October 12 1863: Skirmish of Buckhorn Tavern

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October 12 1863
Skirmish of Buckhorn Tavern

American Civil War Skirmish of Buckhorn

Philip Dale Roddey was a brigadier general in the army of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.

Tavern, fought on October 12, 1863, between General Phillip D. Roddey’s Alabama Cavalry Brigade and a Union cavalry brigade commanded by General Robert Mitchell.

Robert Byington Mitchell (April 4, 1823 – January 26, 1882) was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and the Governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1866 to 1869

By tradition, the tavern took its name “Buckhorn” in 1858 when William L. Fanning killed a buck near the site and presented its antlers to the innkeeper. The antlers are now displayed at Buckhorn High School.

Editor: Buckhorn Tavern, Located in Section 18, Township 2, Range 2 East, Madison County Alabama, was an early wayside stop for pioneer settlers as they traveled the road from Winchester, Tennessee into Madison County. The tavern pre-dates the creation of the county, Dec. 13, 1808.

During the Creek Indian War (1813 – 1814), the Deposit Road was created at this point and stretched southeastward through Cherokee lands to Fort Deposit near Gunter’s Landing. This became the supply route for General Andrew Jackson’s forces. His deputy, Colonel John Coffee, stored supplies opposite the tavern and camped his troops (Nov. 22 – Dec. 8, 1813).