My Most Successful Exploits

The Battle of Cedar Mountain was fought August 9^th 1862.

Union Major General John Pope had a new army under his command, which he christened the Army of Virginia.  Pope moved on Culpeper Court House and Confederate General Robert E Lee sent the order to General Thomas J Jackson that he wanted “Pope to be suppressed.”

Jackson was outnumbered, but Pope helped him with the numbers, when he divided his troops along the Rapidan River.  Jackson moved on the part of Pope’s army that was near Culpeper.  Moving on the main road toward Culpeper in extreme heat on bad roads Jackson’s exhausted troops encountered Union cavalry near Cedar Run on August 9^th 1862.  Confederate Brigadier General Jubal A Early formed a line along the road, he anchored it on Cedar Mountain.  The Confederate artillery posted along the mountain, a small knoll known as the Cedars and near the Crittenden House beginning a duel with Union artillery on the Mitchell Station Road.  During the artillery bombardment Confederate Brigadier General Charles S Winder was mortally wounded.  Around 5pm Union Major General Nathaniel P Banks launched an attack on the Confederate line.  Union troops led by Union Brigadier General Samuel W Crawford attacked the Confederate left in what became hand to hand combat, while other Union troops under Brigadier General Christopher C Auger hit the other end of the line near the guns on the knoll.

The Confederate troops began to show signs of a rout, but Jackson road into the middle of his men and rallied the troops.  With Jackson holding his men in place and restoring order, Confederate General A P Hill arrived in time to strengthen the line and push the Union troops back across the field.  A battalion of the 1^st Pennsylvania Cavalry held the Confederate counterattack long enough so that most of the Union men could retreat.

Two days after this battle Jackson began his move to join up with Robert E Lee for what would lead up to Second Manassas.  Jackson said that the Battle of Cedar Mountain was “the most successful of his exploits.”

His Body Was Never Found

Confederate General Richard Brooke Garnett was killed while taking part in Pickett’s Charge on July 3^rd 1863.

Richard Brooke Garnett was born at Rose Hill the family’s estate in Essex County, Virginia November 21^st 1817, the son of William Henry and Anna Maria (Brooke) Garnett.  He attended the United State Military Academy at West Point with his cousin Robert Selden Garnett.  They graduated in 1841 ranking 29^th and 27^th out of 52 in the class.  Garnett received a commission to Second Lieutenant and served with the 6^th United State Infantry, seeing action in Florida, Fort Laramie, and with the Utah Expedition.  During the Mexican American war Garnett served as a staff officer in New Orleans.  He was serving in California with the rank of Captain when the Civil War began.  He resigned his commission May 17^th 1861.

Returning to Virginia Garnett offered his service to the Confederacy, first as a Major in the Artillery, and then as a Lieutenant Colonel in Cobb’s Legion.  On November 14^th 1861 he was promoted to Brigadier General and placed in command of the First Brigade of the Army of the Valley District.   It was in this position that Garnett ran afoul of Confederate General Thomas J "Stonewall" Jackson.  During the Battle of Kernstown finding his men outnumbered and running low on ammunition Garnett ordered a retreat.  Jackson accused him of disobeying orders and had him arrested for “neglect of duty” and removed from command.  Garnett’s court martial trail started in August 1862, but was suspended when the campaign including the Second Battle of Manassas started.  General Robert E Lee ordered that Garnett be released from arrest and he assigned Garnett a command in Lieutenant General James Longstreet’s Corps. He showed his abilities at the Battles of Antietam and Fredericksburg.

During the Gettysburg Campaign Garnett’s brigade was assigned to Confederate General George Pickett’s division and so did not get to the battlefield until late afternoon on July 2^nd 1863.  Garnett arrived on the battlefield with a fever and an injury from where his horse had kicked him in the leg.  When the form of what we now know as Pickett’s charge began to take place Garnett and his Brigade were to be in the front center, just to the left of Brigadier General James L Kemper men.  As Garnett was unable to walk he led his men on horseback.  He got to about 20 yard of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge before he was killed on July 3^rd 1863.  Garnett’s courier Private Robert H Irvine of the 19^th Virginia saw him fall.  Garnett’s body was never found and was most likely buried with his men in a mass grave in front of Cemetery Ridge.  His body is thought to have been removed to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia after the war with the other Confederate dead.

