Battle of Somerset
Battle of Somerset | |||||||
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Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States (Union) | CSA (Confederacy) | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Quincy A. Gillmore | John Pegram | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,300 | 2,800 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
10 killed 25 wounded | 290 total |
The battle of Somerset (or Dutton's Hill) was fought on March 31, 1863, during the
Background
In early 1863 Brigadier General John Pegram led a cavalry raid into Kentucky in the vicinity of
Battle
By the time the Union forces responded, Pegram's cavalry had rounded up several hundred head of cattle. Gillmore's force caught up with Pegram outside Somerset on March 31. Gillmore drove Pegram's skirmishers up Dutton's Hill where the Confederates made a stand. Making no headway at first, Union artillery was brought forward. The
Results
Pegram retreated south of the Cumberland River leaving behind horses and much of his confiscated cattle. The defeat brought a significant amount of tension between Pegram and his subordinates.[3]
Gillmore's first independent field command was a success, though he continued to express interest in artillery and coastal service. General-in-Chief