See The Sites
First Battle of Hagerstown
Hagerstown, MD 21740At the July 6, 1863 First Battle of Hagerstown, Confederates forces holding the town beat back Union cavalry attempting to attack the Confederate wagon train retreating from Gettysburg.
At the July 6, 1863 First Battle of Hagerstown the Union Third Cavalry Division, commanded by Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, attacked Confederate cavalry holding Hagerstown, Maryland and protecting its wagon train retreating from Gettysburg to the Potomac River. Approaching from the south, Kilpatrick’s horsemen charged into town and drove the Confederate defenders back to the town square. Three batteries of Confederate horse artillery opened fire, driving the Union cavalry back. Kilpatrick’s artillery responded in kind. A series of charges and counter charges took place, and at times the fighting was conducted dismounted and hand-to-hand. Local citizens joined in the fighting on both sides. When the Confederates deployed Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson’s infantry brigade, it turned the tide of battle. Setting up an ambush, it fired volleys into Kilpatrick’s unsuspecting troopers, inflicting casualties and causing them to pull back after six hours of fighting.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Civil War Trails marker:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=6533
Battle of Smithsburg
Smithsburg, MD 21783At the Battle of Smithsburg, Confederate cavalry took possession of the town from Union cavalry, which helped shield the Confederate wagon train retreating from Gettysburg.
At the July 5, 1863 Battle of Smithsburg, in the late afternoon Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart led two cavalry brigades down South Mountain through Raven Rock Pass and approached Smithsburg. Early in the day the town had been occupied by Union Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick’s Third Cavalry Division. Kilpatrick had placed his three cavalry brigades facing toward the pass, expecting any Confederate movement would be from that direction. Dismounted cavalry from both sides skirmished in the mountain crags east of Smithburg before the Confederates emerged from the mountains. Artillery from both sides opened as well. In the early evening, as one of the Confederate brigades began to turn the left flank of the Union position, Kilpatrick ordered a general retreat and withdrew toward Boonsboro. Stuart’s command then moved in and occupied the town.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005
Civil War Trails marker:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=2000
Other markers:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=1997
Second Battle of Hagerstown
Hagerstown, MD 21742At the July 12, 1863 Second Battle of Hagerstown, Union Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer’s Michigan cavalry brigade took possession of the town from the Confederates.
On July 12, 1863 the Union Third Cavalry Division commanded by Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick approached Hagerstown, Maryland in support of an infantry division from the Eleventh Corps. After charging and capturing nearly the entire Confederate picket line on the outskirts of town, Kilpatrick ordered Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer’s brigade of Michigan cavalry to charge into Hagerstown. He did so, skirting barricades, and took possession of the town. In all, about 500 Confederates were taken prisoner. Some Union soldiers who had been hiding in the homes of local citizens since the July 6 First Battle of Hagerstown emerged and rejoined the Union army. The Union occupation of Hagerstown forced the Confederate army back to their prepared defenses around Williamsport, Maryland as it prepared to cross the rain-swollen Potomac on its retreat from Gettysburg.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Civil War Trails marker:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=6534
First Battle of Funkstown
Funkstown, MD 21734
At the July 7, 1863 First Battle of Funkstown, Union and Confederate cavalry clashed on the outskirts of town, with the southern horsemen chasing off a Union reconnaissance.
The July 7, 1863 First Battle of Funkstown began when the Union Sixth U.S. Cavalry Regiment of Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt’s Reserve Brigade scouted along the National Road toward Funkstown,Maryland. It encountered the pickets of the Confederate Seventh Virginia Cavalry from Brig. Gen. William E. “Grumble” Jones’s brigade. The southern cavalry was protecting the Confederate line of retreat from Gettysburg through Hagerstown. After an initial volley, the Confederates charged the Union horsemen and drove them back. A running skirmish ensued for over a mile, as the Union horse soldiers initially executed an orderly retreat. A narrow bridge over a stream bottled up the U.S. cavalry, however, and the southern horsemen fell upon them and inflicted heavy losses. As the Confederates advanced near the Union First Cavalry Division’s main camp, they fired a volley, but in turn were charged by fresh regiments from the encampment. The new Union horsemen took a number of prisoners from among the Confederates whose mounts had tired and given out. The Confederates retreated back to their original lines and were reinforced, at which point the Union troopers gave up the pursuit.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Second Battle of Funkstown
Funkstown, MD 21734
At the July 10, 1863 Second Battle of Funkstown, Confederates forces resisted a Union assault on its positions near Funkstown,Maryland before withdrawing after dark.
