A Corps For Washington

The Twenty-second Union Army Corps was created on February 2^nd 1863.

Created on February 2^nd 1863 the Union Army XXII Corps, made up of the Military District of Washington, and consisted of all troops garrisoned in Washington, DC.  It included H Judson Kilpatrick’s Cavalry and three divisions of infantry.  The XXII was under the command of Union Brigadier General James S Wadsworth.  Its area of posting ran from Piscataway Creek, to Annapolis Junction, to the Monocacy River, south to the Bull Run Mountains and back by way of the Occoquan River.  This area would expand by the end of the war to include Maryland and Virginia.

The XXII Corps held the defense of Washington, DC when Confederate General Jubal Anderson Early made his raid on the city in 1864.  During the defense of Fort Stevens on July 11^th 1864 as part of Early’s raid the XXII lost 73 men killed or wounded.

Victory Or Withdrawal

The first major battle of the Peninsula Campaign fought on May 5th 1862 was the Battle of Williamsburg.

The Battle of Williamsburg or the Battle of Fort Magruder, was part of the Peninsula Campaign and took place on May 5th 1862. There were about 41,000 Union troops and 32,000 Confederates engaged. The Confederates were in retreat from Yorktown when a Union division commanded by Major General Joseph Hooker ran into their rear near Williamsburg. Confederate General Joseph E Johnston on May 4th 1862 established his rear position in earthen fortifications built by Major General John Bankhead Magruder, which overlooked the junction of two roads.

Hooker conducted a morning attack on May 5th 1862 against Fort Magruder, but was forced back. They were driven by a strong assaults lead by General James Longstreet. In time a division under Brigadier General Philip Kearny arrived to support the Union position and the Confederates fell back to their defenses. While this was going on Brigadier General Winfield Scott Hancock had marched his brigade in behind the Confederate left flank. Longstreet sent Major General D H Hill and Brigadier General Jubal A Early to try to flank Hancock’s men, but they were misdirected and this resulted in great loss.

Having delayed the Union advance, the Confederates left the redoubts during the night and continued their withdrawal toward Richmond. Although the Union claimed a victory, the Confederates saw the battle as a delaying maneuver allowing them to continue their withdrawal. The Union saw losses of 2,283 and the Confederates lost 1,682.

A Day At The Races

The Battle of Tom’s Brook fought on October 9th 1864 was also known as The Woodstock Races for the speed at which the Confederate retreated from General Philip Sheridan’s Calvary.

Following a victory at Fisher’s Hill, Major General Philip H Sheridan chased Confederate General Jubal A Early’s troops through the Shenandoah Valley to near Staunton. Sheridan began pulling back north toward Cedar Creek on October 6th 1864, and had his cavalry destroy anything that could be used by the Confederacy, including barns and mills. Early was reinforced by General Joseph Kershaw division. Confederate General Thomas L Rosser took over command of Major General Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry. The Confederates harassed the Union soldiers as they retreated killing a number of them.

On October 9th 1864 the Union army turned on its Rebel hunters, routing two divisions at Tom’s Brook. The Union energetically chased the Confederates through the County seat of Woodstock, causing this battle to be jokingly called The Woodstock Races.. The victory in this Battle gave the Union an overpowering control of the Shenandoah Valley.

Another web site with more information about this battle The Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley, Battle of Toms Brook