Alan, thanks for the corrections!

Would you consider this battle at Little Bear creek (3rd Little Bear creek?) to possibly be more significant than the first two simply due to the larger numbers of troops involved?

Gen. Sherman's army at Vicksburg had been given the task of extending the Federal line through west Tennessee and north Mississippi, with hopes of securing the line of the Memphis & Charleston railroad through Tuscumbia and Decatur in N. Alabama, both to threaten Bragg's flank and rear, and then to establish communications with Gen. Grant's besieged army at Chattanooga.

Gen. Osterhaus' 1st division and Gen. M.L. Smith's 2nd division of Gen. Blair's XV corps advanced, moving into Alabama 10/20/63 and skirmishing for the first time at Barton's Station. Gen. S.D. Lee's cavalry corps opposed the Federals, and Gen. Roddey joined him on the morning of the 27th for the battle at Little Bear creek. There are detailed reports of this battle in the OR. The next day, Sherman withdrew. Grant wrote Halleck that "it will be impossible, without breaking up the army in the field too much, to guard railroad from Bear Creek to Decatur."