First Battle of Saltville

First Battle of Saltville
Part of the American Civil War
View of part of the Saltville battlefield
Date October 2, 1864 (1864-10-02) Location Smyth County, Virginia Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Stephen G. Burbridge	Alfred E. Jackson
Units involved
	Confederate Home Guard
Strength
5,000	300
Casualties and losses
458

The First Battle of Saltville (1 October – 3 October 1864), was fought near the town of Saltville, Virginia, during the American Civil War. The battle was fought by both regular and homeguard Confederate units against regular Union troops, including one of the few black cavalry units, over an important saltworks in the town. The Union troops were led by Brig. Gen. Stephen G. Burbridge.

The battle was a Confederate victory, stained by the murders of captured and wounded white and black Union troops by irregular guerrilla forces under the notorious Champ Ferguson. Ferguson was tried after the war in Nashville, Tennessee for these and other non-military killings, found guilty and executed. A second battle occurred two months later when Union general George Stoneman defeated Confederate defenders and burned the saltworks.

References

• National Park Service Battle Summary
• CWSAC Report Update

See also

• 5th United States Colored Cavalry
• Champ Ferguson-hanged in 1865 on murder charges.
• See the entry on John C. Breckinridge who tried to have Felix Robertson tried for killing black soldiers.
• Salt in the American Civil War

Further reading

• Bush, Bryan S. (2008). Butcher Burbridge: Union General Stephen Burbridge and His Reign of Terror Over Kentucky. Morley, Missouri: Acclaim Press. ISBN 0-9798802-5-4.

External links

• Coverage by Harper's Weekly; continued here