Draft:Battle of Panther Creek

The Battle of Panther Creek (also known as Battle of Sutherland’s Hill) was fought on September 20, 1862, south of Owensboro, Kentucky. It was the only battle that took place in Daviess County, Kentucky during the American Civil War.

Battle of Panther Creek
Part of American Civil War
Date September 20, 1862 Location Daviess County, Kentucky Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States of America (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
William F. Wood John W. Crooks	Robert M. Martin
Units involved
4th Indiana Legion 15th Kentucky Cavalry	10th Kentucky Partisan Rangers
Strength
420	800
Casualties and losses
3 killed 35 wounded	36 killed 70 wounded

On July 18, 1862 a small Confederate force of about 35 men led by Colonel Adam Rankin Johnson launched a successful raid on the small town of Newburgh, Indiana. This raid would become a known as the Newburgh Raid, becoming the first town in a northern state captured during the American Civil War. Using this success Johnson would recruit more men in the western Kentucky area and launch several more attacks throughout the state of Kentucky, and even into Tennessee. These new men would become part of the newly formed 10th Kentucky Partisan Rangers.

On the other side of this famous raid, it caused much fear throughout Union leaders of the local area as well as the Indiana wartime Governor Oliver P. Morton. After the Confederate victory at Fort Sumter the previous year, Governor Morton called for the raising and arming of a local militia force for the defense of the state. Colonel John W. Crooks took command of the 4th Indiana Legion Regiment, also known as the Spencer County Legion, which would make up majority of the Union strength during the battle, numbering 350 men total. The rest of the force would be made up by the 15th Kentucky Calvary. The 15th Kentucky Calvary organized by Colonel Gabriel Netter in the summer of 1862, would make up 60 men during the battle. Colonel Netter was born in France in 1836 to a large Jewish family, he would immigrate to America in 1855. Colonel Netter joined the Union Army at the start of the American Civil War in 1861. During the winter of 1861-1862, Netter excelled as a company commander in the 26th Kentucky Infantry. In his first taste of action, he pushed far ahead of the main Union body during an attack on a Confederate Calvary camp in Woodbury, Kentucky. He led a successful raid behind Confederate lines that resulted in the burning of the Whippoorwill Bridge, an important part of the rail link between Confederate controlled Bowling Green, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee. In May 1862, charges were brought against Netter by his commanding officer Col. Stephen Burbridge, accused of behavior that was "insubordinate" and using "mutinous language to a superior officer", as well as "disobedience of orders." Netter then traveled back home to Hartford, Kentucky to recruit his new regiment, the 15th Kentucky Calvary. By August 29th, Netter transferred his command from Hartford to Owensboro, and encamped on the fairgrounds west of town near the Ohio River, called Camp Miller.

The rest of the force would be made up of 10-12 Kentuckians who would join them in the battle.

Prelude

Capture of Owensboro

On September 19th, the 10th Kentucky Partisan Rangers rode into Owensboro, Kentucky and captured the city and surrounded the Union camp at daybreak with ease. Men of companies E, F, and H, commanded by Captain S. B. Taylor, J. S. Champion, and Clay Merriwether, moved to the west of Owensboro and the camp. This detachment would attempt to capture Camp Miller should the Federals make a move towards the Confederates in town. The main body, divided into two columns, and captured Owensboro. Capturing Owensboro was not Lieutenant Colonel Martin's primary goal. (Col. Adam Johnson was not present with the Rangers at the time because he was off to Richmond, Virginia to secure papers for his men.) Owensboro held little strategic or symbolic value to Martin. They did however secure much needed powder and ammunition but Camp Miller held much more. The camp had muskets, a six-pound cannon, horses, food, and other valuable supplies.

While the fog remained low, a man ran into the camp to alert Col. Netter that rebels had taken the town, hundreds of them. Netter immediately got his battalion of recruits up and ready for a fight. At about that same time an African-American boy made his way into the camp. The information this boy possessed would stave off absolute disaster for Netter. He had heard from some Confederates in town that they had divided their force. Part of the 10th Kentucky Partisan Rangers did not go into Owensboro, instead positioning themselves in a woods and cornfield on the west side of the camp. They expected the Federals to make an advance toward town, and having vacated the camp the detached group would then capture the undefended weapons and destroy the supplies they couldn't take. Upon hearing this information Col. Netter decided to attempt an infantry-style breakout on foot, or at least drive off one portion of the Rebels before turning his attention back to Owensboro.