A Skirmish Over Hancock

The Battle of Hancock a part of Jackson’s Romney Expedition was fought January 5^th and 6^th 1862.

Confederate General Thomas J Jackson led his men on January 1^st 1862 from Winchester, Virginia to Bath, Virginia for an attack on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.  They arrived on the Potomac River on January 5^th 1862 across the river from the town of Hancock, Maryland.

There was a skirmish with the Union soldiers garrisoned in the town.  Jackson had artillery moved to Orrick’s Hill, and they opened fire on the town.  The garrison commander Union Brigadier General Frederick W Lander refused to surrender his position.  Jackson continued the bombing of Hancock for two days.

Jackson withdrew his men on January 7^th 1862 and they moved on to Romney, Virginia.

Covering The Retreat To Washington

The Battle of Ox Hill; also known as the Battle of Chantilly was an attempt by the Confederates to cut off the Union retreat following the their loss at Second Manassas, and was fought September 1^st 1862.

After losing at the Second Battle of Manassas on August 30^th 1862 Union Major General John Pope ordered his Army of Virginia to retreat.  By the next morning it was becoming clear that Pope had lost control of his army and was afraid that another attack by Lee would destroy the army and leave Washington, DC unprotected.  While Pope was trying to regroup his army, Confederate Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson began to move on Pope’s right flank.  Jackson was moving for Germantown, Virginia where Pope’s only two routes into Washington were located, but his men were worn out and were moving slowly.

During the night Pope learned of the Confederate force that was advancing on him.  He ordered the army to retreat from their location at Centerville to Washington.  Pope sent out troops from several Corps to cover the roads they would be using to retreat.  Jackson’s force reached Ox Hill near the Chantilly Plantation on the morning of September 1^st 1862 were Confederate Cavalry spent the morning skirmishing with Union infantry and cavalry.  About 3 pm Union Brigadier General Isaac Ingalls Stevens’ division arrived, and despite being outnumbered, attacked Confederate Brigadier General Alexander Robert Lawton’s division.  Although the Union troops were initially successful; routing Confederate Colonel Henry Strong’s Brigade, they were shortly driven back by a counterattack made by Confederate Brigadier General Jubal Anderson Early.  Stevens was killed during this attack.

About this time; around 5 pm, a thunderstorm hit the field limiting visibility and soaking ammunition.  Union Major General Philip Kearny arrived in the storm and deployed on Steven’s left, ordering an attack by Brigadier General David Bell Birney, which stalled in hand to hand fighting with men of Confederate Major General Ambrose Powell Hill’s division.  Kearny road into the Confederate lines and was killed as his other two brigades arrived on the field.  Using these last two brigades as rear guard Birney withdrew, bringing the battle to an end.  The Union Army withdrew during the night to Germantown and Fairfax Court House.

Holdong The Gap

Part of the Northern Virginia Campaign and a part of the set up to the Second Battle of Manassas, the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap was fought August 28^th 1862.  It is also known as the Battle of Chapman’s Mill.

Confederate Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson took his troops through Thoroughfare Gap on August 26^th 1862, on his way to raid the Union supply depot at Manassas Junction.  The next day Union Major General Irwin McDowell headed for Manassas in pursuit.  To protect his left flank he sent the 1^st New Jersey Cavalry and Brigadier General James B Ricketts’ Brigade towards Thoroughfare Gap.  Ricketts’ halted about 6 miles east of the Gap at Gainesville, Virginia, sending the Cavalry to occupy the Gap.  At the same time Confederate Major General James Longstreet’s Corps was following Jackson, coming toward the Gap from the West.

On the morning of August 28^th 1862 the 1^st New Jersey Cavalry encountered Longstreet’s lead troops while they were falling trees to block the road on the East side of the Gap.  Word was sent to Ricketts to bring up his troops, but he moved slowly, only making it as far as Haymarket still 3 miles from the Gap at 2 pm.  At that point Longstreet had pushed the Union Cavalry out of the Gap.

Longstreet moved his men to the high ground on either side of the Gap and then moved to outflank the Union position.  The 9^th Georgia Infantry part of Confederate Colonel George T Anderson brigade moved to Chapman’s Mill on the East side of the Gap and attacked the 11^th Pennsylvania. South of the Gap the 2^nd and 20^th Georgia met the 13^th Massachusetts and drove them back down the steep slopes.  Holding the Gap, Confederate Colonel Evander M Law’s Brigade moved against the Union right at the same time Confederate Brigadier General Cadmus M Wilcox took 3 Brigades North through Hopewell Gap to outflank the Union and hit them in the rear.  With the Union position becoming untenable Ricketts ordered the men to fall back to Gainesville, leaving the Gap before Wilcox got into position to cut him off.

