Miamiville - Derailment of the "Kilgour" & Fighting at the Bridge

Basil Duke’s brigade crossed the Little Miami River at Porter’s Mill near Miamiville. Raiders cut telegraph lines and sabotaged the railroad causing the derailment of a passenger train. The main body of Duke’s brigade moved into Miamiville, intent on destroying the Little Miami Railroad Bridge. What ensued was a three-hour skirmish that ended in a Confederate retreat. 

While the advance guard from Morgan’s main column began skirmishing with US troops at Kugler Mill Road, Basil Duke’s brigade, with riders from the 14^th Kentucky cavalry, crossed the Little Miami River at Porter’s Mill, north of Camp Dennison. They crossed about 07:00 moving toward Miamiville. Guards at the Camargo Road Bridge, then known as the Madisonville Pike Bridge, were caught by surprise and, after a brief engagement, scattered. Duke posted guards of his own at the bridge before continuing.

In Miamiville, Duke’s men attempted to burn the wooden railroad bridge, today a metal bridge, known as the Loveland Bike Trail Bridge, stands on the site. The bridge was guarded by a US detachment led by Captain Jacob Shuman. Shuman’s forces were able to hold the south end of the bridge but eventually Duke’s men outflanked them and captured most of the US soldiers. Lieutenant William H.H. Smith was ordered to take 200 Miami Volunteers to defend the bridge. They marched the mile to the bridge at a grueling pace, arriving to find the Confederates trying to burn the bridge. After dispersing them, the militia fanned out along the south banks of the river prepared to defend the bridge from further attack. 

Morgan rode, with a guide that who forced into service, to Miamiville. At the top of the hill above town, he could Camp Dennison laid out in the distance. It was from here that he ordered the artillery batteries run out. Leaving the men in command of Duke, Morgan rode back to his main column to hurry it forward. This artillery engagement lasted until about 10:30, when Neff arrived with a company of convalescents. Charging across the bridge they successful drove the rebels back.

During the early stages of the skirmish, a company of riders from Duke’s brigade moved about half a mile south of Procter’s Mill. There they cut telegraph lines and sabotaged the Little Miami Railroad by wedging railroad ties into a cattle gap. Half a mile back up the track, at Dangerous Crossing, rebels hid in the corn fields and began firing on the first train that appeared. The passenger train pulled by the engine “Kilgour” was also carrying 115 US troops bound for Camp Dennison. The train sped up after exchanging shots with the raiders and after going around a blind curve, hit the ties at an estimated 40 mph, causing the train to derail. One man was killed, and the engineer was seriously wounded. Miraculously, none of the other passengers suffered serious injuries. The rebels evacuated the train, taking the soldiers prisoner, before setting it ablaze. Morgan paroled the prisoners, making them walk the rest of the way to Camp Dennison.

Morgan’s men discovered Camp Shady, a US supply depot at the corner of present-day Branch Hill-Guinea Road and SR 28. The depot was deserted when the raiders arrived around 11:00. Horses, mules, and fifty covered wagons had been left behind. Morgan ordered the wagons searched for needed items and then burnt. With fresh horses the rebels set off again. 

By the end of the series of skirmishes, the bridges had been saved and Camp Dennison held. Morgan and his men had also been occupied, giving the US cavalry under Hobson time to make up ground though they were still several hours behind the raiders. Neff’s US casualties totaled one dead, several wounded, four captured, and one missing. Morgan’s casualties totaled six dead, four wounded, and seven captured. Due to his successful defense of the area, Neff was promoted to Colonel. 

The ninth and tenth interpretive signs are located together and can be found on the Little Mami Scenic Trail in Miamiville, Clermont County. The trail is the third longest paved trail in the country. The signs are located at Bike Trail Milepost 47.59.  A short distance away, at Milepost 47.80, is the old railroad bridge.

Caholl, Lora Schmidt. Mowery, David L.. The Civil War Guidebook of the John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail. Ohio Historical Society, 2014.

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Morgan's Raid into Ohio, Carnegie Public Library. Accessed October 20th 2021. https://www.carnegie.lib.oh.us/morgan.

Remembering Morgan's Raid, Ohio History Connection. July 13th 2013. Accessed Ocobter 20th 2021. https://www.ohiohistory.org/learn/collections/history/history-blog/2013/july-2013/remembering-morgan-raid.

Hilton, Mark . Miamiville: Derailment of the Kilgour, The Historical Marker Database. September 12th 2017. Accessed October 22nd 2021. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=108242.

Hilton, Mark . Miamiville: Fighting at the Bridge, The Historical Marker Database. September 12th 2017. Accessed October 22nd 2021. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=108245.