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The Battle of Brandy Station, 1863

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The Battle of Brandy Station, 1863 Brandy station:Layout 1 4/6/09 10:08 Page 1 THE BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION, 1863 The Fight at Fleetwood Hill. By Neil Smith Perry Miniatures February 22nd, 1863 was a bad day for Fightin’ Joe Hooker, Confederate cavalry commanding the Army of the Potomac. Despite reorganizing the Union cavalry into a single corps under the command of Major- General George Stoneman, Hooker’s cavalry could not seemingly contend with 400 Virginia troopers under Brigadier-General Fitzhugh Lee, the nephew of Robert E. Lee, who strolled across Kelly’s Ford and through the snow to within a few miles of Hooker’s headquarters before strolling back again with the Union cavalry tangled up in knots trying to stop him. Hooker ordered a response; so, on St. Patrick’s Day a division of 4,000 Union cavalrymen under General William Averell launched an assault against the Rebels, resulting in the engagement at Kelly’s Ford (see WI249). The Union cavalry did well enough to hold back Lee’s counter-charges, but Averell did not press matters when victory was clearly in sight. The opening moves of the 1863 cavalry war had been a draw, but Hooker was determined to make his new cavalry work. Hooker got another chance to see what Why wouldn’t he be? Stuart was the Buford’s division, would cross at Beverly his cavalry could do in April. He had epitome of the valiant Confederate Ford. Buford would head straight for the drawn up imaginative plans to cross the cavalier who had risen to instant acclaim small village of Brandy Station, while Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers to hit by riding completely around the Army of Gregg took the more circuitous route to Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern the Potomac the previous year, and his Stevensburg, then north to join the Virginia in the flank, and he would send exploits were becoming the stuff of command. Once combined at Brandy Stoneman with 8,000 troopers behind legend. He had his approximately 10,000 Station, the Union force would push Lee to cause chaos. Stoneman carried out troopers stationed at Culpeper Court forward down the line of the Orange & his orders well, perhaps too well because House in June 1863 to take advantage of Alexandria railroad to Culpeper Court while he was sending his units in all the grazing and to shield Lee’s House and defeat Stuart. What Pleasonton directions, including to the gates of movements to the north. However bold could not know was the disposition of the Richmond itself, and causing the required Stuart might be, though, he was no fool. Confederate forces who were not at headaches to the Confederates, Hooker’s After Kelly’s Ford in March and Culpeper but spread around the gulleys army was being out-foxed by Lee and Stoneman’s Raid, Stuart made a tactical and high ground mostly between the fords ‘Stonewall’ Jackson in Virginia’s change so that at least one regiment was and Brandy Station. In the wee hours of 9 wilderness around Chancellorsville. The mounted before dawn every morning in June, Pleasonton’s force crept forward, Army of the Potomac was soundly, if not case the Yankees came calling. He also maintaining almost complete silence, decisively, beaten and limped back across set a tripwire defense along the down to the fords and across the river. the Rappahannock to lick its wounds. Rappahannock Fords to alert the army of Hooker was not of a mind to forgive any danger. In the meantime, his horses Stoneman for not attacking Lee in the grazed and his men relaxed at Culpeper, rear or coming to help his army in any though not without putting on three grand way, and replaced him with the self- reviews from June 5 - 8 for the high aggrandizing Brigadier-General Alfred command and the ladies of the town. If Pleasonton. By June, the Army of the Stuart expected the events of 9 June, Potomac was ready to fight again, or so however, it did not show as he bedded thought Hooker. It was also time to find down on the eve of what would be his Lee’s army that had moved out of its greatest test to date. positions to prepare for an invasion of Pennsylvania, but to do so Pleasonton PLEASONTON’S PLAN would have to penetrate JEB Stuart’s Confederate cavalry screen. That would Pleasonton’s orders from Hooker were prove easier said than done. simple, search out Stuart’s cavalry at Culpeper and destroy them. His first task Major-General James Ewell Brown was to get his troopers with some infantry Stuart, on the other hand, was enjoying and artillery support, numbering around himself immeasurably in the grassy fields 8,000 in two wings, across the around