Covering The River Crossing

The Battle of Cool Spring was fought July 17^th and 18^th 1864 in Clarke County, Virginia as a part of the 1864 Valley Campaigns.

As Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Anderson Early’s withdrew from Washington, DC following the Battle of Fort Stevens, they were pursued by Union troops commanded by Major General Horatio G Wright.  On July 15^th 1864 as the two armies moved up the Valley, the Union troops were reinforced by parts of Brigadier General George Crook’s force.  There were a couple of skirmishes on July 16^th 1864, before Early crossed the mountain at Snickers Gap.

Early left a part of his force covering the rear of the army, at the main Shenandoah River crossing at Castleman’s Ferry.  On July 17^th 1864 Union cavalry moved through Snicker’s Gap but were held up by the Confederate force there.

The next day July 18^th 1864 Union Generals Crook and Wright arrived at Snicker’s Gap and decided to attack what they thought was Confederate skirmish line.  Wright wanted a small force to cross the river a short ways downstream and flank the Confederates at Castleman’s Ferry; he assigned Colonel Joseph Thoburn the job.  The Confederates were alert to the movement and this allowed Confederate Major General John B Gordon to move troops unseen to the Ford.  Confederate General John C Breckinridge backed him with more troops deployed on the left flank.  Around 6pm the Confederates attacked along the exposed Union left flank, and the cavalry fighting un-mounted collapsed.  The Confederates then ran up against a Union reserve line which was able to push them back to the river.  After some spirited skirmishing along the river, Thoburn withdrew his troops from the river.

We Scared Abe

A part of Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Anderson Early’s  Valley Campaign, on July 11^th and 12^th 1864 the Battle of Fort Stevens was fought just outside of Washington, DC with President Abraham Lincoln watching.

Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal A Early’s troops arrived on the outskirts of Washington, DC near Sliver Springs on July 11^th 1864.  His men had been on the march since June 13^th 1864.  He sent out a skirmish line about 3 pm to feel out the Union fortifications in his front.  The Fort was being held by Union soldiers who has been convalescing in Washington hospitals, clerks and Home Guard under the command of Union Brigadier General Martin D Hardin.  The Union VI Corps arrived in the city during the night by transport ships.

On the morning of July 12^th 1864 Early had his men in position, but was repulsed by the Veteran Union troops.  That afternoon the VI Corps drove the Confederates from their position in front of Fort Stevens and Fort DeRussy.  President Lincoln was at Fort Stevens watching the battle.  Early withdrew his troop that night giving up any thought of moving on Washington, DC.  Early said of the invasion, “We didn’t take Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like Hell.”