This was a rather small action, but opened up the way for Longstreet to join his Corps with Jackson’s leading to the Union loss at the Second Battle of Manassas.

A Well Deserved Tribute

Confederate General Charles Sidney Winder was killed during the Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9^th 1862.

Charles Sidney Winder was born October 18^th 1829 Easton, Talbot, Maryland.  He attended St John’s College in Maryland before becoming a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1846.  He graduated in 1850 in the middle of the class, taking an appointment to 4^th United State Artillery.  He would see action in the Indian Wars while stationed in Washington Territory.

When the Civil War started Winder resigned from the United State Army and accepted an appointment to Captain on March 16^th 1861 in the Confederate Artillery.  He became the Colonel of the 6^th South Carolina Infantry July 8^th 1861.  Moving into the Shenandoah Valley with a promotion to Brigadier General on March 1^st 1862, he served under Confederate General Thomas J "Stonewall" Jackson.  Winder commanded the Fourth Brigade a part of Ambrose Powell Hill’s Division.

During the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9^th 1862, Winder’s men held the left flank of the Confederate line.  He was on the line directing the fire of the Rockbridge Artillery when he was hit by a shell in his left side, the shell nearly severed his left arm.  Winder was taken to the rear and would die a few hours later.  In death he was not left to rest, being buried first at Orange Court House, and then moved to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, before his family moved him again to the family cemetery at Wye House, Easton, Maryland.

Confederate General Robert E Lee wrote of Winder, “I can add nothing to the well-deserved tribute paid to the courage, capacity, and conspicuous merit of this lamented officer by General Jackson, in whose brilliant campaigns in the valley and on the Chickahominy he bore a distinguished part."

Before He Was The Stonewall

A part of the Manassas Campaign the Battle of Hoke’s Run or the Battle of Falling Waters as it is also known was fought July 2^nd 1861 in Berkeley County, Virginia by Confederate then Colonel Thomas J Jackson’s and Union General Robert Patterson’s forces.

Union General Robert Patterson’s division crossed the Potomac marching for Martinsburg, Virginia on July 2^nd 1861.  Two of his Brigades under the command of Colonel John Joseph Abercrombie and Colonel George Henry Thomas ran into some of Colonel Thomas J Jackson’s men near Hoke’s Run.  The Union troops slowly pushed Jackson’s men back.  Jackson’s orders were to delay any Union advances, which he accomplished in the face of Patterson’s much large force.

Patterson continued his move toward Martinsburg, occupying the city on July 3^rd 1861.  This small battle produced about 23 Union casualties and about 91 Confederate ones.

Another web site about this battle can be found at Falling Waters Battlefield Association

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.

Stonewall And Lee Called For Him

Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill, most commonly called AP Hill was born November 9th 1825.

Ambrose Powell “A. P.” Hill was born November 9th 1825 in Culpeper, Virginia. He graduated 15th out of 38 from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1847. He was appointed Second Lieutenant in the 1st US Artillery, and served in the Mexican American War. Hill married Kitty Morgan McClung a young widow in 1859, making him the brother-in-law of cavalry Confederate General John Hunt Morgan.

With the coming of the Civil War, Hill resigned his United States Army commission. He accepted an appointment of Colonel in the 13th Virginia Infantry. He showed talent on the field at the Battle of First Manassas. Hill was promoted to Major General following the Battle of Williamsburg. As a division commander in General Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, Hill’s men distinguished themselves at the Battles of Seven Days, Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run, Antietam and Fredericksburg. After the Battle of Chancellorsville, Hill took over command of Thomas J Stonewall Jackson’s corps in May 1863 following Jackson’s wounding. After Jackson’s death Hill received a promotion and command of the Third Corp, which he led for the first time at Gettysburg, although he was sick at the time with some unidentified illness.

Seven days before Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, on April 2nd 1865, Hill was shot and killed as he road the Petersburg line possibly by Union Corporal John W Mauck of the 138th Pennsylvania. He is buried in Richmond Virginia.

