Tennessee 2nd Battalion Cavalry (Confederate)

Camp Wildcat

Early in the war, the Lincoln administration knew well the importance of keeping the border state of Kentucky in the Union. Any Rebel armies operating successfully there could encourage secessionist sympathies. In late 1861, a Confederate force of around 6,000 men under Brig. Gen. Felix Zollicoffer entered the southeast corner of the state just north of the Tennessee border and occupied the strategic Cumberland Gap. To counter Confederate moves in the area, Union Brig. Gen. George H. Thomas sent a detachme…READ MORE

Camp Wild Cat

Union Gen George H Thomas set troops commanded by Theophilus T Garrard to set up camp at Rockcastle Hills at the base of Wildcat Mountain. The camp was named Camp Wildcat for obvious reasons. On October 21, 1861 Union forces commanded by Garrard and Albin F Schoepf met Felix Zollicoffer's Confederates in the area around Camp Wildcat resulting in a Union VictoryREAD MORE