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{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Battle of Thompson's Station
|image=
|caption=
|partof=the [[American Civil War]]
|date=March 5, 1863
|place=[[Williamson County, Tennessee]]
|result=[[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] victory
|combatant1= {{flagicon|USA|1861}} [[United States]] ([[Union (American Civil War)|Union]])
|combatant2= {{flagicon|CSA|1863}} [[Confederate States of America|CSA (Confederacy)]]
|commander1=[[John Coburn (politician)|John Coburn]]
|commander2=[[Earl Van Dorn]]
|strength1=1 Reinforced Infantry Brigade
|strength2=Cavalry Corps
|casualties1=1,906
|casualties2=300
|}}
{{Campaignbox Middle Tennessee Operations}}
'''Part of the American Civil War'''

=== Date: March 5, 1863 ===

=== Location: Williamson County, Tennessee ===

=== Result: Decisive Confederate victory ===

== Background ==
Following the bloody stalemate at the Battle of Stones River (January 1863), both Union and Confederate forces in Middle Tennessee entered a period of relative inactivity. However, Confederate [[Earl Van Dorn|General Earl Van Dorn]], commanding cavalry forces in the region, sought to take the fight back to the enemy with a bold and aggressive offensive.

Union Col. John Coburn, leading a reinforced infantry brigade from Franklin, Tennessee, advanced south toward Columbia on a reconnaissance-in-force mission. His movement was met with a calculated and devastating Confederate counterattack, masterminded by Van Dorn.

== The Battle ==
On March 5, 1863, Coburn’s Union brigade engaged a Confederate force four miles north of Spring Hill. The Federals attacked with their right flank, attempting to drive back two regiments of Confederate defenders, but were repulsed. Seeing an opportunity to crush Coburn’s force, Van Dorn took the initiative and launched a coordinated assault that would soon become one of the most complete Confederate victories in the region.

=== Van Dorn’s Masterstroke ===
Recognizing the Union force’s exposed position, Van Dorn executed a textbook tactical envelopment, utilizing the strengths of his commanders:

* [[William Hicks Jackson|Brigadier General W.H. "Red" Jackson]]'s dismounted cavalry division launched a fierce frontal assault, pinning Coburn’s brigade in place.
* [[Nathan Bedford Forrest|Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest]], one of the most feared cavalry leaders of the war, executed a sweeping flanking maneuver, cutting into the Union left and ultimately encircling Coburn’s force from the rear'''.'''

Van Dorn’s coordination of Jackson’s frontal pressure and Forrest’s aggressive encirclement turned the battlefield into a trap for the Union troops. Coburn attempted to hold his ground, but after three fierce Confederate assaults, Jackson’s cavalry finally overran the Union hilltop position. At the same time, Forrest’s troopers seized Coburn’s wagon train and completely blocked his path of retreat'''.'''

== Union Defeat and Aftermath ==
With no ammunition and no escape route, Coburn had no choice but to surrender his entire force, including 1,221 men and all but two of his field officers. The battle not only resulted in a significant Confederate victory, but it also halted Union influence in Middle Tennessee until after Van Dorn's death, frustrating Union attempts to consolidate control over the region.

Van Dorn’s leadership was the key to the Confederate triumph. His bold decision to take the offensive, his strategic deployment of forces, and his aggressive battlefield tactics allowed the Confederates to completely envelop and annihilate a numerically strong Union force. The victory at Thompson’s Station reaffirmed Van Dorn’s reputation as a skillful cavalry commander, showcasing his ability to coordinate large-scale battlefield maneuvers with speed and precision.

== Legacy ==
The Battle of Thompson’s Station stands as one of the most decisive Confederate victories in Tennessee and a brilliant display of cavalry tactics. Van Dorn’s command, along with Forrest’s and Jackson’s aggressive execution, proved that Confederate cavalry could still outmaneuver, outfight, and outthink their Union opponents in open-field engagements.

Though Van Dorn’s time as a commander was tragically cut short just two months later, Thompson’s Station remains a testament to his battlefield brilliance—a lightning-fast, crushing blow against an overconfident Union force that had underestimated Confederate strength.

==References==
{{portal|American Civil War}}
*National Park Service battle description

{{coord missing|Tennessee}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson's Station, Battle Of}}
[[Category:Battles of the Middle Tennessee Operations of the American Civil War]]


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[[nl:Slag bij Thompson's Station]]