The Final Fight

The Battle of Appomattox Court House, the final engagement for the Confederate General Robert E Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, was fought April 9^th 1865.

Confederate Major General John B Gordon’s Corps and General Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry formed at Appomattox Court House and attacked Union General Philip H Sheridan’s cavalry at dawn on April 9^th 1865, pushing the first line, commanded by Union Brigadier General Charles H Smith back.  Hitting the second line of Union cavalry commanded by Brigadier General George Crook slowed Gordon’s advance.  The Confederate continued their advance and reached the crest, where they found the entire Union V Corps in line.  The Confederate cavalry seeing the Union force withdrew and moved off toward Lynchburg, Virginia.  Union General Edward O C Ord’s soldiers advanced on Gordon’s men, as the Union II Corps started a movement to the northeast on Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet Corps.

It was at this point, with Lee’s army surrounded on three sides, that one of Lee’s staff; Colonel Charles Venable rode in for an appraisal of the situation.  Gordon told him to "tell General Lee I have fought my corps to a frazzle, and I fear I can do nothing unless I am heavily supported by Longstreet's corps."  It was upon receiving this news that Robert E Lee said, "Then there is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant and I would rather die a thousand deaths."  Lee rode out with three of his aides shortly after to meet with Union General Ulysses S Grant to arrange for surrender.  This last action at Appomattox Court House caused the Union 260 and the Confederates 440 more casualties.

A Mounted Attack With Sabers Drawn

A part of the Appomattox Campaign, the Battle of Amelia Springs was fought April 5^th 1865.

A force of Confederate cavalry under the overall command of Major General Fitzhugh Lee, and made up of the units of Brigadier Generals Martin Gary and Thomas T Munford, and Major General Thomas L Rosser attacked a brigade of Union cavalry on April 5^th 1865.  The Union brigade was led by Brigadier General Henry E Davies, and was returning from scouting mission, where they burned Confederate supply wagons near Paineville, Virginia.  With the two cavalry units meeting up close to Painesville a running fight began continuing through Amelia Springs, Virginia and almost reaching Jetersville, Virginia.  The attacks were made in a mounted combat style with drawn sabers.  Jetersville is about 6 miles from where Confederate General Robert R Lee’s troops were concentrating.

When Davies’ troops closed in on Jetersville they were able to rejoin with other Union forces.  The Confederates gave up the chase and returned to Amelia Springs.  Total casualties were about 250, with the Union reporting about 158 total casualties, with about 30 killed.

There was also a fight that night between two Union divisions commanded by Brigadier General Nelson A Miles and Major General Gershom against the Confederate rear guard near Amelia Springs commanded by Major General John B Gordon.  The Confederates held off the Union attack and Lee’s army continued their march.

A Circular Ride

In the early morning hours of June 12^th 1862 Confederate General J E B Stuart left with 1,000 cavalry to make a circular ride clean around the Union army.

Union General George B McClellan began the Peninsula Campaign in the spring of 1862, moving slowly against Richmond, Virginia.  On May 31^st 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines, Confederate General Joseph Johnston was wounded and replaced by General Robert E Lee.

Lee had JEB Stuart put together his cavalry on June 10^th 1862 to reconnoiter the Union right flank.  The ostentatious Stuart proposed a complete ride around the Union Army starting toward the Lower Peninsula near the York River, returning to the Richmond area along the James River.  Lee gave Stuart an unspecific order, telling him the exercise “due caution”.  At 2 am on June 12^th 1862 about 1,000 of Stuart’s troopers mounted up and started north for the right flank of the Union army.  He picked up another 200 cavalry outside of Richmond, including Confederate Colonel Fitzhugh Lee and Lieutenant Colonel William H F Rooney Lee.

That first day the Confederate cavalry moved as if they were going to support of General Thomas Stonewall Jackson’s approach to Richmond.  They bivouacked that night on the bank of the South Anna River.  The next morning they ran into the Union 6^th Cavalry just west of the Hanover Court House.  Stuart tried to flank them, and the Union commander Lieutenant Edward Leib withdrew down the Richmond Stage Road.  The Confederates continued on, trying to stop a train a Tunstall’s Station.  Stuart ran into trouble crossing the rain swelled Chickahominy River, and had to rebuild the bridge at Forge Site.  They crossed the river and then re-burnt the bridge.

On June 14^th 1862 Stuart left his force under the command of Fitzhugh Lee and he continued to Richmond to meet with Robert E Lee to report on his 100 mile reconnaissance.  At about the same time Stuart was reporting his findings to Lee, Union General McClellan reported to Secretary of War Edwin M Stanton that, “A rebel force of cavalry and artillery, variously estimated at from 1,000 to 5,000, came around our right flank last evening, attacked and drove in a picket guard...at Old Church; they proceeded to a landing 3 miles above White House, where they burned two forage schooners and destroyed some wagons. Then they struck the railroad at Tunstall’s Station, fired into a train of cars, killing some 5 or 6. Here they met a force of infantry which I sent down to meet them, when they ran off. I have several cavalry detachments out after them and hope to punish them. No damage has been done to the railroad.”

If you’re interested in reading more about Stuart’s ride J. E. B. Stuart's Ride Around The Union Army is a good web site.

