On November 4, 1864 Confederate Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest positioned artillery on ridges across the Tennessee River from Johnsonville and began shelling the Federal supply base. The Union shore batteries were unable to dislodge the Confederate position and began to destroy federal supplies and transport boats to prevent their capture. Forrest’s artillery resumed shelling the depot the following morning before withdrawing his troops. Damage to Union materiel was estimated to be $2.2 million.
Strawberry Plains
On January 21, 1864 Union scouts with Brig. Gen. James Spears reported that Confederate forces advancing from Blain’s Crossroads had