Today, February 13th, 2012, marks the 200th anniversary of the first
documented skirmish in Calloway County, Kentucky, when Yankees from Fort
Heiman plundering the surrounding country all the way towards New Concord
were surprised by our Southern heroes coming from Paris, Tennessee. The
Confederates had come out from Paris in response to word of Yankee
depredations on the citizenry. This action took place in the area between
Fort Heiman and the location of the original New Mount Carmel Baptist
Church, which in 1862 was closer towards Fort Heiman. The skirmish was
opened by the Independent Rebel Rangers, soon to be renamed Company G,
Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, CSA, which were sent out from the main
Confederate body of cavalry when trying to locate the enemy. Several
members of this company were from Calloway County. Padgitt's Independent
Company of Kentucky Cavalry from Calloway County, having lived in the area
and previously been stationed in the area up to the evacuation of Fort
Heiman and now relocated to Paris, were most likely involved in this action
as scouts. Both sides experienced at least a couple of casualties. Former
US Congressman and new Confederate Congressman John DeWitt Clinton Atkins of
Henry County, Tennessee, took part in this action and was supposed to have
fired the first shot of the skirmish. Also, this first shot was to have
produced the first Yankee casualty.