Civil War Skirmish near Benton
Benton, Marshall County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
Civil War Action. On March 23, 1864, two days before the Battle of Paducah, detached forces of Confederate General Nathan B. Forrest's cavalry coming up from Columbus, Miss., and Union troops, both searching for horses, met by accident near here. In two skirmishes which took place, three were killed in first engagement and four in the second. Burial was in the old Gilbert cemetery. Erected in 1962.
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
On March 23, 1864, two days before the Battle of Paducah, detachments of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry and Union troops—both out searching for horses—collided by accident near Benton. Two brief skirmishes followed, leaving three men dead in the first and four in the second, all buried in the old Gilbert cemetery. The chance encounter was a small, deadly prelude to Forrest's larger raid on Paducah.
Why it matters
This accidental fight is a reminder that much of the Civil War's violence came not from grand battles but from chance meetings between men foraging across a contested countryside.
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Related people
- · Nathan Bedford Forrest
Related events
- · Battle of Paducah
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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