It was part of the Union campaign through Alabama and Georgia, known as Wilson's Raid, in the final full month of the Civil War.

Opposed by Confederate Lieutenant-General Nathan B. Forrest, Wilson skillfully continued his march and eventually defeated him in a running battle at Ebenezer Church, on April 1.

Although Selma was well-defended, the Union columns broke through the defenses at separate points forcing the Confederates to surrender the city, although many of the officers and men, including Forrest and Lieutenant-General Richard Taylor, escaped.

On March 30, 1865, General Wilson detached Brigadier-General John T. Croxton's brigade to destroy all Confederate property at Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

After capturing a Confederate courier who carried dispatches from Forrest describing the strength and disposition of his scattered forces, Wilson sent a brigade to destroy the bridge across the Cahaba River at Centreville.

[4] Early the next morning Forrest arrived at Selma, Alabama, a town of about 10,000 inhabitants,[5] "horse and rider covered in blood.

[7] The Confederates defending Selma consisted of Armstrong,[8] Roddey, and Crossland's brigades, Myrick's Artillery Battalion, Forrest's escort, and Alabama militia.

Wilson's plan was for Upton to send in a 300-man detachment after dark to cross the swamp on the Confederate right, enter the works, and begin a flanking movement toward the center moving along the line of fortifications.

At 5 p.m., however, the ammunition train in Wilson's rear was attacked by advance elements of Forrest's scattered forces who were moving toward Selma.

[10] Long's men attacked in a single rank in three main lines, dismounted and firing their 7-shot Spencer repeating rifles.

In less than 30 minutes, Long's men had captured the works protecting the Summerfield Road from the hopelessly outnumbered defenders.

The retreating Confederate forces, having reached the inner works, rallied and poured a devastating fire into the charging Union column.

Fighting there was heavy, but by 7 p.m. the superior numbers of Union troops had allowed them to flank the Southern positions, causing the defenders to abandon the depot as well as the inner line of works.

They then escaped in the darkness by swimming the Alabama River near the mouth of Valley Creek (where the present-day Battle of Selma Reenactment is held.)