The American Civil War - Chronologically

July 5, 1863 Retreat into Maryland Washington County, MD https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=4730 Retreat into Maryland "Asleep and at the same time walking" Gettysburg Campaign It was a miserable night, and an even more miserable journey. As 3 a.m. neared on July 5, 1863, the van of the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg arrived here at Leitersburg. The men had marched nonstop for nearly twelve hours, but heavy rain and thickening mud had slowed their race to Williamsport and the Potomac River - and safety. Suddenly, the 1st Vermont Cavalry dashed onto the Leitersburg Pike and captured more than 100 men, as well as horses, mules, cattle, and wagons. The Federals then sped toward Hagerstown and Boonsboro in search of more Confederates, but they failed to strike the column again. Meanwhile the Leitersburg train, after its initial shock, continued unmolested toward the Potomac. "Never had the men and horses been so jaded, and stove up. One of our men who dropped at the foot of a...

July 4-5, 1863 Battle of Monterey Pass Franklin County, PA Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick:  Michigan Cavalry Brigade ( 5th Michigan Cavalry, led by Colonel Russell A. Alger; Custer);  1st Ohio and  1st West Virginia Cavalry   vs. Lee's  wagon train of the Second Corps, and its cavalry escort ( Captain George Emack’s company of the First Maryland Cavalry and  one cannon from Captain William Tanner's Battery );  reinforcements from The 4th North Carolina and  1st North Carolina Sharpshooters supported by the 6th Virginia Cavalry * Other than Gettysburg , the largest Civil War action in PA * Sometimes known as "the Fight" at Monterey Pass (or Monterey Gap), though the people who run the excellent Monterey Pass Battlefield Park & Museum will have it as a battle. I literally just ran into this place on the drive home from Hagerstown, so I hope to visit the trails again sometime.  * The American Battlefield Trust, as you probably know by ...

July 2, 1863 (Day 2), the afternoon, 4:30pm:  The Wheatfield  I've been to various parts of the Gettysburg battlefield a few times now. In June of 2025, I jumped at the opportunity to support battlefield preservation efforts while taking a guided tour from the American Battlefield Trust. I even got to meet chief historian, Gary Adelman, AKA that guy from all those Civil War YouTube videos.  So here's a detailed look at the action in and around the wheatfield, then a collection of some of the associated battlefield memorials.     https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=240395 Whirlpool of Death July 2, 4:30—6:30 pm —Gettysburg National Military Park— In the summer of 1863, the golden wheat grew tall here. But at 4:30 pm on July 2, the Wheatfield was transformed into a whirlpool of death . Over a period of 2 1/2 hours this ground changed hands six times as Confederates of Longstreet’s Corps attempted to smash the loosely-knit Union line. Confederate attackers came from ...