The July 10, 1863 Second Battle of Funkstown began when Union First Cavalry Division commander Brig. Gen. John Buford dismounted the horsemen from his three brigades and advanced from near Boonsboro toward Funkstown, Maryland. Initial contact with southern cavalry occurred near Beaver Creek, with the Confederate pickets falling back toward Funkstown where Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart commanded the forces in and around the town. Accurate artillery fire and the advance of Buford’s brigades caused the southern lines to waver. Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet forwarded two infantry brigades and a battery to shore up Stuart’s lines, which formed a semi-circle north and east of Funkstown. Union infantry, in turn, came to Buford’s support. In the day-long battle, Stuart held his ground and fought off the Union assault, which allowed Confederate General Robert E. Lee further time to prepare his defenses and consolidate his position at Williamsport during the retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia from Gettysburg. After dusk, Stuart withdrew from Funkstown to the west side of Antietam Creek.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Civil War Trails marker:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=1158
Other markers:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=388
Battle of Williamsport
Williamsport, MD 21795At the July 6, 1863 Battle of Williamsport, Confederate forces holding the town held off a Union cavalry attack, which kept open General Lee’s line of retreat from Gettysburg.
Confederate Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden commanded the wagon train of wounded that retreated from Gettysburg to Williamsport,Maryland. Upon his arrival in the latter town on July 5, Imboden found the rain-swollen river too high for fording. OnJuly 6, 1863two Union cavalry divisions were advancing toward Williamsport. Imboden had limited cavalry, however, and infantry support was still miles away. To resist the assault, Imboden quickly raised a scratch force of about 700 teamsters and organized them into companies under the command of wounded officers and officers serving as commissaries and quartermasters. He also used the walking wounded to bolster his force. In the late afternoon the Union First Cavalry Division began probing the Confederate position from the east. Imboden deftly shifted troops from secure portions of his defensive line to threatened portions. Late in the day the cavalry brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee came to Imboden’s support and attacked the Union cavalry, which caused it to break off the engagement. Imboden’s improvisation and vigorous defense of Williamsport saved about 4,000 wagons and 10,000 head of livestock from Union cavalry, and kept open General Robert E. Lee’s line of retreat from Gettysburg.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Steve French, Imboden’s Brigade in the Gettysburg Campaign, 2008.
Civil War Trails marker:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=2002
Battle of Boonsboro
Boonsboro, MD 21713The July 8, 1863 Battle of Boonsboro during the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg was the largest cavalry battle fought on Maryland soil during the Civil War.
On the morning of July 8, 1863 Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart advanced five brigades of cavalry from the vicinity of Williamsport and Funkstown toward Boonsboro to locate and engage Union cavalry that threatened General Robert E. Lee’s line of retreat from Gettysburg. The opposing sides first clashed at the Beaver Creek bridge northwest of Boonsboro, with the Confederates pushing the Union horsemen back to the outskirts of town. The ground was so soft from recent rain that most of the battle was fought by dismounted cavalry. After repeated Confederate assaults upon the Union defensive line, it was on the verge of breaking when infantry support arrived in the evening to shore up Union lines. The Union forces counterattacked and drove the Confederates back behind Beaver Creek. Although the battle was largely a stalemate, Stuart’s attack had tied up two divisions of Union cavalry and prevented it from posing a threat to the retreating Confederates columns. The battle, which lasted from late morning to dusk, was the largest cavalry battle fought on Maryland soil during the entire war.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005. Civil War Sites Advisory Commission’ Battle Summary :http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/md006.htm
Civil War Trails marker:http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=1630
Other markers: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=7008
Second Battle of Falling Waters
Downsville, MDAt the July 14, 1863 Second Battle of Falling Waters, Union cavalry attacked the rear guard of the Confederate army as it retreated across its pontoon bridge at Falling Waters.
At the July 14, 1863 Second Battle of Falling Waters, Union cavalry commanded by Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick made an impetuous attack on the Confederate rear guard protecting a pontoon bridge over the Potomac opposite Falling Waters, West Virginia. Two companies initially charged several brigades of Confederate infantry protected by earthworks. Badly outnumbered, the force suffered heavy casualties. As other Union cavalrymen came forward, they joined the fighting which surged back and forth, and which at times was conducted hand-to-hand. As the Confederates continued to retreat across the pontoon bridge, Union horsemen captured several hundred prisoners. Kilpatrick failed to coordinate his assault with that of Brig. Gen. John Buford, who was maneuvering his division to a position from which he planned to attack the rear of the Confederate position.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Battle of Cunningham’s Crossroads (Battle of Cearfoss)
Hagerstown, MD 21740-1136At the July 5, 1861 Battle of Cunningham’s Crossroads, a small force of Union cavalry attacked the Confederate wagon train of wounded retreating fromGettysburg.