Off To The Races

The Battle of Buckland Mill was a cavalry fight between Union Brigadier General H Judson Kilpatrick and Confederate Major General JEB Stuart, fought October 19^th 1863.

Following the Confederate defeat at Bristoe, Confederate Major General JEB Stuart with a cavalry division under Major General Wade Hampton, were covering General Robert E Lee’s retreat from the Manassas Junction area.  The Confederate cavalry was in the Buckland Mills area.  They were being pursued along the Warrenton Turnpike by Union Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick.  On October 19^th 1863 the Union troops were ambushed when Stuart turned on the Union cavalry, while Confederate Major General Fitzhugh Lee charged into the Union flank.  Kilpatrick’s men were overwhelmed, and they bolted to Haymarket five miles away.  The Confederate commanders said it was like a fox hunt and called the Battle, “The Buckland Races”.

Muddy Roads Again

The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House was fought on March 31st 1865 as part of the Appomattox Campaign.

Major General Philip H Sheridan on March 29th 1865 with his Cavalry and the Second and Fifth Corps started a march to out flank General Robert E Lee’s defenses at Petersburg. Their advance was slowed by muddy roads.

On March 31st 1865 the Confederate Cavalry of Major General W H Fitzhugh Rooney Lee and Infantry of Major General George Pickett connected with the Union vanguard to the north of Dinwiddie Court House. Driving the Union troops back, they formed a tight line around the village. Union reinforcements coming from the east caused Pickett to withdraw his soldiers, and set up a new line at the junction of Five Forks, which Lee ordered him to hold at all cost.

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

Fitz

Fitzhugh Lee; Robert E Lee’s nephew, died on April 28th 1905.

Fitzhugh Lee was born November 19th 1835 at Clermont in Fairfax County Virginia the son of Sydney Smith Lee.  He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he came close to being expelled by his famous uncle.  He graduated in 1856.

In 1861 Lee was serving as an instructor at West Point, but with the start of the Civil War he resigned his United States commision and became a First Lieutenant in the Confederate Army, serving as a staff officer in the Peninsula campaign. He would become one of the youngest cavalry commanders at 27 during the war serving as General Robert E Lee’s chief of cavalry corp.

After the Civil War was over Fitzhugh became a farmer in Stafford Co, Virginia, elected governor of Virginia, and accepted an appointment from President Grover Cleveland as consul general in Havana, Cuba. He was one of only three ex-Confederate generals to serve as a Major General with the United States Volunteer Army during the Spanish-American War.

He died in Washington, DC on April 28th 1905.

Union Cavalry Show They Can

The winter of 1863 saw both Armies settled into camps on opposite sides of the Rappahannock River. There were several small skirmishes, but on March 17th 1863 an important cavalry raid at Kelly’s Ford broke out.

The Battle of Kelly’s Ford was the first chance the Union Cavalry had to bring together a large force. Union Brigadier General William Averell received orders in early March to leave the Army of the Potomac. He was to take his men west and cross the Rappahannock River at Kelly’s Ford, expecting to engage the Confederates ten miles west of the ford at Culpeper. On March 16th about 3,000 Cavalry with a battery of six cannon, started out. Worring about a flanking move on his right, Averell sent about 900 of his men north of Kelly’s Ford to Catlett Station.

Confederate Cavalry Commander Fitzhugh Lee soon learned of Averell’s movements, and reinforced the twenty Confederates guarding Kelly’s Ford. The rest of Lee’s command, along with Captain James Breathed’s four cannon battery were stationed in Culpeper. The Confederate defenders at Kelly’s Ford, numbering about 85, from the 2nd and 4th Virginia, block the ford on both sides of the river with felled trees.

On the morning of March 17th 1863 the Union troops tried three times to cross the ford. For two hours they tried to remove the trees. Averell believed his opponent would attach, decided to rest his men, and withdrew about a mile behind a stone wall. This gave Fitzhugh Lee, along with General Jeb Stuart the chance to move forward. Lee ordered the 3rd Virginia to charge the stone wall. Finding a gap in the wall the Virginian’s tried to cut the Union men off from the ford. However on the Union left Colonel Alfred Duffie moved a brigade forward, trying to bait the Rebels into charging. When the Confederates were about seventy-five yard away, Duffie ordered the 1st Rhode Island forward striking the Confederates on both flanks.

Fitzhugh Lee pulled his men back about a mile to near Dean’s Shop. As the Union approached, Lee’s Cavalry charged, however the attack was quickly put down. Averell’s counter attack was feeble, and fearing he was facing a large force of the enemy, he withdrew.

The Battle of Kelly’s Ford was a victory for the Confederates, but it cost them 146 men wounded, killed or missing. The Union loss only 85. Although Averell failed in reaching his objective, the Union Cavalry showed that they would fight.

Staying Out of Sight

J.E.B. Stuart finding himself cut off by retreating Federal troops on October 13, 1863, hid in a ravine until the Union soldiers moved on.

After Gettysburg the Confederate army retreated behind the Rapidan River. The Union advanced steadily. On October 13, 1863 Gen JEB Stuart along with Gen Fitzhugh Lee [nephew of Gen Robert E Lee] and Gen Lunsford Lindsay Lomax’s Brigade had a run in with the rearguard of the Federal 3rd Corps near Auburn,VA. They concealed themselves in a wooded ravine, until the Union force had pasted.