Skirmish at Owensboro

Colonel Netter would leave about 100 men to guard the camp and the gunners for the artillery piece under the command of Sergeant Major Freeman. Netter would take the rest of about 200 of his men to face the Confederates. As the men were forming into column to march out of camp an officer in gray and brown approached with a white flag. Col. Netter saw the man and he told him that the town was in their hands and they had a force of about 800 men ready to attack the camp. The offer was simple, surrender the camp and there would be no blood spilled. Netter asked the rider if he could address his men saying that Lieutenant Colonel Martin demanded his surrender and asking for his men to hear his answer. He declared, "NEVER, till the last man of us laid low in the dust." Turning back to his men he asked, "Boys, does my answer suit you?" Netter's men responded by giving three rousing "HURRAHS." The Confederate saluted, got back on his horse, and rode back toward town. Netter's men then resumed their march.

One of the mounted advance pickets discover Rebel activity in the field just ahead of Netter and his men. He came riding back and reported this to Netter who told his men to double-quick until they came to the Confederate position and formed into a line of battle. At that moment, a gunshot pieced the air and the fight was on. As the fighting continued Confederate Corp. Jim Hall took up a position next to a tree. Looking across the field Hall saw Netter handsomely dressed in his uniform, as Netter was climbing over a fence a bullet passed through his chest and fell to the ground. With just enough strength left Netter turned his head and yelled to his men, "Charge, bayon...!" Colonel Netter lay dead of the field.

The skirmish would last for about 30 minutes, with the Confederates retreating. Union sources put the Confederate casualties at 25-30 while Confederates accounts claim only a few.

Aftermath of skirmish

Following the retreat from the fight, the partisans moved south of Owensboro to regroup. They stopped about 8 miles south of Owensboro past Panther Creek and rested at Sutherland Farm. Chaos still ensued back at Camp Miller after Col. Netter's death. A man by the name Hugh Hales was picked to swim across the Ohio River and alert the 4th Indiana Legion of the Confederates. Hales met with Col. John W. Crooks and Crooks decided to assemble his men and cross over to Kentucky. By early afternoon about 500 men were being transported over the river by two steamers called Ben South and John T. McCombs, protected under the cover of Spencer County Artillery. Upon entering the camp Col. Crooks saw the lifeless corpse of Col. Netter, whom we had just helped several weeks earlier. Upon hearing news that the Confederates moved south of Owensboro, Crooks decided to come up with a battle plan.

That same night Colonel William F. Wood of the 1st Indiana Calvary arrived in town at about 11:00 p.m. and took command of the Union forces. It just so happened that Col. Wood was in the Evansville area recruiting. As soon as Wood arrived he began "infusing confidence and restoring order." Wood was no amateur when it came to fighting Confederates. Wood saw action in both Missouri and Arkansas. Once told the information that the Confederates had moved south of town, Col. Wood decided to take the fight to the Confederates early the next morning. Wood would take 60 men from the 15th Kentucky Calvary under the command of Major Towne, as well as 350 legionaries and a few locals commanded by Col. Crooks. He also decided to bring the 6-pound cannon, putting Sgt. J.C. Finch under its command. The remainder of the men would stay back at Camp Miller and protect it. The stage was now set for the battle that would take place in the morning.

See also

• List of battles fought in Kentucky
• List of Kentucky Confederate Civil War units
• List of Kentucky Union Civil War units.

Further Reading

• Johnson, Adam Rankin, and William J. Davis. The Partisan Rangers of the Confederate States Army. Louisville, Ky.: G. G. Fetter Company, 1904.
• Lindow , Derrick. We Shall Conquer or Die: Partisan Warfare in 1862 Western Kentucky . Savas Beatie , 2024.