Jackson's Ordnance Officer

Alexander “Sandie” Swift Pendleton was born September 28th 1840 in Alexandria Virginia. He was the son of Minister and Confederate General William N and Anzolette Elizabeth [Page] Pendleton. He grew up in Maryland. Pendleton graduated in 1857 from Washington College were he first met Thomas J “Stonewall” Jackson. He was studying for a Master’s degree at the University of Virginia when the war started.

Pendleton received a commission of Second Lieutenant in the Provisional Army of Virginia. “Stonewall” Jackson, who was in command of the Confederate forces in Harpers Ferry had Pendleton assigned to his staff as an Ordnance officer. Pendleton would serve with Jackson until the General’s death after the Battle of Chancellorsville. Pendleton would continue with the Confederate Second Corps under General Richard S Ewell. General Jubal A Early took over command in 1864, and he promoted Pendleton to Lieutenant Colonel and chief of staff. During the Third Battle of Winchester on September 19th 1864 the Confederates were forces to retreat to Fisher’s Hill. When the Union force under Major General Philip H Sheridan attacked the hill on September 22nd 1864; Pendleton was mortally wounded. He was moved to the town of Woodstock, where he died on September 23rd 1864. He was buried near the battle field, but latter his body was exhumed and sent home to his family. He was reburied October 24th 1864 near “Stonewall” Jackson.

The Lost Orders

Special Order Number 191, written by Confederate General Robert E Lee on September 9th 1862, outlined plans for the Maryland Campaign. The Order detailed the dividing of his army, with Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson going to Harpers Ferry, Major General James Longstreet north to Boonsboro and the rest of the army to Hagerstown. Confederate Adjutant Robert H Chilton made copies of #191 for each commander and their subordinate commanders. One of the copies which was made for Major General Daniel Hill, was in some way left at the Best Farm in Frederick County Maryland.


Union Private Barton W Mitchell of the 27th Indiana found the Orders on September 13th 1862, in an envelope wrapped around a bunch of cigars. Giving the find to his superiors Orders #191 made its way into the hands of Union Major General George B McClellan. McClellan having the Confederate troop movements was reported to have said, "Here is a paper with which, if I cannot whip Bobby Lee, I will be willing to go home." The two armies would meet at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland, the bloodiest day of the war.

For further information about this subject check out this web site Special Order No 191

The Boy Major

“The Boy Major” Joseph White Latimer was born August 27th 1843 in Oak Ridge, Prince William, Virginia. He attended the Virginia Military Institute and studied artillery under Thomas J “Stonewall" Jackson. The Civil War broke out while Latimer was in his second year at VMI, and he left the school to serve with the Confederacy. His first service was with the Richmond Hampden Artillery. In the fall of 1861 he was commissioned as a First Lieutenant.


Latimer saw his first action during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862. He distinguished himself in the Battles of First Winchester and Cedar Mountain. He was placed in command of the battalion of AR Courtney, and was promoted to Major in March 1863, serving in Major Richard Snowden Andrew’s Battalion a part of Major General Edward “Allegheny” Johnson’s Division. Andrews was wounded at the Battle of Stephenson’s Depot and Latimer took over command of the Battalion for the Gettysburg Campaign.

On July 2nd 1863 during the Battle of Gettysburg, Latimer was commanding the artillery on Benner’s Hill. The Confederate guns were supporting an attack on Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill. His position was exposed to Union guns and the unit found themselves under heavy fire. Latimer began to have the guns removed from the hill and while directing fire from the remaining four guns, a shell exploded killing his horse and wounding his right arm. He was taken to the Daniel Lady Farm where his arm was amputated. He was moved from there to Winchester, and then to the home of ETH Warren in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as the Confederates retreated from Gettysburg. Latimer developed gangrene and died August 1st 1863. He is buried in the Woodbine Cemetery in Harrisonburg.

Only Independent Unit

The Virginia Military Institute was founded on November 11th 1839 on the site of Virginia state arsenal.

The Virginia Military Institute; VMI, the oldest state supported military college is located in Lexington Virginia. VMI has been referred to as the West Point of the south. VMI students known as cadets, are required to take ROTC, they are not however expected to serve in the military after graduation.

