Confederate Cannon
This massive gun from the
C.S.S. Jackson was captured
during the Battle of Columbus.
This massive gun from the
C.S.S. Jackson was captured
during the Battle of Columbus.
14th Street Bridge
A modern bridge stands on
the site of the night attack that
crossed the river here.
A modern bridge stands on
the site of the night attack that
crossed the river here.
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - The Battle of Columbus, Georgia
The Battle of Columbus, Georgia (Girard, Alabama)
| The Battle of Columbus, Georgia Also called the Battle of Girard, the 1865 fight for Columbus was the last major battle of the Civil War. |
Last Major Battle of the Civil War
Also called the Battle of Girard because
much of it was fought in the town of Girard
(now Phenix City, across the Chattahoochee
River in Alabama), the Battle of Columbus
was the last major battle of the Civil War.
Although there was a final small encounter
later at Palmitto Ranch, Texas, the attack on
Columbus, Georgia, was the final
large-scale battle of the war. It is studied by
military officers to this day as a classic
example of the confusion caused by
night-time fighting.
By April of 1865, Columbus was the last
surviving industrial city in the South. A major
center for military manufacturing, it was also
the home of significant naval construction
facilities where the new ironclad C.S.S.
Jackson was nearing completion.
The Confederate military had ringed the city
with trenches, breastworks and earthen forts
in anticipation of the inevitable attack they
knew the Union army would launch to take it.
Although Columbus is located in Georgia,
most of these fortifications were constructed
along a semi-circular ridge on the Alabama
side of the Chattahoochee River. The area
was then known as Girard, but is now part of
Phenix City. This placement of defenses
allowed the Confederates to defend the
bridges over the river and prevent an enemy
force from using the high ground to place
guns and bombard the city. Unfortunately for
the Southern forces, however, the Girard line
was much too long to be defended by the
number of men on hand.
More than one week after the surrender of
Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia,
Confederate Major General Howell Cobb
was commanding in Columbus when he
learned that a Union army under Major
General James H. Wilson had taken
Montgomery, Alabama, and was advancing
east on Columbus.
Cobb's total force consisted of around 3,500
men of varying degrees of experience. Some
were seasoned regular soldiers, but many
others were laborers from the naval works
and military factors. Local militia troops were
also present. Realizing that the moment of
crisis was at hand, he ordered them into the
Girard fortifications and prepared for the
coming attack.
The Battle of Columbus took place on Easter
Sunday, April 16, 1865. At around 2 p.m., the
Union brigade of General Andrew Alexander
(Upton's Division) passed through a lightly
manned section of the Confederate
defenses and tried to capture the "Lower" or
Dillingham Street Bridge leading into
downtown Columbus. He was driven back in
a sharp encounter.
While the Federals waited for more troops to
come up, a second part of Wilson's army
attacked and captured Fort Tyler in a bloody
battle upstream in West Point, opening a way
across the Chattahoochee.
much of it was fought in the town of Girard
(now Phenix City, across the Chattahoochee
River in Alabama), the Battle of Columbus
was the last major battle of the Civil War.
Although there was a final small encounter
later at Palmitto Ranch, Texas, the attack on
Columbus, Georgia, was the final
large-scale battle of the war. It is studied by
military officers to this day as a classic
example of the confusion caused by
night-time fighting.
By April of 1865, Columbus was the last
surviving industrial city in the South. A major
center for military manufacturing, it was also
the home of significant naval construction
facilities where the new ironclad C.S.S.
Jackson was nearing completion.
The Confederate military had ringed the city
with trenches, breastworks and earthen forts
in anticipation of the inevitable attack they
knew the Union army would launch to take it.
Although Columbus is located in Georgia,
most of these fortifications were constructed
along a semi-circular ridge on the Alabama
side of the Chattahoochee River. The area
was then known as Girard, but is now part of
Phenix City. This placement of defenses
allowed the Confederates to defend the
bridges over the river and prevent an enemy
force from using the high ground to place
guns and bombard the city. Unfortunately for
the Southern forces, however, the Girard line
was much too long to be defended by the
number of men on hand.
More than one week after the surrender of
Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia,
Confederate Major General Howell Cobb
was commanding in Columbus when he
learned that a Union army under Major
General James H. Wilson had taken
Montgomery, Alabama, and was advancing
east on Columbus.
Cobb's total force consisted of around 3,500
men of varying degrees of experience. Some
were seasoned regular soldiers, but many
others were laborers from the naval works
and military factors. Local militia troops were
also present. Realizing that the moment of
crisis was at hand, he ordered them into the
Girard fortifications and prepared for the
coming attack.
