The Commissary At Winchester

A major victory for Confederate Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson, the First Battle of Winchester was fought May 25^th 1862.

Union Major General Nathaniel P Banks learned on May 24^th 1862 that his garrison at Front Royal, Virginia had fell to the Confederates.  He also learned that Jackson was moving on his position.  Banks made a retreat from Strasburg, with columns being attacked at Middletown and Newtown.  The Confederates captured a great deal of supplies and wagons, so that they began calling Union General Banks, “Commissary Banks”.

Bank deployed at Winchester placing Union Colonel George Henry Gordon’s brigade on the right at Bower’s Hill with his left on the Valley Pike.  The center of the line was held with artillery and Cavalry.  Colonel Dudley Donnelly’s brigade on the Front Royal Pike covered the left with the rest of the artillery.  At first light Confederate skirmisher advanced and drove the Union pickets back into their lines.

During the night Confederate Major General Richard S Ewell advanced his division.  Jackson moved three of Ewell’s brigades to advance on Valley Pike, leaving just Isaac Trimble’s brigade.  At dawn on May 25^th 1862 Jackson had Trimble advance on the Union left flank.  Trimble’s lead regiment the 21^st North Carolina came under heavy fire, they regrouped and brought up artillery.  Ewell advanced, sending regiment around enfilading the Union position.  Donnelly withdrew back through the town.

As Ewell’s troops advanced on the Front Royal Pike, Jackson moved on the Valley Pike.  He sent a brigade over the hill to the left of the Pike driving the Union skirmishers in.  Jackson placed artillery and they began a duel with the Union guns on Bower’s Hill.  With more Confederate troops brought up, they flanked the Union right.  Although the Union troops put up a determined fight they gave way and retreated back into Winchester.

After being routed at Winchester, Banks made a retreat to the Potomac River, crossing it at Williamsport.  The Confederate pursuit was sluggish at best, as Jackson’s troops were worn from hard marching done the preceding week.

A part of Confederate Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign, the Battle of Front Royal was fought May 23^rd 1862.

Union Major General Nathaniel P Banks had about 9,000 troops in the area of Strasburg, Virginia on May 21^st 1862.  Union Colonel John R Kenly had another 1,000 soldiers at Front Royal, Virginia.  Confederate Major General Thomas J Jackson’s Army of the Valley totaling about 16,500 men was advancing along the Luray Road May 22^nd 1862, within ten miles of Front Royal.

On the morning May 23^rd 1862 Confederate Colonel Thomas L Flournoy’s cavalry crossed the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, approaching Front Royal from the south.  There was some minor skirmishing with Union pickets, who withdrew.  The leading Confederate brigade under Brigadier General Richard A Taylor deployed along Prospect Hill, with the 1^st Maryland and the Louisiana Tigers entering Front Royal and clearing it of Union skirmishers.  Kenly’s Union troops pulled back to Camp Hill and the support of a section of artillery.  Finding more Confederate Cavalry coming from the west Kenly retreated across the South and North Fork bridges, trying to burn them behind him.  The Confederate troops were able to put out the flames and make repairs to the bridges.  Flournoy’s cavalry continued to press the Union men.  Kenly continued his withdrawal fighting a rear guard action against the 6^th Virginia Cavalry.

Kenly withdrew to beyond Cedarville, Virginia with the Confederate Cavalry in pursuit.  Upon reaching the Thomas McKay House about a mile north of Cedarville, the Union troops made a stand deploying on the heights.  Flournoy’s Confederate Cavalry flanked the Union troops, Kenly was wounded.  The Union saw losses of 960 men of which 691 were captured or surrendered after Kenly’s wounding.  The Confederates lost only 56 men.

The advance on Front Royal allowed Jackson to get into the rear of the Union army and place his troops in position to move on Winchester, Virginia.