VMI was founded on November 11th 1839 on the site of the Lexington, Virginia state arsenal. The first superintendent was Major General Francis Henry Smith, and the first cadet was Private John Strange. In 1842 the school graduated sixteen cadets. Thomas J Stonewall Jackson became a professor at VMI in 1851 teaching Natural and Experimental Philosophy. Infantry and artillery units from VMI attended the execution of John Brown, providing security.

Upon the out break of the Civil War VMI cadets were called to serve the Confederate army during fourteen different battles. On May 15th 1864 at the Battle of New Market, VMI became only military school in the country to fight as an independent unit. The Confederate commanding General John C Breckinridge held the VMI cadets in reserve until the Union troops broke through lines. The VMI students held their line and eventually moved forward capturing Union artillery. Union forces under General David Hunter shelled the Institute on June 12th 1864 as part of the Valley campaign. The school was destroyed and class had to be held in Richmond, Virginia until after the end of war. VMI reopened on the Lexington campus on October 17th 1865.

The Un-repentant Rebel

Lieutenant General Jubal Anderson Early was born on November 3rd 1816, he established through his writings the Southern view of the Lost Cause.

Jubal Early was born in Franklin County Virginia November 3rd 1816, the son of Joab and Ruth (Hairston) Early. While he was a cadet at West Point he had a disagreement with Lewis Addison Armistead, causing Armistead to break a plate over Early’s head. Early graduated in 1837 from the Military Academy ranking 18th out of a class of 50. He served with the 3rd US Artillery against the Florida Seminoles, before resigning from the military in 1838. He became a lawyer and served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1841 to 1843.

Early politically was a Whig and he opposed secession at the Virginia Convention in April 1861. However, President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops to put down the rebellion angered Early, and he accepted a Confederate commission in the Virginia Militia. He was promoted after First Manassas to Brigadier General. General Robert E Lee valued Early’s aggressive fighting style and his capacity for independent command. Lee called him, his “Bad Old Man”. His soldiers named him “Old Jubilee”.

After being wounded in 1862 at Williamsburg, he returned to servce under the command of Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson. At Fredericksburg Early counterattacked Union General George Gorden Meade troops, plugging a gap in Jackson’s line, for this he was promoted to Major General. At Gettysburg he was in command of a division in Lieutenant General Richard S Ewell’s corp.

Early did not surrender, and he fled to Texas when the Army of Northern Virginia laid down their arms. He was hoping to find a Confederate force holding out there. He excapt to Mexico, and from there sailed to Cuba and finally to Canada. He wrote a memoir about his Valley Campaign while living in Toronto Canada. He was pardoned in 1868 and returned the Virginia where he resumed practicing law. Ever the un-repentant Rebel he strongly promoted the “Lost Cause” movement and was among those who maligned General James Longstreet’s actions at Gettysburg. Early died in 1894 after falling down stairs in Lynchburg Virginia, and is buried in the Spring Hill Cemetery.

Second Time

Union troops near the farm of John Brawner on August 28th 1862, bring on the Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas.

Confederate Major General Thomas J Stonewall Jackson observed the Union troop movements along the Warrenton Turnpike. The Union units were made up of the commands of Brigadier Generals Rufus King, John P Hatch, Abner Doubleday, Marsena R Patrick, and John Gibbon, and were marching east to join up with the rest of Union General John Pope’s army at Centreville.

Jackson was concerned that Pope would be able to link his army with McClellan’s behind the Bull Run. He decided his best course of action was to attack. Confederate artillery began shelling at about 6:30pm. Union General John Gibbon requested the veteran 2nd Wisconsin Infantry be brought up quietly to capture the Rebel guns. The 2nd, under the command of Colonel Edgar O’Connor advanced through the woods on John Brawner’s farm, moving uphill, where they deployed and drove some Confederate skirmishers back. The 2nd soon came up against the Stonewall Brigade, commanded by Colonel William S Baylor. For over two hours the two units exchanged fire at less than eighty yard distance from each other. The fighting ended about 9pm with Gibbon’s men still firing as they retreated back into the edge of the woods.

The Battle really had no winners. Losses where heavy on both sides. The Union had about 1,200 casualties and the Confederate saw about 1,250. It worked out that about 1 out of every 3 men engaged in the fight were shot. Jackson didn’t achieve an overall victory, but he did realize his strategic intent, of attracting General John Pope. The next day General Pope launched an attack on Jackson’s men along an unfinished railroad bed.