THE BATTLE OF MCDOWELL MAY 8, 1862 ● STONEWALL JACKSON’S VALLEY CAMPAIGN

“We did not come all this way to Virginia to run before Yankees.” - a Confederate private in the 12th Georgia

Bradley Schmehl’s painting, “Reconnaissance at McDowell,” shows Jedediah Hotchkiss, Stonewall Jackson, and Allegheny Johnson scouting on Sitlington’s Hill prior to the battle. Courtesy Bradley Schmehl Fine Art.

HE ATTLE OF C OWELL STONEWALL IN THE VALLEY T B M D In the spring of 1862 during the Civil War, Leaving Ewell behind to block Banks, Jackson feinted east over with Confederate fortunes fading, Gen. the Blue Ridge, then loaded his men on trains and doubled back Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was ordered to into the Valley to unite with Gen. Edward “Allegheny” use the Shenandoah Valley as a diversionary Johnson’s command west of Staunton, bringing his total strength theater to keep additional Union forces from to 11,600. From there he targeted Union Gen. Robert Milroy’s joining the massive Federal campaign to 3,000 man brigade, the advance elements of Fremont’s army, capture Richmond. which had advanced eastward to threaten Staunton. As the Confederates approached, Milroy withdrew west to the tiny After suffering a tactical defeat at First village of McDowell. Kernstown on March 23, Jackson withdrew Jackson arrived at the outskirts of McDowell around noon on south to the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he May 8, and quickly occupied Sitlington’s Hill, a steep elevation was reinforced by Gen. Richard Ewell. By late that towered over the village below. Along the north base of the April, Jackson was facing two threats: Gen. hill ran the Parkersburg-S taunton Turnpike, which snaked Nathaniel P. Banks with 15,000 men in the through a narrow gorge before crossing the Bull Pasture River Valley, and Gen. John Fremont, who had and continuing into the village. Jackson began scouting for a 20,000 men scattered throughout the way to outflank the Union force – only to find himself surprised Allegheny Mountains to the west. To keep when the outnumbered Yankees attacked. those forces from uniting, Jackson decided to take the offensive and strike Fremont first. “To arms, the enemy are advancing!” – cry in Confederate lines, about 4:30pm

THE STRUGGLE FOR SITLINGTON’S Reinforced to 6,500 by the arrival of the brigade of Gen. Robert Schenk, who took overall command, Milroy suggested a “spoiling attack” against the larger Confederate force, followed by a withdrawal after dark.

Although greatly outnumbered (about 2,400 Federals took part in the attack), the Union regiments moved steadily up the steep and rugged slopes and inflicted heavy losses along the Confederate line. Silhouetted against the sky, the This sketch of the battlefield by Union Sgt. Oscar D. Ladley, 75th Ohio, shows the southerners made easy targets, while their own fire aimed heights the Union attackers ascended to the right, the Federal artillery position atop downslope at the attackers tended to go too high. Hull’s Hill (the cross on the left), and the turnpike running into the gorge, .

NEIGHBOR VS. NEIGHBOR ON THE T URNPIKE As the fighting raged on the hilltop, the Union 32nd Ohio, 82nd Ohio, and 3rd (West) Virginia were ordered to try to turn the Confederate right. The Ohio regiments advanced on the turnpike, then veered south, up the slopes of Sitlington, using the cover of the woods to maneuver close enough to deliver “a crushing bayonet charge” to the right flank of the main Confederate line. (The Federals also manhandled artillery to the crest of Hull’s Hill, across the turnpike from Sitlington’s, to fire on the Confederate defenders.)

“The [31st Virginia Infantry] came close to the 3rd, Meanwhile, the 3rd (West) Virginia and saluted them, and called them by name, and continued their attempt to flank the proceeded with the slaughter.” rebels along the turnpike...and found themselves attacking their own neighbors. Deployed on the road and part of the southern ridges was the Confederate 31st Virginia. Company C of the 31st had been recruited in Clarksburg, (West) Virginia, as had three companies of the 3rd (West) Virginia. All had served in the same pre-war militia company. Recognizing familiar faces, the advancing combatants called each other by name. Private Elijah S. Leach, 31st Virginia Infantry

As the fighting erupted, drowning out “GOD BLESSED OUR ARMS WITH VICTORY”

such cries, some Confederates moved Atop Sitlington’s Hill, the struggle continued until after dark, with through the woods to circle behind the “sheets of flame shot from the angry mouths of the guns, lighting up the Federals, who found themselves under whole mountain side.” The Confederate defenders wavered but never attack from front and rear. The broke. Milroy finally instructed his regiments to disengage, and Schenk Yankees responded by firing in one ordered a withdrawal west. Jackson announced the victory with the direction, then wheeling and reloading famed message, “God blessed our arms with victory at McDowell.” to fire in the other. The pressure was “The sun went down as though unwilling longer to behold men created in the likeness of God relieved when Stonewall Jackson seeking to destroy that life they could not give.” Capt. James G. Rodgers, 12th Ga. ordered the 31st Virginia to reinforce the defenders on Sitlington’s Hill. McDowell had a profound impact far beyond the Valley. At the time, the Jackson detailed the 21st Virginia to fortunes of the Confederacy were at a low ebb, with a crushing defeat at take up the defense of the turnpike, Shiloh, the loss of New Orleans, and Richmond’s increasing peril parts of instructing the regiment’s commander a drumbeat of ill news and ill fortune. In the midst of those dark clouds, to “Tell your men they must hold the McDowell brought unexpected hope. And Jackson was far from finished. road,” but the 3rd (West) Virginia Free from the threat from the mountains, he was soon racing north to pulled back, and largescale fighting on deal with Banks. The situation in the Valley, and in the eastern theatre, the turnpike died down. had changed dramatically. The “foot cavalry” was on the move.