Commemorating the Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle

Sep. 27—To commemorate the 158th anniversary of the Battle of the Sulphur Creek Trestle, the Captain Thomas H. Hobbs Camp #768, Sons of the Confederate Veterans and guests gathered in Elkmont at the site of the trestle.

The trestle is an important part of the history of Limestone County and was an important victory for the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle was the largest Civil War Battle in North Alabama.

Retired Brigadier General John Scales and author of General Forrest at War and Sherman Invades Georgia was on hand to tell the story of the battle that took place at the site of the trestle and the fort positioned near it.

The Sulphur Creek Trestle is now part of the Richard Martin Rails to Trails and is located just over a mile south of Downtown Elkmont. The Battle of Athens took place Sept. 23-24, 1864, and the Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle followed on Sept. 25.

"The trestle became important because Sherman's supply line, when he was in Atlanta, went down Nashville to Chattanooga, but the empty trains would be sent to Decatur and up this railroad back to Nashville. That way, they would get a lot more through because, with a single track, you didn't have to pull over to the side to let someone else pass," Scales explained.

In September, General Nathan Bedford Forrest was given orders to take back the railroads.

"This was the highest trestle on the entire stretch at 73 feet above the stream." Scales said. "The fort couldn't see the footings of the trestle to protect it, so they had to have lower block houses to make sure nobody was sneaking up and setting it on fire."

Forrest learned there were places to put cannons where the shells could land in the fort. Two brigades were also sent to help take the fort. By mid-afternoon, over 100 union troops were dead.

"The colonel in charge was killed. The second in command was wounded, so the third in command guy would come out and surrender the fort. His name was Eli Lilly," Scales said.

After the war, Lilly became famous for the pharmaceutical company he founded.

When the Union surrendered, 973 soldiers were taken prisoner, and Forrest ordered the trestle, fort, and block houses be burned.

Author Ambrose Bierce's short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is believed by many literary scholars to be inspired by the Battle of the Sulphur Creek Trestle.