The four battles of Carter’s Depot

   Not long ago, I acquired a little book by Lawrence M. Jarratt entitled A Complete County by County Guide to Civil War Battles, Actions, Engagements, Skirmishes, Affairs, Reconnaissances, Expeditions, Scouts and Camps in Tennessee (1986). For Carter County, Tennessee, there are four skirmishes noted, all centering around a spot then known as Carter’s Depot or Carter’s Station, now known as the town of Watauga, Tennessee. Since Carter County’s war-time history is a big gap, this post, hopefully with several others I have written in the past couple of years, will fill in a few holes. (The town of Watauga is on the Carter-Washington County border.)

   At the time of the war, Carter’s depot was a simple stop on the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad. The line, constructed in the 1850s, was the most direct route between the lower and upper South, and it was vitally important until it was lost to the Federals in September 1863. The site had a depot, water tank, and possibly a telegraph office, with the wooden trestle sixty feet high and four hundred feet long bridging the Watauga River.[1]

   It was in November 1861 that the bridge first came under attack… almost. A group of Unionists planned to burn several bridges in east Tennessee, and while the Confederates in the area were immobilized, Federal forces would sweep in from Kentucky and capture the area. The bridge over the Watauga River at Carter’s Depot was one of the bridges targeted. However, the saboteurs found this bridge heavily guarded, and they abandoned this target to concentrate their efforts on another bridge.   Several of the bridges were burned, but the Federal forces failed to materialize and several of the bridge burners were caught and either hanged or imprisoned.[2]

   It would be a year before any serious action transpired at Carter’s Depot. In December 1862, Brig. Gen. Samuel P. Carter (US) led a cavalry raid out of east Kentucky and into east Tennessee. His goal was to break up the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad. Upon leaving Blountville, Carter sent Col. Charles J. Walker, with six companies, to capture the depot. Before arriving at the depot, Walker captured a train with several Confederates onboard, including Colonel Love. On arriving at Carter’s Depot, Walker attacked. “The enemy made a spirited resistance for a few minutes and then fled to the brush,” Walker wrote. Federal losses were 1 killed, 4 wounded. Confederates lost 12 killed, 15 or 20 wounded, and 138 captured. Walker then proceeded to burn the bridge and camp, before departing. The captured Confederate officer was Col. Robert G.A. Love, 62^nd North Carolina Troops. Confederate losses were reported as somewhere around 7 wounded, one mortally, and 114 captured, all members of the 62^nd North Carolina Troops.[3]  

   The bridge was rebuilt, and earthworks were added to protect defenders. The next series of skirmishes came in September 1863. When Confederate forces stripped defenders from east Tennessee to support Braxton Bragg and the Army of Tennessee during the Chickamauga campaign, there was a void left in the area, a void quickly filled by Federal troops from Kentucky. Federal soldiers drove east, trying to secure as much territory as possible. Federal artillery bombarded Confederate defenders at Carter’s Depot on September 21 and 22. Flanked out of their entrenchments, the Confederates retreated to Zollicoffer, burning the bridge over the Watauga River at Carter’s Depot as they left.  [4]

   Much of East Tennessee, from Carter’ Depot to Knoxville, became a no-man’s land for the rest of the war. There were times when  the Federals were in possession of Greeneville, and Longstreet’s divisions wintered near Rogersville in early 1864, but the area was susceptible to frequent raids by Union troops, Confederate troops, and bands of dissidents.

   Once the Federals returned west toward Knoxville, Confederate forces again occupied the defenses around Carter’s Depot. In April 1864, Federal commander Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield was ordered to destroy the bridges about Bull’s Gap. While Carter’s Depot was not specifically mentioned in Federal orders, the bridges over the Watauga were. A combined cavalry and infantry force set out from Bull’s Gap on April 24. On April 27, Schofield reported that “the rebels destroyed the bridge [Watauga] after being driven across it by our cavalry.” The event was obviously, for a short time, a pretty hot skirmish, as Federal losses were reported as three killed and eighteen wounded. However, the bridge was too high to be forded. Confederate General Simon Buckner reported to Richmond on April 26 that skirmishing had started the day before at Carter’s Depot. Buckner, however, felt that if the Federal attack was too large, the Confederate defenders at Carter’s Depot should fall back to Zollicoffer. However, Buckner ordered the area commander to hold Carter’s Depot if possible.[5]

Brig. Gen. John C. Vaughn

   In September 1864 came Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Burbridge’s (US) raid into the area. On September 30, Brig. Gen. Jacob Ammem (US) led a force from Jonesborough toward Carter’s Depot. The Federals attacked, driving many of the Confederate defenders from their entrenchments and back across the river. The next morning, with artillery posted “advantageously,” the Federals attacked again, driving away the remaining defenders. Federal losses were reported as four wounded. The Federals reported that the Confederate defenders were under the command of Brig. Gen. John C. Vaughn (CS). Vaughn’s brigade was composed of the 16^th Georgia Battalion, the 1^st, 3^rd, 31^st/39^th, 43^rd, 5^th, 60^th, 61^st, 62^nd Tennessee Infantry regiments (mostly mounted), and the 12^th and 16^th Tennessee Battalions. It can be assumed that some of these regiments or men were present during the skirmishing at the end of September and beginning of September.[6]

   There are undoubtedly other skirmishes that took place. As Stoneman’s forces moved through in late March 1865, did the Confederate defenders simply fall back to Zollicoffer or Bristol? What else has escaped the attention of the historian? Jarrett, in his “complete” county guide to the Civil War in Tennessee, only lists dates and sources. No further details. This is one geographical area that needs to be fleshed out a little more.

By the way, if you are interested in the war in east Tennessee and Western North Carolina, please check out my Kirk’s Civil War Raids Along the Blue Ridge.

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[1] Piston, Carter’s Raid, 51.

[2] Judd, The Bridge Burners, 50.

[3] Official Records, Vol. 20, 1:93-94; Jordan, North Carolina Troops, 15:7.

[4] Official Records, Vol. 30, 2:605, 645.

[5] Official Records Vol. 32, 3:475, 533, 831, 835.

[6] Official Records, Vol. 39, 2:558-59; 3:46; 3:907.