Clean Out The Town

The Battle of Mile Hill a cavalry skirmish fought September 2^nd 1862 near Leesburg, Virginia was a set up to the start of the Maryland Campaign.

Following the Union defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run [Second Manassas], Confederate General Robert E Lee decided instead of pursuing his opponent into their fortifications near Washington he would turn and move into Loudoun County, reorganize and plan his invasion into Maryland.   At the time Loudoun was occupied by Union troops operating out of Harpers Ferry.  Lee ordered General J E B Stuart’s cavalry into Loudoun in advance of the army’s movement as a screen.

The 2^nd Virginia Cavalry under the command of Confederate Colonel Thomas T Munford was sent to secure the river crossings and town of Leesburg, Virginia.  On September 2^nd 1862 as Munford approached the town, he split his command sending a squadron commanded by Captain Jesse Irvine Jr directly into town, while the rest of the regiment moved toward Edward’s Ferry.  Irvine moved into town and ran into the Union Loudoun Rangers at the courthouse.  The Rangers fell back to the north end of town and the position being held by Cole’s Maryland Cavalry.  Cole’s men were fighting dismounted and began engaging Irvine.  About that time Munford’s command attacked the Union men from their rear, having flanked them from the river and approaching via Smart’s Mill Lane.  Cole had his command attempt to mount but may of the men were killed or wounded before they could get to their horses.

Those Union men who got to their horses briefly engaged Munford.  They retreated towards the Catoctin Mountains, reaching the road to Waterford and a gap in the mountain.  The Confederates chased Cole’s men for two miles.  The Union cavalry had 7 killed, 33 wounded and 15 captured, while the Confederates lost 2 killed and 5 wounded.

Killed By A Man He Shot

Confederate John W Mobley was killed April 5^th 1865 when he was ambushed by a group of Loudoun Rangers.

John W Mobley was born June 1^st 1844 near Neersville, Virginia.

Mobley enlisted September 15^th 1862 to fight the Civil War in Company A of the 35^th Virginia Battalion a cavalry unit known as White’s Comanches, from Hillsboro, Virginia.  The first major combat he was involved in was the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9^th 1863, where his horse was shot from under him.  Mobley was riding with Mosby’s Ranger during a skirmish at Waterford, Virginia on May 17^th 1864, in which he wounded one of the Loudoun Rangers, a Charles Stewart, shooting him in the face.  Then there was an attack on November 10^th 1864 on a supply wagon moving from Charles Town, and on November 19^th 1864 Mobley led the 35^th against some Union Dragoons in the central West Virginia area.  Working as a scout he led the advance on January 17^th 1865 in the George’s Schoolhouse Raid.

On April 5^th 1865 that same Loudon Ranger; Charles Stewart who Mobley had shot at Waterford the year before, along with a group of other Loudoun Rangers, ambushed Mobley.  He was killed just outside of Lovettsville, Virginia near Luther H Potterfield’s barn.

Take The Focus To Charlestown

The Battle of Charlestown fought October 18^th 1863 was a part of the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns.

General Robert E Lee sent Confederate Brigadier General John D Imboden’s cavalry on a raid into the Shenandoah Valley to attack the Union garrison at Charlestown, West Virginia.  Lee was hoping this would move some of the Union forces in his front.  Imboden got to Berryville on October 17^th 1863 where the Cavalry skirmished with a company of the Union 1^st New York Cavalry, driving them into Charlestown.  The Union Commander Colonel Benjamin L Simpson was inexperienced having been in service only 17 days, believed that Charlestown was not the target, and so choose not to move his small force to Harpers Ferry.

Imboden advanced at dawn on October 18^th 1863 driving the Union pickets in along the south of Charlestown.  The Union 9^th Maryland made a stand in the Jefferson County Courthouse, and left one company from the Loudoun Rangers Cavalry and the 6^th Michigan Cavalry to “take care of themselves”.  Imboden offered to negotiate a surrender with Simpson, but the Union General refused.  The Union Cavalry tried to fight their way out of Charlestown and head for Harpers Ferry, but northeast of town they ran into the Confederate 18^th Virginia Cavalry and the 62^nd Virginia Mounted.  The Union troopers found a weak spot in the Confederate right, cutting their way out.  The Cavalry lost 2 men killed, and 17 made prisoners.

Imboden still in Charlestown had his artillery brought up, and demanded the Union surrender a second time.  When Simpson turned him down again Imboden had the town shelled.  Under fire Simpson abandoned the courthouse and moved his men to a field near where the cavalry had fought.  Imboden had men in the woods facing the field, they fired and deadly volley into the Union soldiers.  Simpson finally surrendered.

The remains of the 6^th Michigan and Loudoun Rangers were joined by the 17^th Indiana Battery and Cole’s Maryland Cavalry from Harpers Ferry, arrived to reinforce the garrison, but were about 15 minutes to late.  There was a fierce fight throughout the afternoon, but they were not able to drive Imboden off.  Around 5 pm the 34^th Massachusetts Infantry arrived at the fight having marched 18 miles from Barrysville.  They attacked Imboden, who choose withdraw under the cover of darkness with his prisoners and supplies stolen from Charlestown.

Brother After Brother

The skirmish known as the Fight at Waterford took place August 27^th 1862 in the Waterford, Virginia area.

Union Captain Samuel C Means commanding the Loudoun Rangers; an independent force, moved on August 26^th 1862 into Waterford, Loudoun, Virginia to prepare a movement against Confederates in the area.  He stationed pickets on the six roads leading into town, placed Lieutenant Luther Slater in command before retiring.  Confederate Captain Elijah V White leading about 100 cavalry under supervision of Confederate General Richard S Ewell moved into the Loudoun County, Virginia area.  They learned of Means’ presence in the area.

With the help of locals in the early morning hours of August 27^th 1862 White’s men approached Waterford.  White split his force sending 30 men on horses down the road to draw the Union troops out, while another 20 on foot waited nearby to fire on Means’ soldiers if they took the bait.  White’s men opened fire early sending the Rangers into the Baptist Church, losing 1 killed and 2 wounded including Slater.  The Confederates laid a fire into the church, while some of the men went looking for Means, who had already escaped with some of the pickets.

After several hours of fighting and almost out of ammunition the Rangers in the church finally agreed to surrender as long as all the men would be paroled.  White who was also running short of ammo took the Union horses and paroled 19 of Means men found in the church.  It was during the surrender that William Snoot a member of White’s cavalry ran into church planning to kill his brother Charles Snoot who was fighting with the Loudoun Rangers.  He was disarmed before reaching his brother.

If you are interested in reading more, please look at The Fight at the Baptist Church, Waterford, 1862