The Battle of Columbus took place on Easter
Sunday, April 16, 1865. At around 2 p.m., the
Union brigade of General Andrew Alexander
(Upton's Division) passed through a lightly
manned section of the Confederate
defenses and tried to capture the "Lower" or
Dillingham Street Bridge leading into
downtown Columbus. He was driven back in
a sharp encounter.
While the Federals waited for more troops to
come up, a second part of Wilson's army
attacked and captured Fort Tyler in a bloody
battle upstream in West Point, opening a way
across the Chattahoochee.
| Copyright 2008 by Dale Cox All rights reserved. |
By around 8 p.m., enough troops were on
hand to launch the final attack on Columbus.
The assault came from the northwest, via the
Summerville Road. General Cobb had
ordered his troops into the fortifications there,
but the Union attack came at around 9 p.m.
after darkness had fallen across the
battlefield. Federals from the 3rd Iowa and
10th Missouri Cavalry Regiments stormed an
advanced line of Confederate works.
Thinking they had captured the main line,
Union officers ordered two companies of
Missourians to take the "Upper" or 14th
Street Bridge leading into Columbus. These
men charged through the darkness and
succeeded, only to find that they were
isolated from their own men and behind the
Confederate lines.
The Confederate main line now opened on
the Federals holding the advanced line with
artillery and musketry, illuminating the night
with the flashes of gunfire and explosions of
shells. The Federals charged again,
slashing through the main line, and pushing
on to the bridge.
The Confederates had positioned two
cannon on the east bank to fire across the
bridge, but when the Federals came they
were so mixed in with retreating
Confederates that the men in charge of the
cannon declined to fire. The Union troops
stormed across and by 10 p.m., Columbus
had fallen and the last major battle of the
Civil War had ended.
The history of the battle can be explored at a
number of locations around Columbus and
Phenix City. The Port Columbus National
Civil War Navy Museum contains the remains
of the C.S.S. Jackson, the ironclad captured
at destroyed by Union troops, and also
provides more information on the battle.
Fighting took place around the historic Motte
House, which can be seen along the River
Walk near the 14th Street Bridge. A number
of markers in both Columbus and Phenix City
interpret the battle and some of the surviving
Confederate earthworks can be seen near
the intersection of Summerville Road and
26th Street in Phenix City.
hand to launch the final attack on Columbus.
The assault came from the northwest, via the
Summerville Road. General Cobb had
ordered his troops into the fortifications there,
but the Union attack came at around 9 p.m.
after darkness had fallen across the
battlefield. Federals from the 3rd Iowa and
10th Missouri Cavalry Regiments stormed an
advanced line of Confederate works.
Thinking they had captured the main line,
Union officers ordered two companies of
Missourians to take the "Upper" or 14th
Street Bridge leading into Columbus. These
men charged through the darkness and
succeeded, only to find that they were
isolated from their own men and behind the
Confederate lines.
The Confederate main line now opened on
the Federals holding the advanced line with
artillery and musketry, illuminating the night
with the flashes of gunfire and explosions of
shells. The Federals charged again,
slashing through the main line, and pushing
on to the bridge.
The Confederates had positioned two
cannon on the east bank to fire across the
bridge, but when the Federals came they
were so mixed in with retreating
Confederates that the men in charge of the
cannon declined to fire. The Union troops
stormed across and by 10 p.m., Columbus
had fallen and the last major battle of the
Civil War had ended.
The history of the battle can be explored at a
number of locations around Columbus and
Phenix City. The Port Columbus National
Civil War Navy Museum contains the remains
of the C.S.S. Jackson, the ironclad captured
at destroyed by Union troops, and also
provides more information on the battle.
Fighting took place around the historic Motte
House, which can be seen along the River
Walk near the 14th Street Bridge. A number
of markers in both Columbus and Phenix City
interpret the battle and some of the surviving
Confederate earthworks can be seen near
the intersection of Summerville Road and
26th Street in Phenix City.
lor. ghtwas-
Historic Sites in Columbus (Coming Soon)
The Motte House
Seen here from the River
Walk, one of the last deaths of
the Civil War occurred here.
Seen here from the River
Walk, one of the last deaths of
the Civil War occurred here.
The River Walk in Winter
The Columbus River Walk
passes through a portion of
the battlefield.
The Columbus River Walk
passes through a portion of
the battlefield.
Civil War Naval Museum
The outstanding Port
Columbus National Civil War
Naval Museum preserves
artifacts associated with the
Battle of Columbus, including
the wreck of the C.S.S.
Jackson.
The outstanding Port
Columbus National Civil War
Naval Museum preserves
artifacts associated with the
Battle of Columbus, including
the wreck of the C.S.S.
Jackson.
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