Battle at Brandy Station – Fleetwood Hill
Fought in the second week of June 1863, Brandy Station was the biggest cavalry battle ever dealt with in North America. With energy securely in hand after his magnificent success at Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee chose to introduce a 2nd Northern intrusion. On June 3, the Army of Northern Virginia started the motion away from Fredericksburg. The first leg of the march took the Confederates to Culpeper Court House. From there, Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry department was to screen the infantry as the march remained to the Shenandoah Valley.
Stuart’s concentration, however, was discovered by Union mounties led by Alfred Pleasonton. Under the assumption that Stuart prepared a raid around his appropriate flank towards Washington, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, the leader of the Army of the Potomac, guided Pleasonton to go across the Rappahannock River and damage the Confederate mounties. Early on the morning of June 9, Pleasonton sent columns over the Rappahannock at Beverly Ford and Kelly’s Ford. Adhering to the crossing at Beverly Ford, the Union troopers truck Stuart’s camp in the vicinity of a rail station on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad, Brandy Station. The Confederates swiftly rallied, as well as the Federals ran into rigid resistance at St. James Church and also the Richard Cunningham ranch. After conforming Kelly’s Ford, the Union mounties split up. One department headed for Brandy Station while the various other made their way to Stevensburg. The arrival of blue troopers at Brandy Station threatened the back of Stuart’s setting. Stuart countered by deftly shifting his brigades, and also the two sides clashed in mounted combat on a long, reduced ridge that increased from the station called Fleetwood Hill. Alike, Pleasonton’s pressure at Stevensburg were put on hold by Confederate horsemen. Not able to appear Stuart’s placement, Pleasonton deserted the field after fourteen hours of fighting.
Directions to Rice Tire, Brandy Station from Fleetwood Hill
Directions from Fleetwood Hill to Graffiti House