March 4, 1863

March 4, 1863

---Pemberton has assigned Gen. Earl Van Dorn to command his cavalry and to extend it up into Tennessee, to keep an eye on Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland (Union), which was mainly centered on Nashville.  Van Dorn is also given Gen Nathan B. Forrest and his command, giving him about 6,000 horsemen.  Van Dorn heads north from Columbia, Tennessee, threatening the right flank of Rosecrans, who has advanced part of his army southwestward to Florence.  Van Dorn’s troopers encounter Coburn’s Federal brigade, with some skirmishing.  Coburn hunkers down to wait, not suspecting that he is greatly outnumbered.

---At Skeet, North Carolina, a detachment of the 3^rd New York Cavalry Regiment encounters a force of Rebel guerillas, and then a larger force, but is able to drive them in a rout, killing and wounding 28 Rebels.