The American Civil War - Chronologically

June 30, 1863 Skirmish of Sporting Hill Cumberland County, PA (present-day Camp Hill and environs)  Darius N. Couch (PA And NY state militias): >  Union General Joseph Knipe’s force of two NY infantry regiments (the 8th and 71st NY National Guard; 22nd and 37th NY Militia) > Gen. John Ewen and his green NYers do badly > &   a Philadelphia artillery unit, commanded by Captain Henry Landis (brother-in-law of General John Reynolds of Gettysburg fame) VS. Ewell: Jenkins (16th & 36th VA Cavalry ) >  Lt. Col. Vincent A. Witcher * This is it: the Northernmost engagement of Lee's Army of Virginia (yes, there were Confederate raids into Ohio, but that's not a battle).  With apologies to the Battle of Schrute Farm  * "the farthest northern advances of Confederate forces in the war" * Fort Couch and Fort Washington hastily built to defend the way towards Harrisburg; Union skirmishers come from and return to these forts I love that this inauspiciou...

June 28 and 29, 1863 The Skirmish of Oyster's Point (more like skirmishes) Camp Hill, PA Gen. William F. Smith:  two militia regiments from New York and Landis’ Philadelphia Battery of Light Artillery VS. Ewell: Gen. Albert G. Jenkins * Much of this skirmishing is just a distraction so Jenkins can observe and report on the Harrisburg defenses * Several sources refer to it as a "small engagement" or a skirmish, hardly ever a battle- but it has got to be the furthest North-East that the Confederates ever got. Certainly these skirmishes at Oyster Point are further East than the other actions approaching Harrisburg, and represents their closest approach to the Northern capitol city.  * "the furthest northern point which was reached by the invaders, and marks the crest of the wave of the invasion of Pennsylvania" - or maybe that was Sporting Hill . "Farthest advance of a body of Confederate troops toward Harrisburg. Southern units under General A. G. Jenkins of ...

June 28, 1865 The Battle of Wrightsville; or The burning of the Wrightsville bridge Wrightsville, PA Union militia under Maj. Granville O. Haller and Col. Jacob G Frick.  VS. Confederate Generals Jubal A. Early and John B. Gordon * Invading Confederate forces seek to cross the river to take Harrisburg * PA Militia and some National Guard guys from New York try to hold them off, but ultimately (accidently) burn down the bridge behind themselves. * The fire gets out of control and the rebels help save the town of Wrightsville from burning down.   * African-Americans are reported to work and fight hard, and the only causality is one of these free-blacks. They dug much of the defensive works defending Harrisburg.   * As the monument bellow indicates, this was THE farthest point east reached by the confederate forces. (Somewhere during this same campaign--Confederates before Gettysburg --is also the most Northern reach of the Civil War armies.)  Here can be seen...

June 28, 1863 JEB Stuart's Cavalry causing trouble while trailing the main Rebel army heading North Rockville, MD Christ Episcopal Church https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=174696 https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=201497 Christ Episcopal Church — Gettysburg Campaign — Vestrymen Arrested Early Sunday morning, June 28, 1863, 5,000 of Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalrymen rode into Rockville and arrested Union supporters. They sought merchant John H. Higgins at his home, but he had already left for Christ Episcopal Church (across the street). Dora, his wife, ran to the church to warn him, fellow vestrymen Judge Richard Johns Bowie, enrollment officer Lawrence Dawson, and enrollment clerk Richard Williams to remain in the vestry room. On her way home, Dora Higgins also warned the Presbyterian minister, John DeSellum, and Capt. John Vinson, but was too late to save provost marshall Mortimer Moulden and postmaster Thomas Bailey.  Prisoners captured along the way or arrested in town were ...