Ms. Karr,

A distinct different can be made between the actions of John Hunt Morgan and those of Guerillas. Guerillas were organizations (more like a loose affiliation of individuals) that usually claimed a loyalty to a particular side but were not officially sanctioned by the government. These men were usually little more than opportunist, rapist, thieves, and murders. They were not controlled by the government or a military command. John Hunt Morgan was considered a raider. He acted under the orders of a higher military command and at the time of his death he fell under the Department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee.

For more background on Guerilla activities in Eastern Tennessee during the War Between the States please refer to the volumes below:

Mountain Rebels: East Tennessee Confederates and the Civil War, 1860-1870 by W. Todd Groce.

War at Every Door: Partisan Politics and Guerrilla Violence in East Tennessee, 1860-1869 by Noel C. Fisher

The Uncivil War: Irregular Warfare In The Upper South, 1861-1865 by Robert R. Mackey.

The classifications of meeting of Federals and Confederates at Sweetwater and Athens never rose above an Action or a Skirmish and the one at Fair Garden was an Engagement. Mossy Creek, near Dandridge, Tennessee, Jefferson County was fought on 29 December 1863 and classified as an Action. The threshold for the classification of a Battle is much higher (size, intensity, duration). Classifications are covered in the Official Records, however, I do not have access to a hard copy but only my digital copy at the moment. Off the top of my head these categories are an Affair, Skirmish, Engagement, Action, and Battle.

I hope this helps.

Respectfully,

Gerald D. Hodge, Jr.
War Between the States Historian
Historian: 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment
http://39thgavolinfrgt.homestead.com/39thHomepage.html