Day One Highest Losses: No. 3

The Battle of Sagarville started in the morning phase of day one of the North Branch Campaign. Elements of the Union I Corps (Thomas) and V Corps (Hancock) advanced east from Newtown on Kingston Road towards Sagarville. The 1st Cavalry Division was leading the way.  Their first obstacle in reaching Sagarville was a Confederate linebelonging to Lieutenant General James Longstreet's I Corps, Army of the Mountains deployed on a ridge to the east of the Piper Farm. Longstreet had posted Semmes' Brigade (Forney's Division) on the north side of Kingston Road and Baldwin's Brigade in a hedge line that ran across the top of the ridge south of the road. Another brigade was posted in Piper's Woods to the south of Baldwin. 

Forney's line included the 15th Battalion Mississippi Sharpshooters, which opened fire on the advancing cavalry from a distance. The Confederate line was also supported by artillery to its rear and the cavalry was turned back before it could successfully engage the infantry deployed on the ridge. 

As the cavalry was falling back, the 2nd Division, I Corps began to form between Trout Run and the Piper Farm for an assault on the Confederate line. The 1st Brigade (Colonel Newell Gleason) was the first to arrive and start forming. While waiting for the rest of the division to come up, the 36th Illinois was targeted by the Mississippi sharpshooters and took heavy loss without being able to return fire. Finally, the division started its advance, with the 1st Brigade straddling Kingston Road.

As the brigade ascended Piper Ridge, it engaged with Baldwin's Brigade to the right and Semmes' Brigade to the left.  The 36th Illinois was on the right and took heavy losses from the 25th Tennessee (Baldwin) and was routed. The 87th Indiana lost over 180 men to Cobb's Georgia Legion (Semmes), before being routed by the 17th Tennessee firing on its rear from the other side of the road. Joined by a brigade of US Regulars from 2nd Division, V Corps on its left, the 150th Pennsylvania (Bucktails) and 8th Michigan continued the attack on Semmes' line, also taking heavy losses from Cobb's Georgia Legion. The 8th Michigan broke through along Kingston Road and routed Gun No. 4 of the Pulaski Georgia Battery that was supporting the infantry to its front. Forney's line collapsed and started a retreat towards Sagarville to the east. 

During the midday phase of the battle, 1st Brigade (now only two regiments strong) was initially moved south from Piper and then east through the Lester Farm. The brigade advanced against a Confederate line on the northwest slopes of Bowlen Hill and engaged with William Walker's Brigade, Barksdale's Division. The 8th Michigan assisted in routing the 4th Mississippi and the 150th Pennsylvania routed the 39th Mississippi. The brigade then took part in the afternoon advance that entered the town of Sagarville, ending the battle and day one of the campaign. Despite being ain a position to rout an artillery crew at one point, very few of the brigade's losses during the day were to artillery fire. Sagarville was an infantry vs. infantry fight for 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps as it attacked enemy positions on ridges and hills. 

1st Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps (Colonel Newell Gleason):

36th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

87th Indiana Volunteer Infantry

150th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

8th Michigan Volunteer Infantry

Day One Losses: 54.5%

Colonel Newell Gleason