Known as the Battle of Asheville, this was a five-hour standoff on the northern outskirts of the town during the afternoon and evening of April 6, 1865.

Union Col. Isaac M. Kirby, with guerrilla leader Col. George W. Kirk with a few mounted men dashed into the edge of Asheville, NC on April 6, 1865. Col. John B. Palmer with about 300-400 men and three field pieces of artillery managed to convince Col. Kirby and Col. Kirk that they were facing a much larger force than they had anticipated. A "heavy storm" broke, threatening to flood the French Broad River and the road which was their only retreat, so the Unionists started back for Greeneville, TN, with no men killed and only two men wounded, and capturing several Confederates. It can be stated that Col. George W. Clayton led the combined 62nd-64th NC Regiment, and the Confederates captured included QM. Sergeant Amos H. McAllister (Company D) and Private Alfred E. Edwards (Company I).

Union Col. George W. Kirk was ordered to Boone to prevent the Confederate Cavalry from pursuing Maj. Gen. George Stoneman. Col. Isaac M. Kirby's infantry brigade left Greeneville, TN with instructions to capture the town of Asheville, NC. His brigade reached Warm Springs on the morning of April 5th where he encountered "guerrillas" firing from the trees, so he sent his baggage back a ways and proceeded to Asheville, which he reached on the afternoon of April 6, 1865. Judging from reports that he had heard, Col. Kirby was of the opinion that the Southerners had between 1,000 and 1,500 men in Asheville, so he refused to enter the town. The Confederates came out with a very small line of battle, fired a few shots from their skirmish line, then fired a few rounds from a small field piece. Col. Kirby withdrew and returned to Greeneville, TN. Col. Kirby soon received a report that 300 Confederates were in his read near a vital bridge, when a "heavy storm" brok, threatening to flood the French Broad Road, his only line of retreat. According to civilian eye-witnesses, Col. Kirby left in a panic.

Capt. Beverly T. Morris (writer of an earlier sketch) erroneously stated that Col. John B. Palmer led the Confederates and Maj. Gen. George Stoneman led the Federals, when the reality was that Col. George W. Clayton of the 62nd NC Regiment led the Confederates and Col. Isaac M. Kirby led the Federals at the "battle of Asheville."

+ On April 3, 1865, HQ of the IV Corps ordered him to go on a "scout in the direction of Asheville, N.C." He departed that same day at 2 p.m. with three (3) days rations in the haversack and seven (7) in wagons, on the road leading by Midway Station, across the Nola Chucky Creek at Allen's Bridge, striking the Greeneville and Asheville road at a point ten (10) miles from Greeneville; thence on that road to Paint Rock, a narrow pass where the road strikes the French Broad River.
+ On April 4th, he left 25 men to guard the pass and moved up the river to Warm Springs, where he bivouacked that night.
+ On April 5th, his command moved up the river and after marching about four (4) miles, he met three (3) deserters, including a lieutenant who informed him that the Confederates had about 2,000 men in Asheville and nearly 20 guns, 12 being Napoleons. The lieutenant also asserted that there were about 600 men of NC's Thomas's Legion on the mountain road leading from Waynesville to Warm Springs.
+ Due to the terrible roads and the recent intelligence, he and his key officers concluded it would be best to send his artillery back to Warm Springs, and for his infantry to press on to Asheville. Maj. Steele volunteered to return to HQ and report what they had learned so far. At 12 m. his command resumed its march towards Asheville.
+ He soon found the road blocked with rocks and fallen timber as far up as Marshall in Madison County, and his command had to expend a lot of labor to clear the road. At Marshall he learned that accurate information had been transmitted to the enemy in Asheville.
+ On April 6th, he pushed up the river, burned the bridge over the French Broad at Alexander's, ten (10) miles below (north of) Asheville, and another bridge over the same river four (4) miles below (north of) Asheville. Around 3 p.m. he found the enemy in posiiton about 1-1/2 mile from Asheville and occupying the high hills on the left or north of the road.
+ Lt. Col. Greenwood with an improvised mounted force, consisting of officers and orderlies, dashed into the edge of town. Lt. Col. Yeoman (90th OH Infantry) had the advance and reported back that he was pushing on into town. Col. Kirby sent him word that the Confederates were on his left and ordered him to halt until he could join him.
+ When he reached Lt. Col. Yeoman the enemy had already pushed out his skirmishers and opened fire upon the two officers. He ordered his brigade into position and pushed forward skirmishers. The Confederates met him with a line of about 300 skirmishers, then opened fire with three (3) guns. He drove back the left line of the enemy then discovered that the enemy was pushing a line to his rear. He was compelled to change position and examine more closely the position of his enemy.
+ Col. Kirby determined that the Confederates were occupying two (2) very high hills, which he concluded would be very difficult to approach with his small force. Prisoners reported that NC Brig. Gen. James G. Martin was in command with not less than 1,000 men and six (6) guns and could be re-inforced quickly with 400-500 more men from the south side of the river.
+ At dark, a negro reported to him that an enemy force of about 300 men was encamped on Ivy Creek about two (2) miles from a bridge he had crossed that morning; a bridge that would cause him great delay if it were destroyed. A heavy storm set in that threatened to further cause road delays, and he and his officers concluded it would be best to withdraw.

Col. George W. Clayton — Commanding Officer,

Consolidated 62nd NC Regiment/64th NC Regiment — Col. George W. Clayton,
Capt. Daniel W. Anderson (was leading the 64th NC Regiment)
Adjutant James H. Wilkes,
Company A — Unknown,
Company B — Unknown,
Company C — Unknown,
Company D — Capt. Leonard W. Peek,
Company E — Capt. Beverly T. Morris,
Company F — Capt. Augustus B. Cowan,
Company G — Unknown,
Company H — Unknown,
Company I — 1st Lt. James A. Burnett,
Company K — "Brevard Rangers" - Unknown,

Macbeth Artillery (SC) (4 Guns) — Lt. B.A. Jeter.

69th NC Regiment (7th Cavalry) — Col. Robert L. Coleman,
Lt. Col. James L. Henry,
Maj. Isaac A. Harris,
Adjutant James E. Rankin,
Company A & Company G Consolidated — Capt. James P. Deaver,
Company B — Capt. A. Erwin Posey,
Company C — Capt. William P. Fortune,
Company D — 1st Lt. William M. Keith,
Company E — 2nd Lt. W.R. Alexander,
Company F — Capt. Wiley F. Parker,
Company H — Capt. Thomas C. Galloway,
Company I — Capt. William Gilliam,
Company K — Capt. Job D. Barnard,

42nd NC Battalion-Home Guard (aka "Silver Greys) — Led by Unknown,

Porter's Battery (2 Napoleons) — Led by Unknown.

Total of about 300 men.

Col. Isaac M. Kirby  — Commanding Officer,

Army of the Cumberland, IV Corps, 1st Division:

1st Brigade — Col. Isaac M. Kirby,
21st IL Infantry — Lt. Col. James E. Calloway,
38th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Edward Colyer,
31st IN Infantry — Col. John T. Smith,
38th IN Infantry — Lt. Col. Oliver P. Anderson,
90th OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Samuel N. Yeoman,
101st OH Infantry — Capt. John M. Latimer, Jr.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-
-

North Carolina Troops 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XV, PP. 1-34, PP.138-168.

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume XLIX, Part I, PP.31-32.

Battle of Asheville from ThomasLegion.net.

Battle of Asheville from NCPedia.org.

NC Historical Marker on Battle of Asheville.