Culpeper, Virginia. With the loss Rappahannock. He designated Brigadier- of Stonewall Jackson to friendly fire at General David Gregg to take his division Chancellorsville, Stuart was arguably the out to the left and cross at Kelly’s Ford, most famous warrior in the Confederacy. while he, with Brigadier-General John 22 Brandy station:Layout 1 4/6/09 10:07 Page 2 THE BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION, 1863 1861-1865 1861-1865 American War Civil Map taken from Osprey Publishing Brandy Station 1863 - Campaign 201 www.ospreypublishing.com Osprey Map taken from BUFORD’S CROSSING fired on the 8th New York cavalrymen The first significant unit the Union emerging from the woods by the ford. troopers met was the much vaunted Stuart had no pickets on the north bank Another alarm was sent down the line to Confederate horse artillery of Major of the Rappahannock, but he had two Jones’s brigade camped on the ground Robert F. Beckham, inexplicably camped men on the south bank who heard the between the Gee House and St. James about one-mile-and-a-half from Beverly Union cavalry coming. They discharged Church, and to Stuart’s command post Ford with nothing between them and the their revolvers and skeedadled back to further back towards Brandy Station. advancing Union troopers. Fortunately the picket reserve of about thirty 6th for the sleeping artillerymen, the Union Virginia troopers of Brigadier-General The Union cavalrymen deployed in troopers did not grasp what they were William “Grumble” Jones’s command. column on either side of the Beverly Ford looking at from 300 yards, so, assuming The small band of rebels spread out and Road and began to advance. the men to their front were more than Below: Confederate twelve-pounder Napoleon cannon atop Fleetwood Hill and Major McClellan standing next to it 23 Brandy station:Layout 1 4/6/09 10:09 Page 3 dozy and unsupported cannoneers, the troopers opened fire. The carbine alarm- clock worked wonders for the artillerymen who burst into a frenzy of activity, harnessing horses and limbering cannons to get out, while one cannon opened fire with canister. Help arrived in the nick of time in the shape of contingents from the 6th and 7th Virginia cavalry, many of them only half dressed for the occasion. In the ensuing melee, the commander of the Union 1st Brigade, Colonel Benjamin “Grimes” Davis was killed, forcing Colonel Thomas Davis to take command and disorganizing temporarily the Union cavalry. That gave time for the Confederates to withdraw to a ridge line 1000 yards to the rear. Perry Miniatures Union cavalry The Confederates took up positions on a low-lying ridge anchored by the Gee Stevensburg to secure his flank while he on this looping march with no more House and St. James’ Church. The gun cut north up the Fredericksburg Plank alacrity than he had getting to line along the ridge had excellent fields Road short of the village to link up to the Stevensburg. By this time, the fighting of fire across open ground and covering right wing at Brandy Station. Gregg’s north of Brandy Station had intensified. the two roads leading to Brandy Station. detachment would turn out to be Colonel When the Union cavalry arrived through Alfred Duffie’s entire 2nd Division. But, BUFORD’S FLANK ATTACK the woods onto the St. James’ plateau, they had yet to come up, and by the time artillery fire brought them up short; then his division started their advance to Buford’s flank attack was not going the rebel cavalry hit them from two sides. Stevensburg, the left wing was three according to plan either. His idea was to The resulting melee was a tumult of hours behind schedule and an take his division down Yew Ridge around flashing sabres peppered with smoke increasingly anxious Gregg could hear the Confederate left, but problems set in from discharged small weapons before the battle being fought by the right wing almost immediately. After their exertions the Confederates broke off to deploy a few miles to the north. in the morning charge, the 6th alongside their guns. The 6th Pennsylvania had been assigned to Pennsylvania and 6th US Cavalry may Duffie’s column plodded along towards protect the rear of the Union right wing, have thought that the battle was almost Stevensburg while advanced elements and they took up positions along a stone over and launched a textbook charge under Major Benjamin Stanhope rode off wall on the Cunningham Farm about a across the open ground into the teeth of to secure the town and access to the Old mile from Beverly Ford. Unfortunately, the Confederate artillery. They came back Carolina Road leading north towards the 10th and 13th Virginia cavalry across the field badly chewed and the Brandy Station.
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