Day One Highest Losses: No. 4

The Confederates never intended to fight near Cosner's Gap on day one of the campaign. They had ordered three divisions (Pickett, Rodes, and Pender) to advance west on Clinton Pike into Franklin and Hutton Mills. This movement was blocked by the Union cavalry corps' 3rd Division under Major General David Birney. Birney advanced east on Clinton Pike and deployed his division between the Powell Farm and Cosner's Gap, allowing the Union VI Corps to arrive and deploy behind him.

The 1st Brigade of Birney's Division, under Brigadier General Samuel Sturgis, was assigned  skirmish line duty to the division's front. As Sturgis' men were deploying, two Confederate divisions came down off of Durham Ridge, through the Village of Cosner's Gap, and began an attack on the Powell Farm. Pickett's Division was advancing north of the Clinton Pike, with Pender to the south of the Pike. Sturgis' cavalry was immediately engaged.

The left of Sturgis' line engaged Daniel's and Kershaw's Brigades from Pickett's Division. The 1st Massachusetts and 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry fought primarily with the 9th, 10th and 18th Alabama, trying to delay their advance as the VI Corps took position. Sturgis moved to bolster this part of his line and was killed by the 20th Alabama.  Sometime during this fighting in the fields northeast of Powell, Confederate Brigadier General Joseph Kershaw as also killed. With Sturgis dead and Pickett's men pressing forward, the 1st Brigade's left collapsed and the 1st Massachusetts and 1st Pennsylvania were routed.

On the right of the line. the 8th Illinois Cavalry was fighting due east of the Powell buildings and engaged with the 41st and 44th Alabama. The Alabamans were part of J. K. Jackson's Brigade, which led Pender's assault. The right, particularly the 2nd Rhode Island, also took heavy fire from Pender's sharpshooters, which were deployed to the east in the orchards around the Village of Cosner's Gap. The two regiments gave way and the VI Corps continued the fighting around Powell.

Colonel William Gamble of the 8th Illinois assumed command of the brigade, prior to receiving orders to move to Mt. Zion Church with the rest of the division. The 3rd Cavalry Division was moving in the rear of the column as it passed through Marion and moved south on the Madison Pike. The 2nd Division began engaging the enemy (Colquitt's Division) at the cross roads near Mt. Zion Church without much success. Gamble's Brigade moved forward to support the left of the 2nd Cavalry Divison near the church, and lost 150 men in the fighting before darkness stopped the action.

1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps (Brigadier General Samuel Sturgis (KIA), Colonel William Gamble):
1st Massachusetts Cavalry
1st Pennsylvania Cavalry
8th Illinois Cavalry
2nd Rhode Island Cavalry

Losses in Day One: 54.3%

Colonel William Gamble will command 1st Brigade at the start of the 2nd day of the North Branch Campaign.