On July 5, 1861a force of about 200 Unioncavalrymen commanded by Capt Abram Jones attacked the Confederate wagon train of wounded, commanded by Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden, retreating from Gettysburg to Williamsport, Maryland. Using a parallel ridgeline to conceal his force, Jones’ men charged a vulnerable portion of the train and caught the Confederates by surprise. His men captured 134 wagons, over 600 horses and mules and 2 artillery pieces, and took 645 prisoners. Jones drove the captured material, livestock and prisoners to safety in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005. Steve French, Imboden’s Brigade in the Gettysburg Campaign, 2008.
Battle of Hancock (Bombardment of Hancock)
Hancock, MD 21750At the January 5–6, 1862 Battle of Hancock, the Confederates under Stonewall Jackson bombarded Hancock,Maryland when his demand for its surrender was refused.
After capturing Bath(Modern-day Berkeley Springs,WV),Virginia on January 4, 1862, in the evening Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson ordered a few artillery rounds to be fired into Hancock in retaliation, he stated, for Union shelling of Shepherdstown,Virginia. The next day Jackson demanded the surrender of Hancock,Maryland under the threat of further bombardment. Union Brig. Gen. Frederick W. Lander, commanding the Union forces in Hancock, refused the request. After giving two hours notice for local citizens to depart, in the afternoon the bombardment began and continued until dark. Union artillery responded in kind. The following day Jackson resumed the bombardment around noon. In the late afternoon he attempted to cross the Potomac at Sir John’s Run, but abandoned the effort. The next day Jackson withdrew from the river.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
http://www.hancockmd.com/HancockMDHistory.pdf Thomas M. Rankin, Stonewall Jackson’s Romney Campaign, January 1–February 20, 1862, 1994. John H. Nelson, “Bombard and be Damned”: The Effects of Jackson’s Valley Campaign on Hancock, Maryland, and Fulton County Pennsylvania, 1997. Civil War Sites Advisory Commission’ Battle Summary:http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/md001.htm
Civil War Trails marker:http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=832
Other markers: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=739
First Battle of Hagerstown
Hagerstown, MD 21740At the July 6, 1863 First Battle of Hagerstown, Confederates forces holding the town beat back Union cavalry attempting to attack the Confederate wagon train retreating from Gettysburg.
At the July 6, 1863 First Battle of Hagerstown the Union Third Cavalry Division, commanded by Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, attacked Confederate cavalry holding Hagerstown, Maryland and protecting its wagon train retreating from Gettysburg to the Potomac River. Approaching from the south, Kilpatrick’s horsemen charged into town and drove the Confederate defenders back to the town square. Three batteries of Confederate horse artillery opened fire, driving the Union cavalry back. Kilpatrick’s artillery responded in kind. A series of charges and counter charges took place, and at times the fighting was conducted dismounted and hand-to-hand. Local citizens joined in the fighting on both sides. When the Confederates deployed Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson’s infantry brigade, it turned the tide of battle. Setting up an ambush, it fired volleys into Kilpatrick’s unsuspecting troopers, inflicting casualties and causing them to pull back after six hours of fighting.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Civil War Trails marker:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=6533
Battle of Smithsburg
Smithsburg, MD 21783At the Battle of Smithsburg, Confederate cavalry took possession of the town from Union cavalry, which helped shield the Confederate wagon train retreating from Gettysburg.
At the July 5, 1863 Battle of Smithsburg, in the late afternoon Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart led two cavalry brigades down South Mountain through Raven Rock Pass and approached Smithsburg. Early in the day the town had been occupied by Union Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick’s Third Cavalry Division. Kilpatrick had placed his three cavalry brigades facing toward the pass, expecting any Confederate movement would be from that direction. Dismounted cavalry from both sides skirmished in the mountain crags east of Smithburg before the Confederates emerged from the mountains. Artillery from both sides opened as well. In the early evening, as one of the Confederate brigades began to turn the left flank of the Union position, Kilpatrick ordered a general retreat and withdrew toward Boonsboro. Stuart’s command then moved in and occupied the town.
See these sources and websites for additional information:
Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent, One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863, 2008.
Kent Masterson Brown, Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign, 2005.
Civil War Trails marker:
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=2000
Other markers:
