National Historical Park National Park Service Cumberland Gap U.S. Department of the Interior
HikingAppalachian and Backcountry Mountain Camping Struggle
“I wish a movement made to seize...the mountain pass called Cumberland Gap.” -Abraham Lincoln (Oct. 1, 1861)
First Occupation of the Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer took control of the Cumberland Gap Gap, easily overcoming local Home Guard opposition, and Mid 1861 - June 17, 1862 began building fortifications on the north side of the mountain face to halt any Union invasion of Tennessee. After Zollicoffer was killed at the Battle of Mill Springs, Colonel James E. Raines, soon to become General, commanded the Gap until General Carter Stevenson reinforced the Gap and became commander.
General Felix Zollicoffer
Second Occupation of the General Stevenson and his command were ordered away Cumberland Gap from the Gap and deeper into Tennessee. With June 18 - Sep. 17, 1862 Confederate forces gone, Union General George W. Morgan took control of the Gap and built fortifications along the southern side of the mountain on orders from President Abraham Lincoln. The President was determined to keep Kentucky in the Union and to protect the pro-Union population of East Tennessee. Holding the Gap could also be a staging point for a Union advance on Knoxville that would sever the rail line from Knoxville to Richmond, General George Morgan Virginia.
Third Occupation of the In 1862, a major invasion of Kentucky was launched by the Cumberland Gap South. General Morgan left the Gap and Confederate Sep. 18, 1862 - Sep. 9, General Edmund Kirby Smith took control during the 1863 Kentucky Campaign led by Confederate General Braxton Bragg. The Gap served as the route through which Bragg retreated into Tennessee after his defeat at the Battle of Perryville in Kentucky. The Gap was under the direct command of General Archibald Gracie until he was transferred to the Eastern Theater of the war. He left in command General John Frazer, who controlled the Gap General Edmund Kirby Smith from August 8, 1963 until September 9, 1863.
Fourth Occupation of the Ordered to the Gap in September of 1863 for a possible Cumberland Gap northern occupation, Union Colonel John DeCourcy Sep. 9, 1863 - April 1865 arrived from the north. Likewise, Union General Shackelford approached from the south. The two forces trapped Confederate General Frazer at the Gap. General Ambrose Burnside, who had just taken Knoxville after it had been evacuated, arrived at the Gap from the South on September 9. Upon Burnside’s arrival, General Frazer surrendered knowing there were no Confederate reinforcements in East Tennessee as Knoxville was under Union Control. General Ambrose Burnside Confederate Forces at Cumberland Gap
CSA Units CSA Units Sep. 18, 1862 – CSA Units Sep. 18, 1862 - Sep. 1861 – June 17, 1862 Sep. 9, 1863 Sep. 9, 1863 continued
42nd Georgia Infantry 25th Virginia Cavalry 59th Alabama Infantry Regiment Regiment Regiment 3rd Georgia Infantry 21st Virginia Infantry 60th Alabama Infantry Battalion Battalion Regiment 9th Georgia Infantry 64th Virginia Infantry 10th Texas Dismounted Battalion Regiment Cavalry Regiment 52nd Georgia Infantry Smith’s Company G 11th Texas Dismounted Regiment Cavalry Battalion Cavalry Regiment 3rd Regiment Tennessee 16th Georgia Cavalry 14th Texas Dismounted Mounted Infantry Battalion Cavalry Regiment (Lillard's) 43rd Georgia Infantry 15th Texas Dismounted 4th Tennessee Infantry Regiment Cavalry Regiment Regiment 55th Georgia Infantry 1st Arkansas Dismounted 11th Tennessee Infantry Regiment (Captured) Rifles Regiment 65th Georgia Infantry 2nd Arkansas Dismounted 17th Tennessee Infantry Regiment Rifles Regiment 5th North Carolina Cavalry 4th Arkansas Infantry 19th Tennessee Infantry Battalion Battalion Regiment 29th North Carolina 4th Arkansas Infantry 20th Tennessee Infantry Infantry Regiment Regiment Regiment 58th North Carolina 30th Arkansas Infantry 34th Tennessee Infantry Infantry Regiment Regiment Regiment 62nd North Carolina 31st Arkansas infantry 29th North Carolina Infantry Regiment Infantry Regiment Regiment (Captured) 9th Georgia Artillery 39th North Carolina 64th North Carolina Battalion (Captured) Infantry Regiment Infantry Baxter's Company 16th Alabama Infantry Regiment (Captured) Tennessee Light Artillery Regiment 1st Tennessee Cavalry Mabry’s Artillery 23rd Alabama Infantry Regiment (Carter's) (Captured) Regiment 5th Tennessee Cavalry 12th Georgia Light Artillery 30th Alabama Infantry Regiment Battalion Regiment 63rd Tennessee Infantry Barbour Alabama Light 31st Alabama Infantry Regiment Artillery Regiment 1st Alabama Infantry Waddell’s Artillery 46th Alabama Infantry Battalion Douglas’ Artillery Regiment 2nd Alabama Infantry Humphrey’s Artillery 9th Mississippi Infantry Battalion Battery Regiment 3rd Alabama Infantry Kolb’s Artillery Battery 15th Mississippi Infantry Battalion Regiment 4th Alabama Artillery Botetourt Virginia Battalion Artillery Battery 20th Alabama Infantry Burrough's Company Regiment Tennessee Light Artillery 23rd Alabama Infantry Eufaula Alabama Light Regiment Artillery 43rd Alabama Infantry 3rd Battery Maryland Regiment Artillery (Latrobe’s) 46th Alabama Infantry Regiment
Units will be added as research continues Union Forces at Cumberland Gap
USA Units USA Units USA Units June 18 – Sep. 17, 1862 Sep. 9, 1863 – May 1865 Sep. 9, 1863 - May 1865 Continued 2nd Tennessee Cavalry 1st Michigan Artillery Regiment Battery “L” & “M” 118th Indiana Infantry 1st Tennessee Infantry 9th Michigan Cavalry Regiment Regiment Regiment 12th Kentucky Cavalry 2nd Tennessee Infantry 10th Michigan Cavalry Regiment Regiment Regiment 34th Kentucky Infantry 3rd Tennessee Infantry 11th Michigan Cavalry Regiment Regiment Regiment 2nd North Carolina 4th Tennessee Infantry 1st Ohio Light Artillery Mounted Infantry Regiment Battery “D” Regiment 5th Tennessee Infantry 2nd Ohio Cavalry Regiment Regiment 6th Tennessee Infantry 7th Ohio Cavalry Regiment Regiment 9th Ohio Artillery 19th Independent Ohio Battery Artillery Battery 16th Ohio Infantry 22nd Ohio Artillery Regiment Battery 42nd Ohio Infantry 44th Ohio Infantry Regiment Regiment 1 Company, Munday’s 45th Ohio Infantry Cavalry (1st Kentucky Regiment Volunteer Cavalry) 86th Ohio Infantry 1st Battalion, Kentucky Regiment Cavalry 104th Ohio Infantry 3rd Kentucky Infantry Regiment Regiment 129th Ohio Infantry 7th Kentucky Infantry Regiment Regiment 185th Ohio Infantry 14th Kentucky Infantry Regiment Regiment 14th Illinois Cavalry 19th Kentucky Infantry Regiment Regiment 16th Illinois Cavalry 22nd Kentucky Infantry Regiment Regiment 1st Tennessee Light 1st Michigan Artillery Artillery Battery “B” Battery "G" 9th Tennessee Cavalry 1st Independent Battery, Regiment Wisconsin Light 11th Tennessee Cavalry Artillery Regiment 33rd Indiana Infantry 6th Indiana Cavalry Regiment Regiment 49th Indiana Infantry 23rd Indiana Artillery Regiment Battery 91st Indiana Infantry Regiment 115th Indiana Infantry Regiment 117th Indiana Infantry Regiment
Units will be added as research continues