon J. Pillow, hold him back from launching any major offensive action. Over the summer, Brigadier General Ulysses
S. Grant, a rising star officer in the Western Department, had won Frémont’s confidence
with minor displays of competence and energy. And so, on August 28th, General Frémont appointed
Grant to command of the District of Southeast Missouri. Frémont posted General Grant at Cairo, Illinois,
and defined his mission: clear southeast Missouri of Rebel forces and occupy Columbus, Kentucky. Grant’s mission seems much easier when Generals
Pillow and Hardee abandon southeast Missouri in September. Still, the dominant terrain feature of the
area is a great swamp, five to twenty-five miles wide, extending from the Arkansas border
line northward to a point parallel with Cape Girardeau. This marshy terrain offers shelter for “the
Swamp Fox”, Brigadier General M. Jeff Thompson, and his mobile band of Missouri State Guard
partisans, allowing them to move about southeastern Missouri with impunity. General Thompson evades determined pursuits
but seeks fights and conducts raids with a frequency embarrassing the Union Army and
demoralizing Northern sympathizers. Indeed, Thompson possesses a “combination
of sense and bombast, of military shrewdness, and personal buffoonery.” General Thompson was a thorn that continually
pricked, or threatened to prick, the sensitive Union flank, and he appeared to be covering
Confederate detachments towards General Price. Frémont believes to the point of paranoia
that Price, Thompson, and Polk are working in concert. Thus, it becomes elemental to Frémont’s
Missouri strategy to cut communications between Columbus, Kentucky, and Sterling Price. The possession of the little steamboat landing
at Belmont, Missouri, would assure this. At the Battle of Fredericktown on October
21st, the same day that the Battle of Ball’s Bluff is raging in Virginia, Grant manages
to bloody General Thompson’s nose by dispatching units from Cape Girardeau and Bird’s Point
after the “Swamp Fox”, keeping him on the run. It was during this small skirmish engagement
that a 1,500 man Federal detachment from the 11th Missouri and 20th Illinois under Colonel
Joseph Plummer, a veteran Regular Army officer who had been wounded in Ray’s Cornfield
at Wilson’s Creek, manages to consolidate control over southeastern Missouri. In September, the national spotlight in the
West shifts from Missouri to the divided and precariously neutral State of Kentucky. Both sides have been recruiting men and organizing
regiments openly in the self-proclaimed neutral Border State, but they are doing so in a fashion
as to not alienate Kentucky’s divided population. However, the August 1861 elections bring in
a Unionist legislature to Kentucky thanks to a boycott by secessionists. This marks the beginning of the end of neutrality
in Kentucky. On September 3rd, 1861, Major General Polk
violates Kentucky’s neutrality by ordering Brigadier General Pillow to occupy the city
of Columbus. Kentucky was now caught in the midst of the
conflict that it had tried so hard to avoid becoming involved in. With Confederate forces invading the Commonwealth,
Kentucky is now at the forefront of the Civil War’s Western Theater. Brigadier General Grant arrives in Cairo,
Illinois, to take command of his new district the day that Columbus falls to the Rebels. Immediately, Grant begins proposing a countermove,
which General Frémont approves. Gathering two regiments and steaming up the
Ohio River, Grant seizes Paducah, Kentucky, on September 6th; it is a magnificent show
of offensive initiative on Grant’s part. Although Generals Polk and Pillow organize
a belated attempt to drive Grant from Paducah, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston
arrives to assume command of the newly-formed Army of Central Kentucky. Johnston then aborts the plan to retake Paducah,
instead ordering Polk and Pillow to begin fortifying Columbus in order to block the
Mississippi River. General Grant presses Frémont to allow him
to launch a raid against the Confederate forces downriver from Cairo, but is ignored. As October passes with no major action against
the Confederates in southeastern Missouri or Kentucky, Major General Frémont’s position
begins to grow more precarious. Finally, President Lincoln withdraws his support
of Frémont and decides to relieve him. This change of command will give Grant his
opportunity to finally take the fight to the Confederacy. This would be the first true test of Ulysses
S. Grant’s command leadership in battle during the Civil War. Grant’s Expeditionary Command for the raid
on Belmont numbers 3,114 men and officers, and is organized into two brigades - one,
