The American Civil War - Chronologically

Sept, 18, 1864 Grant and Sheridan at Rutherford House (AKA The Stribling House) Charles Town, West[ern] Virginia   Plenty left to still see in this portion of West Virginia, on my way to the mountains (2024) https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=238786 Rutherford House “Go in!” — 1864 Valley Campaign — The Federal offensive in the Shenandoah Valley begun in May 1864 faltered in the summer with Confederate victories and Gen. Jubal A. Early's Washington Raid in July. Union General Philip H. Sheridan took command in August, defeated Early at Winchester in September and Cedar Creek in October, burned mills and barns, and crushed the remnants of Early’s force at Waynesboro on March 2, 1865. Sheridan’s victories contributed to President Abraham Lincoln’s reelection in November 1864 and denied Gen. Robert E. Lee’s army much needed provisions from the “Breadbasket of the Confederacy.” This house belonged to Thomas and Mary Rutherford in 1864, when a historic meeting occurred here on September 1...

Sept. 3-4, 1864 Battle of Berryville Clarke County, Virginia  Gen. Philip Sheridan: Gen. George Crook >  1st Division under Col. Joseph Thoburn, pickets under Col. Robert Rodgers (three regiments, the 11th West Virginia, 15th West Virginia, and 123rd Ohio joined the pickets), Col. Isaac Duval’s 2nd Division;  2nd Maryland Eastern Shore regiment and the 1st West Virginia (two units manning the old earthworks); 6th New York Cavalry Regiment Vs. Jubal Early: Gen. Richard Anderson (Kershaw’s Division); Mosby's Rangers  * According the the NPS, this is the only  marker that commemorates this smallish battle. There is a small Confederate Veterans marker on what remains of the actual battlefield too...but who cares about that?! Yea, I saw it.   * I knew about the Berryville Wagon Train . Here is Sheridan's revenge! * Get some more late-war context, if you want it, from reading the links at the end  * "Federals under Col. Rutherford B. Hayes climb...

August 21, 1864 Cameron's Depot (AKA Locust Hill, or the Battle of Summit Point or Flowing Springs)  near Kearneysville, West Virginia, in Jefferson County General Philip Henry Sheridan ( Department of West Virginia > Middle Division) vs. General Jubal Anderson Early * Gotta admit: this one snuck up on me! I wasn't looking for it, and didn't know it was there (or anything about "Cameron's Depot"), but it is certainly on the list (1864!) so here we are. Not much to see though: I was just passing through on the way to deeper WV.  * Yet- I am familiar with Jubal Early's ill-advised shenanigans in 1864 - this fleeting and nearly final victory of his comes after his failed attempt to take DC and his successful burning of Chambersburg, PA. This battle is also right after Grant replaces Hunter with Sherridan - for the better.  * Interesting that the Marker calls it a defeat, but the experts call it a draw. Of course, Sheridan got Early eventually: "Sher...

Aug. 16, 1864 Guard Hill Engagement Front Royal, VA Maj. Gen. Sheridan: Gen. Wesley Merritt > Union Brig. Gen. George A. Custer’s brigade vs. Gen. Richard Anderson > Brig. Gen. William T. Wofford’s infantry brigade and Brig. Gen. Williams C. Wickham’s cavalry brigade * This area saw considerable action during the Battle of Front Royal in the 1862 Valley Campaign. Here we are again.  * Apparently the Union cavalry surprised the Confederates while they were midstream in the Shenandoah. Still an "inconclusive" engagement.    https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=256801 In Aug. 1864, part of Confederate Lt. Gen. Richard H. Anderson’s corps threatened the left of Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s army. As Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt’s division approached on 15 Aug. to protect the Federal flank. Anderson ordered Brig. Gen. William T. Wofford’s infantry brigade and Brig. Gen. Williams C. Wickham’s cavalry brigade across the Shenandoah River to confront Merritt. Wickham ...

Aug. 13, 1864 Berryville Wagon Train Raid near Winchester, VA Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan vs. Col. John Singleton Mosby (43rd Battalion Partisan Rangers) https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=1785 "Just after dawn on 13 Aug. 1864, Col. John Singleton Mosby and 300 of his 43rd Battalion Partisan Rangers attacked the rear section of Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s 600-vehicle wagon train here. The train, headed for Winchester, carried supplies for Sheridan’s cavalry. Mosby surprised and routed the Federals as they rested, cooked breakfast, and hitched their horses. Mosby’s men, losing only one killed and one mortally wounded, captured 200 beef cattle, 500–600 horses, 100 wagons, and 200 soldiers. The raid ended by 6:30 a.m. Berryville’s citizens including many small boys, helped burn the wagons after liberating their contents." * Also spotted on a different trip to Dixie... https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=1811 Before 1798 Berryville was known as Battletown, a name that perhaps originated f...

August 4, 1864 Confederate Cavalry Raid on Fort Fuller New Creek aka Keyser, West Virginia  Col . George R. Latham defending Fort Fuller; 11th West Virginia Infantry vs. Confede rate Gen. John McCausland's cavalry & G en. Bradley Johnson * Confederate John McCausland's cavalry fights with Union defenses guarding the railroad. Confederates under Gen. Bradley Johnson advance up the hill toward the fort but are repelled by Union reinforcements On August 4, after raiding north into Pennsylvania and burning the town of Chambersburg, Confederate raiders under Generals John McCausland approached New Creek. The Rebels hoped they could damage the B&O Railroad. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=152788 "Built in 1862 as a Union defensive fortification to guard the railroad and New Creek. It was threatened on August 4, 1864, when Confederate Gen. John McCausland's cavalry rode on town. Fighting with Union troops began on outskirts and Confederate under Gen. Bradley Johnson adv...

Aug. 1, 1864 Battle of Folck's Mill; or more grandiosely (and rarely) known as the Battle of Cumberland Cumberland, MD (Alleghany County) Union General Benjamin F. Kelley defends Cumberland (with two infantry units and three "hastily organized civilian volunteer companies"): Ohio National Guard, West Virginia infantry, Illinois Artillery, and 2nd Potomac Home Guard Maryland Infantry; while  Union Gen. William W. Averell approaches with 2,000 cavalrymen in pursuit vs. Gen. John C. McCausland's lawless raiders (about 2,800 men)  https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=179238 Folck's Mill Retaliation Rebuffed —1864 Chambersburg Raid— During the Civil War, retribution by one side for "atrocities” committed against civilians by the other quickly escalated. Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early, during his 1864 Maryland invasion, demanded that several towns pay "ransoms" or be torched to avenge Union Gen. David Hunter's destruction of houses in the Shenandoah Valley. ...