North Cavarly Field

The Battle of Hunterstown was a small cavalry batter fought July 2^nd 1863 as a part of the Gettysburg Campaign.

With the Union Army deployed facing the Confederate Army near Gettysburg they both had cavalry patrolling their flanks.  On July 2^nd 1863 Confederate Major General JEB Stuart finally rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia.  Stuart ordered General Wade Hampton’s brigade to cover the army’s left.  Hampton posted his men astride the Hunterstown Road about four miles northeast of Gettysburg protecting the Confederate Army from being flanked.  Union Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick moved two divisions commanded by Brigadier Generals George Armstrong Custer and Elon Farnsworth to far right of the Union army.  Their orders were to find the left flank of the Confederate line.

The two sides met on the Hunterstown Road and a battle started.  Hampton had his men posted a ridge and was ready to charge Custer.  Then Farnsworth arrived and Hampton held his men.  There opened a duel of artillery which lasted until dark, when Hampton drew off towards Gettysburg.

If you are interested in reading more check out The North Cavalry Field: Battle of Hunterstown

They Held The Field

The Battle of Lovejoy’s Station was fought in the Clayton County, Georgia area August 20^th 1864 and was a part of the Atlanta Campaign.

Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler’s cavalry was making raids in North Georgia and Tennessee, when Union Brigadier General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick made a raid on the Confederate supply lines.  Beginning on August 18^th 1864 the Union cavalry hit the Atlanta & West Point Railroad taking out a section of track.  Kilpatrick then moved through Jonesborough where they hit the supply depot on the Macon & Western Railroad burning supplies.

The Union cavalry reached Lovejoy’s Station on August 20^th 1864, and began destroying track and supplies.   Confederate Major General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne’s division marched into town engaging Kilpatrick’s cavalry.  The battle went on into the night, before the Union cavalry had to retreat to prevent being surrounded.  Each side lost about 250 men, but Lovejoy is thought to be a Confederate victory as they held the field when the fighting ended and had the railroad back running in two days.

A Surprise For Kilpatrick

The inconclusive Battle of Monroe’s Crossroads took place in the early morning hours of March 10th 1865.


Confederates under the command of Lieutenant General Wade Hampton and Major General Joseph Wheeler attacked the poorly guarded Union camp in the early morning hours of March 10th 1865. A select squad of troopers were supposed to capture cavalry commander Union Major General Judson Kilpatrick. At first the Union cavalry was routed, but they recovered and made a counterattack, forcing the Confederates back out of camp. Expecting re-enforcements of Union infantry, Hampton ordered his cavalry to disengage, and they withdrew to Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The Battle of Monroe’s Crossroads gave the Confederate infantry time to cross the Cape Fear River at Fayetteville, without Union interference. Once across the river the Confederates burned all the bridges.

A really must read web site for more about this subject is, 1st Alabama Cavalry; Monroe's Crossroads

Three Year Cavalry

The Union 5th Regiment of the Ohio Cavalry was mustered out on October 30th 1865.


Raised in seven southwestern Ohio counties the 5th Regiment Ohio Cavalry saw most its duty in the western theater with the Army of the Tennessee. The 5th Cavalry was a three year regiment formed under Colonel William H H Taylor. It was organized near Cincinnati Ohio at Camp Dick Corwin as the 2nd Ohio Cavalry between October 23rd and November 14th 1861. It became the 5th Ohio Cavalry in late November 1861. The 5th was sent to by boat down the Tennessee River in February 1862, and they took part in the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth. In 1863 the 5th served as guard for the Memphis and Charleston Railroad in support of Ulysses S Grant during the Siege of Vicksburg.

The 5th was attached to Major General Judson Kilpatrick’s command in 1864 and took part in Sherman’s March to the Sea. In early 1865 they were part of the campaigning in North and South Carolina. After the end of the Civil War the 5th remained on duty doing picket duty in North Carolina. The 5th was mustered out of service on October 30th 1865. During the war the regiment had 170 casualties.