based in Cairo, is led by Brigadier General John A. McClernand, an Illinois political
general with connections and friends in high places; the other, headquartered at Bird’s
Point, is commanded by Colonel Henry Dougherty. Two cavalry companies and an artillery battery
are also attached to Grant’s expedition. Bright sunshine greets Grant’s men on Wednesday
morning, November 6th. The camps at Cairo and Bird’s Point come
alive early with feverish activity as the regiments pack knapsacks, cook rations, clean
and reclean weapons, and undergo careful inspections. Colonel Francis B. Fouke’s 30th Illinois
and Colonel John A. “Black Jack” Logan’s 31st Illinois march down to the Cairo levee
at about 3:00 PM that afternoon and begin filling over the stage planks onto the transport
boat Aleck Scott, the largest of the private steamers Grant has under contract. Colonel Napoleon B. Buford’s 27th Illinois,
the third regiment in McClernand’s Cairo Brigade, embarks on the James Montgomery. Captain James J. Dollins’ independent company
of Illinois cavalry board either the Rob Roy or the Chancellor. Most of Grant’s wagons are placed aboard
the Keystone State. Before they embark, however, McClernand sends
a telegram to his friend, Major General George B. McClellan of the Army of the Potomac, alerting
him to the expedition. At about dusk, the fleet departs Cairo and
steams across the river to Bird’s Point on the Missouri shore, where Grant’s large
and luxurious Belle Memphis takes aboard Colonel Henry Dougherty’s 22nd Illinois while Colonel
Jacob Lauman’s 7th Iowa joins Buford’s men on the Montgomery. Also boarding steamers at Bird’s Point are
Colonel Ezra Taylor’s six-gun Chicago Light Battery and Delano’s Adams County Cavalry
company from Illinois, commanded by Lieutenant James K. Catlin. All is ready and the sun is setting when Brigadier
General Grant comes aboard the Belle Memphis. Soon after dark, Grant signals to Union Navy
Commander Henry A. Walke aboard the USS Tyler that the embarkation is complete. Walke eases the gunboat Tyler into the main
channel, closely followed by the gunboat USS Lexington. The Keystone State pulls into line behind
the gunboats, beginning the grand procession of transport steamers. Some delays occur when the Chancellor goes
aground, but the expeditionary fleet is finally underway again at about 9:00 PM. At first, none of the Union troops knew where
they were heading, but the word soon spread across the fleet that their destination was
Columbus. The men were then briefed on their mission:
the Federals would attack a Confederate camp known as Camp Johnston, across the river from
Columbus, at Belmont, Missouri. Throughout the predawn hours of November 7th,
1861, Grant’s Expeditionary Command is transported downriver towards Columbus and Belmont. At about 8:00 AM, the first transport ties
up on the Missouri shore, three miles north of Belmont. Commander Walke’s gunboats hover out in
the main channel providing cover. The pilot of the Belle Memphis, Charles Scott,
chooses a site called Hunter’s Farm, a small steamboat landing close to the end of Lucas
Bend - just out of sight, though not out of range, of the Columbus batteries. The formidable Confederate artillery batteries
posted on the bluffs of Columbus include 10-inch Columbiads and 11-inch howitzers. However, the most dangerous gun in the Columbus
battery is the massive “Lady Polk”, a 128-pounder Whitworth rifle - the largest
gun in the Confederacy. By 8:30 AM, the Federal infantry is ashore. Their officers soon form them into ranks in
a clearing in front of a cornfield. Behind them, the soldiers can hear the Chicago
Light Battery still coming ashore. Brigadier General Grant begins marching his
infantry regiments south down a single wooded road toward Belmont. Union columns push on, clearing wooded thickets
and fallen timbers forming abatis in their path. Up ahead, Grant’s independent cavalry companies,
leading the march, skirmish with Rebel pickets in the woods. Consulting with Brigadier General McClernand,
Grant begins forming his attack plan as they near the Confederate camp: the five infantry
regiments go into line of battle with Dougherty’s brigade on the left, and McClernand’s on
the right. Once the Cairo Brigade is deployed into line,
McClernand orders forward two companies from each of his regiments as skirmishers at 10:00
AM. Spearheading McClernand’s probing action
on the far right is a platoon of Captain William A. Schmitt’s Company A, 27th Illinois. This is Colonel Buford’s flank company,
under his best company commander. Colonel Logan also puts forward his 31st Illinois’
