The Battle of Collierville

Some theme Ideas for a “Battle of Collierville Interpretive Center”

Some themes for a local Civil War interpretive center could include:

The importance of the Memphis to Charleston rail line and railroads in general to the civil war effort. This ties in very well with the current tourism theme on the town square and is a natural fit for Collierville.

A detailed history of General Sherman's involvement in the war both before and after the Battle of Collierville with a look at the implications of what would've happened if he were captured at Collierville.

A history of the town of Collierville to include the reasons why the town square moved to its present location.  This can include a dramatic description of the burning of Collierville.

A detailed Battle map and explanation of the three Cavalry attacks on the Union troops stationed at the Collierville depot.

A detailed map of Union encampments on Mount Pleasant Road and east of Collierville Arlington Road.  This should include a map of what the old town of Collierville looked like during the Civil War. It would also be nice to include the disposition of Union troops in Germantown since they came to the aid of Collierville in that battle. The City of Germantown has a National Historic site at the location of where their Civil War Fort was Located. It is maintained by the City Park system. The address for “Fort Germantown” is 3085 Honey Tree Drive; it is off Poplar Pike just before Hacks Cross Road.

Since the Battle of Collierville was a Cavalry engagement, and General Nathan Bedford Forrest was also a famous Cavalry officer for the Confederacy from the local area, a section should be included about him. Sherman and Forrest also had a long running rivalry during the war so they tie in together from this angle as well.

Investigate the possibilities of borrowing Civil War artifacts from the Smithsonian, the National Park Service, or other museums that have programs that share rare artifacts.

Find as many local Civil War artifacts as possible. We can appeal to local Civil War buffs to donate their collection or to loan their collection to the center.

Include some interactive computer displays about the Battle and major characters in our theme.

Create a short movie depicting the Battle of Collierville.  Even though this was a not a major Civil War battle, it has all the markings of a good dramatic story.  Troops from Germantown made it here just in time and Sherman made it out just in time.  There was a lot of bloodshed and the battle could have gone either way.  The Confederates could have won a huge victory but chose to retreat and lose the prize that would've made James Chalmers, the Confederate cavalry officer, a figure that would've gone down in history. The movie could also have a good scene of total destruction by fire.  It worked for “Gone with the Wind”. We would need to do a 30 minute factual version for the interpretive center since most people expect this when they go to a Civil War attraction. 

John Weeks 

Editorial 07/06  The Commercial Appeal Memphis TN

Holding the fort in Collierville

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July 6, 2007

Every town could use a good mystery, and Collierville just happens to have one.

Namely, just where is the fort where Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and his men holed up during a key battle in the Civil War? This could turn out to be Shelby County's version of the Da Vinci Code.

There are many clues about the fort's location, including at least one provided in the general's memoirs, but no one has been able to pinpoint it yet. An archeological dig east of town last spring was unsuccessful.

Such efforts are worth pursuing, though. And even if the exact location of the old fort cannot be found, Collierville officials should pursue plans to set up some type of exhibit to highlight this colorful part of the town's history.

As the story goes, Sherman was traveling by train from Memphis to Corinth, Miss., in 1863 when he got word of a planned Confederate attack. He ordered the train to return to the Collierville depot, where he and his men took positions in and around the fort and repelled a fierce assault.

A small-scale replica of the fort could boost local tourism. Particularly since it would dovetail nicely with the state's marketing efforts for the Tennessee Civil War Heritage Trail, which currently includes 62 points of interest.

We'll never know whether the course of events might have been different if Sherman hadn't found refuge in Collierville, but this chapter of local history definitely shouldn't be forgotten.

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The following article is from CWSAC Battle Summaries. HPS- Heritage Preservation Services.

The American Battlefield Protection Program

Collierville   

Other Names: None

Location: Shelby County Campaign: Operations on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad (1863)

Date(s): November 3, 1863

Principal Commanders: Col. Edward Hatch [US]; Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers [CS]

Forces Engaged: 3rd Cavalry Brigade (850) [US]; cavalry division (2,500) [CS]

Estimated Casualties: 155 total (US 60; CS 95)

Description: Four minor battles occurred in 1863 at Collierville, Tennessee, during a three-month period. The November 3 fight was intended to be a Confederate cavalry raid to break up the Memphis & Charleston Railroad behind Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s XV Army Corps, then in the process of marching to the relief of Chattanooga. But, when Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers, leading a cavalry division riding up from Mississippi, learned that only two Union regiments defended Collierville, he decided to attack. Union Col. Edward Hatch possessed more men than Chalmers supposed, stationed at Collierville and at Germantown, five miles to the west. Scouts warned Hatch of Chalmers’s approach from the south, so he ordered Collierville’s defenders to be prepared and rode from Germantown with cavalry reinforcements. Chalmers, as he had done only three weeks earlier, attacked from the south. Col. Hatch arrived with help. Surprised by the unexpected appearance of the enemy on his flanks, Chalmers concluded that he was outnumbered, called off the battle, and, to ward off Union pursuit, withdrew back to Mississippi. The Memphis & Charleston Railroad remained open to Tuscumbia, Alabama, for Union troop movements.

Result(s): Union victory

CWSAC Reference #: TN022

Preservation Priority: IV.1 (Class D)

Friday, June 29, 2007 4:31 PM CDT
Fort or no fort, experts advise battle site's preservation

By T.J. Barnard
The Independent, SCN Collierville TN.
tjbarnard@theindependent1.net

When 8.5 acres off Halley Road didn't pan out to be the site of a Civil War Union Army fort in February, Collierville's Planning Commission rezoned the land for a restricted industrial office park.

Archeologist Guy Weaver of Weaver and Associates did two days of excavation at the site. After finding only a shell casing dating after the Civil War, Weaver concluded that the earthen structure was likely a levee to keep water from washing out the railroad tracks.

With no compelling evidence, Tennessee Wars Commission Director Fred Prouty went in search of an accurate Civil War map of Collierville.

"I was hoping to find the original depot. It is the lynchpin to finding the exact fort site. The map doesn't show the depot in Collierville," Prouty said.

Resident John Weeks, however, thinks there is more than enough evidence to preserve the battleground, fort or no fort.

"From first-hand accounts, we know that the battle took place in that area around the bend in the railroad tracks [along Halley Road]. The old town was burned to the ground, but the railroad is still there," Weeks explained.

"Over 200 men died, and that's a lot of soldiers, really," he said. "Collierville has a bona fide site." I think it would be positive for everyone to save the land."

Because "it's the last good spot in this area" and "because we know it was part of the battle," Weeks thinks the site should be preserved and an interpretive center should be built on it.

To accomplish that goal, Weeks launched battleofcollierville.com about a month ago to begin a grassroots movement.

"From written first-hand and then second- and third-hand accounts, the fort was either already destroyed or partially destroyed at the time of the battle," Weeks said. "The references conflict. Either way, I think the levee [excavated by Weaver] was part of the breastworks for the fort, and it could have been a levee and breastworks."

What Weeks wants Collierville to avoid is repeating the mistakes made in Franklin, Tenn. The Franklin battlefield has become suburban neighborhoods and small business establishments. The few remaining parcels are fast being lost to development.

Prouty agrees with Weeks that the Battle at Collierville was important.

Prouty says, "[The Battle of Collierville] was significant and preservation should be pursued, but we have to be accurate when trying to apply for preservation funding. If we could find the fort, it would be a boon."

Prouty hasn't given up hope. He says it's a matter of working through all the accounts and more study of the map.