American Battlefield Trust

10/27/2026

In an attempt to break the month-long Confederate siege and desperate to reopen their supply lines, the Union Army of the Cumberland needed to try something bold. Early in the morning October 27, 1863, Brig. Gen. William B. Hazen’s men floated down the Tennessee River on flat boats, underneath Confederate guns, and landed on the opposite bank. Confederate Col. William C. Oates and his troops attacked the Union landing parties, but they were outnumbered and failed to drive Hazen’s men back to the river.

Once successfully stationed on the bank, the Union troops established a bridgehead to bring supplies into the city. Attempting to stop this, Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet attacked the Union rearguard at Wauhatchie the next day. Though the two sides fought into the night, Longstreet failed to break the Federal position. With the Union supply line well established, the Confederate siege of Chattanooga was all but over.

American Battlefield Trust’s map of the Battle of Brown’s Ferry, Tennessee on October 27, 1863

10/27/2026

The Union attack on Burnside Bridge during the Battle of Antietam has gained a reputation for being a massive failure, but it actually worked (and pretty easily at that). Join Dennis Frye and Garry Adelman as they explore the Antietam Battlefield from this unique perspective.

10/26/2026

The very first grants from the new Vince Dooley Battlefield Trust Fund have been awarded, marking a new era of historic preservation in the Peach State. The fund, named for the legendary University of Georgia football coach, historian and tireless preservation advocate, awarded two grants totaling $945,475 to support ongoing preservation efforts by the American Battlefield Trust to save more than 300 acres at Resaca Battlefield, with many other sites soon to follow.

(Resaca, Ga.) — The very first grants from the new Vince Dooley Battlefield Trust Fund have been awarded, marking a new era of historic preservation in...

10/26/2026

Can you believe it's been 10 years?! Join Garry Adelman at Lee’s Headquarters in Gettysburg as he reminisces about this preservation victory.

10/26/2026

Ever since the Morristown National Historic Park was established in New Jersey, people have reported ghost sightings. The park marks the site where Patriot troops endured 28 snowstorms, 15-foot snowbanks, and freezing temperatures during the winter of 1779-1780. Tired, freezing, and with a dwindling food supply, soldiers often threatened to mutiny. 96 died from the cold and hunger, while a combined 3,700 soldiers deserted or were discharged.

At the site, the National Park Service has constructed replicas of soldiers’ huts and erected a gravesite for those who perished. Visitors, hikers, and employees alike have all reported various forms of paranormal activity. Some claim to see ghostly colonial soldiers marching through the trees, others hear the faint sound of fife and drum, and still others report seeing a woman in white carrying a lantern. The next time you visit a National Historic Park, keep your eyes and ears peeled for more than just the historical signs and interpreters!

While study of the American Revolution quite often emphasizes the lasting legacies of unalienable rights and our visionary founders, many believe that the...

10/26/2026

After blockading the Mexican east coast in the Mexican-American War, the United States Navy determined to capture San Juan Bautista, called “Tabasco” for its position on the Tabasco River. In mid-October, Comm. Matthew C. Perry led a fleet of three steamboats and four schooners to capture the nearby town of Frontera. He then headed to Tabasco. On October 24, 1846, Mexican Lt. Col. Juan B. Traconis withdrew his 700 troops from the area, allowing Perry to occupy the town. But later that evening, Traconis’ men re-entered the city and barricaded themselves inside some of the buildings. They refused the Americans’ terms of surrender. Perry, refusing to bombard the city, began to retreat back to Frontera.

In the morning October 26, 1846, Traconis’ men began shooting at Perry’s departing ships, and the two sides exchanged fire. After the Mexican flag on top of Traconis’s headquarters was shot through, Perry mistakenly thought this signaled a Mexican surrender, which Traconis again refused. Traconis raised the flag again, and the two sides continued to fire at each other until Perry’s ships were safely on their way back to Frontera. Perry ultimately failed to take Tabasco from the Mexicans in 1846, but the next year his attempt would be successful.

The United States Navy learned a great deal from the Mexican-American War that was later implemented in the Civil War.

10/25/2026

In 1777, Horatio Gates found himself as one of the great American heroes after defeating the British at Saratoga and securing an alliance with France. Just three years later, his disastrous performance at the Battle of Camden wiped away the memory of his successes and led to his historical obscurity. Join Dan Davis of the American Battlefield Trust as he details the complex career of the once-famed Continental General.

Watch more videos like this on YouTube.com/AmericanBattlefieldTrust

10/25/2026

In late October 1781, British Maj. John Ross and Capt. Walter Butler led a raiding party across the Mohawk Valley. After the party reached Johnson Hall October 25, 1781, American militia under the command of Col. Marinus Willett arrived to counter them and divided his forces to flank the British position. Though the British initially pushed the militia into a retreat, American Maj. Aaron Rowley’s attack on the British right flank allowed the patriots to resume their advance, which forced the British to retreat into their original position. Under cover of darkness, the British withdrew from the field.

The next day, Willett continued to pursue the British and drove their Native American allies off the field at Johnstown. After his initial victory at Johnstown, Willett continued to push the enemy westward, culminating in the death of Captain Butler, a feared antagonist, at West Canada Creek on October 30.

In late October 1781, British Maj. John Ross and Capt. Walter Butler led a raiding party across the Mohawk Valley. After the raiding party reached...

10/25/2026

As Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price’s Army of Missouri retreated from an earlier engagement over Mine Creek, they were overtaken by three Union brigades October 25, 1864. Slowed by the 500-wagon supply train they were transporting crossing the ford, they formed a line of 7,000 men on the north side of the creek to defend against the attack. Although the Federal forces were outnumbered, they kept attacking and eventually received reinforcements from Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton.

After receiving reinforcements, the Federals surrounded the Confederates and captured 1,000 men, along with John S. Marmaduke and William L. Cabell, both brigadier generals. The rest retreated and, a few hours later, tried to reengage Union cavalry at the Marimton River. After losing that skirmish, they were pushed further south. By the end of the fighting, Price was forced out of Kansas, ending his Missouri Campaign.

Our Battle of Mine Creek page includes battle maps, history articles, web links, recommended books, and more for this 1864 Civil War battle in Kansas.

10/24/2026

Did you know that the Western Union completed the first transcontinental telegraph line October 24, 1861? Twelve years earlier, in 1849, Samuel Morse patented the telegraph, allowing people to communicate over long distances by typing code over electrical cables. During the Civil War, military leaders used telegraph lines to send messages across theaters of the war about troop movements, reinforcements, supplies, and government orders. The Union installed over 15,000 telegraph lines across the country and sent over 7 million messages. In contrast, the Confederacy had a much more limited telegraph network and, when the Union Navy cut off Southern supply lines, it made it difficult to build new lines, further reducing the effectiveness of its smaller telegraph network.