two flank companies, A and K, under the experienced command of the indispensable Lieutenant Colonel
John H. White. On the left side of the Union line is Colonel
Dougherty’s Bird Point Brigade, consisting of Colonel Lauman’s 7th Iowa and Lieutenant
Colonel Harrison E. Hart’s 22nd Illinois. The 7th Iowa, already diminished by the assignment
of two companies to guard the boat landing, pushes out a heavy skirmish contingent of
three companies. Grant himself is posted on the left with Dougherty’s
Brigade. Along Grant’s front, which runs about half
a mile down the Bird’s Point Road, companies of infantry skirmishers move forward across
the slough and into the labyrinth of wild wood. For a while, these men try moving at the double-quick
pace, then begin to slow as the big trees and undergrowth saps their strength and disorders
their lines. As they progress, the men can hear drums in
the distance, the “long roll” coming from the Rebel camp. The advance becomes cautious. To the rear of the skirmish line, back on
the Bird’s Point Road, the main body of infantry and artillery continues to wait and
grow restless. These men with bright new uniforms and outdated
weapons strain to hear sounds that will tell them what is going on. It is alarmingly quiet in the woods across
the slough. Suddenly, Captain Schmitt’s lead platoon,
on the extreme right of Buford’s 27th Illinois, encounters Confederate cavalry on their right,
about 100 yards beyond the slough, and draw fire. They return the fire, easily driving off the
Rebel horsemen, and continue on. After this initial contact, Buford stiffens
and extends Captain Schmitt’s line by sending up the remainder of Company A. Still not satisfied
with the number of troops forward, Buford now orders his entire regiment over the slough
in general support of Schmitt. After an advance of another 200 yards, Schmitt’s
company is struck again, this time by fire from a larger body of cavalry. One man falls wounded. Schmitt holds his ground and forms his Company
A into line. He then concentrates his men’s fire and
soon drives off the enemy. Colonel Buford had heard enough, and he orders
the 27th Illinois forward at the double-quick. Dismounting from his horse, Colonel Buford
personally leads the regiment, pushing companies ahead rapidly but cautioning against becoming
scattered and detached from the main body. Soon, Buford’s men begin to see small groups
of Confederate infantry in the thickets to their front and right. They exchange shots, and the Confederates
quickly retire. Realizing Buford’s 27th Illinois had developed
the enemy to his right, General McClernand begins pushing his other regiments forward
in an attempt to maintain the original brigade alignment. It is at this point that the call goes back
down the Bird’s Point Road to bring up Taylor’s Chicago Battery, with McClernand ordering
a section of the battery to protect the road. As the Union advance continues through the
thickets and woods, the Confederates steadily give way before the Federal attack. By 11:00 AM, all Confederate skirmishers have
been driven back to their main line of battle. Close behind in pursuit are the lead elements
of the 30th and 31st Illinois. As he nears the Confederate position, Colonel
Logan folds his three skirmisher companies back into his line of battle and gives Lieutenant
Colonel White command of the companies on the left flank. The regiment then advances, with White’s
battalion striking the left of the 12th Tennessee, the 13th Arkansas, and the right of the 22nd
Tennessee. Lieutenant Colonel Tyree H. Bell’s Confederates
of the 12th Tennessee return fire, and after a time, White withdraws his battalion with
casualties. Simultaneously, Logan’s right wing comes
under heavy fire from Colonel James C. Tappan’s troops of the 13th Arkansas. Two company commanders from the 31st Illinois
quickly go down, and Logan’s horse is shot from under him, with a musket ball shattering
the pistol hanging from his hip. Logan commands his troops to drop to their
stomachs and shoot from the ground. Most of the shots from the 31st, however,
are unaimed - just volume fire at an enemy 200 - 300 yards away hidden by intervening
trees. Recognizing this, General Grant orders Logan
to have his regiment cease fire to conserve ammunition. Logan’s position, on the left flank of Grant’s
line, is in danger from both the 13th Arkansas and the heavy fire from the 12th Tennessee
beyond Logan’s left. McClernand corrects the situation with dispatch,
moving the 31st Illinois to the left. He also orders up a section of the Chicago
Battery to support Logan’s movement and places it under the colonel’s command. Fortunately for Colonel Logan, the 12th Tennessee
