Rousseau's Opelika Raid

Rousseau's Opelika Raid
Part of the American Civil War
Lovell Rousseau
Date July 10–22, 1864 Location Opelika, Alabama Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Lovell Rousseau	James Holt Clanton
Strength
2,700, 2 guns	300
Casualties and losses
50 men, 1 gun	62 men, 30 miles of railroad infrastructure

Rousseau's Opelika Raid (July 10–22, 1864) saw 2,700 Union cavalry led by Major General Lovell Rousseau raid deep into Alabama in the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War. The successful raid began at Decatur, Alabama, and was only opposed by minimal forces of the Confederate States Army. The Union raiders rode south-southeast across the state destroying Confederate supplies and public property. They wrecked as much as 30 mi (48.3 km) of the Montgomery and West Point Railroad near Opelika, Alabama. The Union cavalry then turned northeast and joined the army of Major General William Tecumseh Sherman near Marietta, Georgia, while sustaining few casualties.