The Northern Most

General Ewell

A little known part of the Gettysburg Campaign, the Skirmish of Sporting Hill took place June 30th 1863 near Hampden, Pennsylvania.


Confederate Lieutenant General Richard S Ewell led two divisions and a cavalry brigade into Pennsylvania in June 1863. He was moving on Harrisburg, Pennsylvania the state capital. As Ewell’s troops moved slowly north, Union Major General Darius N Couch sent troops to Camp Hill about two miles west of Harrisburg. Men hired by Couch erected fortification on the western side of Camp Hill.

Confederate Brigadier General Albert Gallatin Jenkins’ cavalry skirmished with the 22nd and 37th New York at Sporting Hill on June 30th 1863. The Confederate cavalry used the McCormick House for cover. The cavalry tried to cross the Carlisle Pike but were outflanked by Union soldiers. Union soldiers began firing on the McCormick barn with two cannons, smashing in the wooden building, and sending about 50 Confederate cavalry out to their horses. The soldiers withdrew toward Carlisle where they joined back up with Ewell’s troops for the march into Gettysburg.

A very good web site for more information about this battle is Gettysburg Campaign [Sporting Hill]