is beginning to run short on ammunition. The Tennessee troops fix bayonets and charge
into the waiting muskets of Logan’s regiment. The 13th Arkansas soon joins in the charge,
but is also repulsed by “Black Jack” Logan’s troops. Meanwhile, in the center of Grant’s battle
lines, the 7th Iowa and 30th Illinois press the attack on the 21st and 22nd Tennessee. On Grant’s right, the 22nd Illinois continued
pushing back the 13th Tennessee. All the while, Colonel Buford’s 27th Illinois
and Dollins’ cavalry company are moving along a road to the Confederates’ left,
and strike them from the woods in their exposed flank. As the 27th Illinois begins its attack on
the Confederate left flank, Colonel Logan’s 31st Illinois also moves into a position to
attack the Confederates’ right. Grant’s attack plan is now turning into
a double-envelopment pincer of the Rebel lines. After hours of close-quarters musket fighting,
the Rebel lines in the fields beyond Belmont are beginning to break. Grant’s pincer movement was playing out
perfectly, as the 27th and 31st Illinois attacked from the flanks while the rest of McClernand’s
and Dougherty’s brigades press the center. At 2:00 PM, the fighting quickly becomes one-sided
as General Pillow’s line of battle begins to collapse and withdraw toward Camp Johnston. The orderly retreat soon turns into a panicked
rout as Federal batteries open fire on the retreating Confederates. Around 2:30, the Confederates abandoned their
colors and artillery before running toward the river in their attempt to escape. Grant is constantly at the front of his battle
lines, personally leading his men in the field. By 3:00 PM, Camp Johnston had fallen to the
Federals. However, in the words of General Grant, his
soldiers were “demoralized by their own victory,” and began freely looting the Rebel
camp. It took several minutes for Grant and his
officers to restore order to the ranks, and he orders the camp and it supplies burned
to finally return stability to the men. However, when the Federals burn Camp Johnston,
they fail to notice several wounded Confederates still trapped inside numerous tents, and the
crippled soldiers burn to death. Although this is an accident, the retreating
Confederates believe this is intentional murder of prisoners and become outraged. As the Union troops begin to march back to
their transports between 3:30 - 4:00 PM, taking with them two captured guns and 106 Confederate
prisoners, they are suddenly attacked by Rebel reinforcements brought over from Columbus
on the transport boats Prince and Charm. These troops soon threaten to cut off Grant’s
line of retreat. The Southerners are troops of the 15th Tennessee,
the 11th Louisiana, and various mixed infantry units under General Pillow and Colonel Benjamin
F. Cheatham. By this time, Major General Polk has also
crossed the Mississippi River from Columbus, and was taking charge of the Confederate lines. To make matters worse for Grant and his men,
“Lady Polk” unleashes a salvo of shells from Columbus towards their position. The fire from Lady Polk is soon joined by
the other Confederate batteries in the town. The Union gunboats under Commander Walke soon
exchange fire with the Confederate batteries in Columbus. Grant orders his men to begin forcing their
way through the Rebel lines back toward the transports. Suddenly remembering the 7th Iowa detachment
he had left to guard the escape route further back, Grant gallops back in search of his
men, only to find Confederate soldiers moving in his direction. The 7th Iowa detachment had actually returned
to the boats after learning of the Confederate river crossing and the success of Grant’s
raid. Spinning his horse around and racing for the
river, Grant notices that the riverboat captains have already ordered the mooring lines cast
off. In an impressive display of his equestrian
abilities, General Grant manages to gallop across the gangplank of the Belle Memphis
as his troops cheer him on. As the last man to board the transports, Grant
orders the riverboats to begin sailing back up the Mississippi toward Cairo. By 5:00 PM, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant’s
first battle is over. The Union had lost 607 men, the Confederates
around 641. The battle is technically inconclusive - although
the Union forces under General Grant were successful in capturing and destroying Camp
Johnston and taking with them a hundred prisoners, the counterattack by the Confederates threw
Grant’s men into disarray. Both sides claimed victory for the battle. However, the Battle of Belmont proves to be
a crucial first step in Grant’s Civil War career.
