On April 6, 1865, the Battle of Asheville was fought in the closing days of the Civil War. Only three days before Lee surrendered to Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse, Union Colonel Issac Curby, based in Greenville, Tennessee joined up with Stoneman’s Raiders to secure the Confederate town of Asheville. They were met by a small number of Confederate troops and civilian men and boys. A five hour exchange of long-range gunfire and some artillery followed. The Union commander apparently knew the war was all but over and chose to avoid close combat. Thus, the Battle of Asheville was perhaps the first of the war without any casualties. It was very nearly the last battle as well.
Tonya Carroll (B.A., 2007 M.A., 2009) with Bruce Frazier (Carol Grotnes Belk Endowed Professor in Commercial & Electronic Music) in the recording studio.