U. S. Civil War Battle by Battle by MacGregor Iain;

Author:MacGregor, Iain;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published: 2021-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

The USS Essex, which saw service at Vicksburg. (Tony Bryan © Osprey Publishing)

THE BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION

June 9, 1863

The now experienced Union cavalrymen proved their worth at the Battle of Brandy Station in Virginia. (Adam Hook © Osprey Publishing)

Fought as Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia began its second invasion of the North, which would culminate at Gettysburg on July 1–3, the Battle of Brandy Station in Virginia was the largest cavalry engagement on American soil and would ultimately demonstrate that the much-derided Union cavalryman was now the equal of his vaunted Southern opponent.

Fresh from its stunning victory at Chancellorsville a few weeks before, the Confederate army comprising 72,000 men was leaving its encampments around Culpepper County and heading into Pennsylvania as part of the grand plan of bringing the Union government to the negotiating table through force. Lee was also eager to replenish his weakened forces with much-needed supplies that he knew the rich farmsteads of the Northern states would contain. As they awaited orders to march, the army sat in camp, protected by the screen of 9,500 cavalrymen held within five brigades and commanded by the flamboyant Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart. Thus far in the war, the Southern horsemen had bested their Northern enemy on countless occasions, through their dash, horsemanship, tactics, and leadership. They were the shock troops of the South, with a reputation to match.

Unbeknownst to Stuart, however, 11,000 Federal troops, mainly mounted and supported with some infantry units, led by Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, were about to spoil the party. Under orders from the Army of the Potomac’s commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, still smarting from his reverse at Chancellorsville in May, the Union cavalry was to “disperse and destroy” the rebel forces through a surprise pincer attack across the Rappahannock River as the dawn fog shielded their movements. Although they would catch Stuart’s mounted forces napping as they crossed at two points—Beverly’s Ford and Kelley’s Ford—Pleasonton would himself be surprised at the size of the force he attacked.

At 4:30am, the brigade of the veteran Kentuckian cavalry commander John Buford crossed the Rappahannock, easily pushing back the Confederate skirmishers until he was established at the bend of Beverly’s Ford, threatening Stuart’s artillery park. The Southern cavalry brigade of William E. Jones saved the situation by storming into Buford’s leading units, some of his men riding half-naked and bareback into action, holding the Federals back while the Confederate guns were limbered up and repositioned as the overall battle began to unfold. The brigades of Jones and Wade Hampton now formed either side of the guns, establishing a formidable obstacle to any further Northern advance toward the main encampment at Brandy Station. Despite this, the charge of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry was described as “brilliant and glorious” by onlookers as Buford attempted to maintain the momentum of the surprise attack. Though spectacular, the regiment would be beaten back and suffer the greatest casualties of any unit during the battle.

Buford attempted to outflank this line, but his men encountered a new line formed behind a stone wall and led by Robert E.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.