s cavalry several times before reaching Goose Creek, dropped out after helping to capture the bridge there.
“Grumble†Jones (accompanied by Fitz Leeâ€s brigade under the command of Col. Chambliss) was not assaulted by Buford and David Gregg, but by Buford alone. Gregg was, at that same time, heavily engaged with Wade Hamptonâ€s brigade and Beverly Robertsonâ€s Carolinians in the town of Upperville. Nearly two miles separated the two battles.
The only “flying†from the field was done by the Carolinians when they were first attacked in the Ivy Hill Cemetery east of town. Hamptonâ€s men not only blunted Greggâ€s assault, but actually held Judson Kilpatrick prisoner briefly before withdrawing at a walk around, rather than through, the town. Even the Carolinians rallied west of town and stopped the Union advance well east of the Blue Ridge. The gap Pleasonton so desperately wanted to reach, by the way, was Ashbyâ€s Gap. Chester Gap is near Front Royal.
Heros von Borcke was wounded in the fighting in Middleburg the day before the Battle of Upperville.
Technically, you could call all three of the Loudoun Valley battles tactical defeats for Stuart (which the Richmond newspapers did with a vengeance) since the Union cavalry was left in control of the entire valley when Pleasonton decided, for some unknown reason, to withdraw all the way to Aldie on June 22 instead of pressing ahead to the Blue Ridge gaps. Neither Stuart nor his men liked that kind of fighting, but their mission, at which they succeeded admirably, was to trade ground for time. John Buford would perform the same mission when facing Hethâ€s troops at Gettysburg.]]>“Grumble†Jones (accompanied by Fitz Lee’s brigade under the command of Col. Chambliss) was not assaulted by Buford and David Gregg, but by Buford alone. Gregg was, at that same time, heavily engaged with Wade Hampton’s brigade and Beverly Robertson’s Carolinians in the town of Upperville. Nearly two miles separated the two battles.
The only “flying†from the field was done by the Carolinians when they were first attacked in the Ivy Hill Cemetery east of town. Hampton’s men not only blunted Gregg’s assault, but actually held Judson Kilpatrick prisoner briefly before withdrawing at a walk around, rather than through, the town. Even the Carolinians rallied west of town and stopped the Union advance well east of the Blue Ridge. The gap Pleasonton so desperately wanted to reach, by the way, was Ashby’s Gap. Chester Gap is near Front Royal.
Heros von Borcke was wounded in the fighting in Middleburg the day before the Battle of Upperville.
Technically, you could call all three of the Loudoun Valley battles tactical defeats for Stuart (which the Richmond newspapers did with a vengeance) since the Union cavalry was left in control of the entire valley when Pleasonton decided, for some unknown reason, to withdraw all the way to Aldie on June 22 instead of pressing ahead to the Blue Ridge gaps. Neither Stuart nor his men liked that kind of fighting, but their mission, at which they succeeded admirably, was to trade ground for time. John Buford would perform the same mission when facing Heth’s troops at Gettysburg.
]]>Goose Creek Bridge in particular interests me as a small example of the three combat arms working within the same battlespace. Beautiful bridge, and a lot of interesting characters to discuss.
But I’ve gotten distracted lately with the darned pontoon bridges down the road from my house at Edwards Ferry.
]]>