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Heaton's Crossroads

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120: 519:'s cavalry. As the Federal attack came into sight the confederate infantry and artillery opened up and Ranson's cavalry rode around to Wharton's left cutting off the Federal escape route. The presence of strong infantry force caused the Federals to flee, but because Ranson had cut off their main route back to Hillsboro, they abandoned the captured wagons that they had not yet taken back to Hillsboro, attempting to light fire to them before the fled. In their hurry to flee, the Federals left their artillery behind. Meanwhile, Ramseur's infantry approached the Crossroads from Leesburg and encountered Tibbits decoy force, which was quickly dispatched by the cavaliers. 108: 507:
main force a mile west through a woods, using a small ridge to screen himself from the Confederates. Tibbits deployed his men and artillery on the crest of the ridge and at 2 p.m. began his attack, ordering the artillery to fire and his men to charge. The shock of the attack caused the small infantry guard accompanying the wagon train to flee without a fight. The attacking Federals then caused the Confederate teamsters to stampede the Wagon trains, and Tibbits turned his charge to the east allowing him to round up the wagons fleeing his decoy force attacking along the Berlin Pike.
547:. The two Union commands, now in communication with each other set out to rendezvous at Heaton's Crossroads. As the Crook set out from Hillsboro he ordered Duffié to take his cavalry on a westerly route to serve as a screen against a possible Confederate attack. The route Duffié selected took the Federals right through Woodgrove. At 9 p.m., in the twilight after sunset, Duffié's cavalry entered Woodgrove, catching Johnson's cavalry completely by surprise, due to poor picket posting. Most of the Confederates fled immediately, many leaving their horses behind, except the 158: 669: 165: 489:
briefly skirmished again with Imboden's Cavalry. While Wright was crossing the river, General Duffié dispatched several cavalry patrols from Hillsboro to locate the Confederate column. On patrol encountered Confederate Cavalry east of Purcellville and drove them back on the main body and in doing so located Early's wagon train. The patrol broke off and returned to Hillsboro to report the reconnaissance.
551:, who formed a line, with half of the company dismounted as skirmishers and attacked Duffié's Cavalry, enabling their comrades to make an escape. The fight was fierce but short and by the time Duffié brought up his artillery all of the Confederates including the 8th had fled, regrouping at present day 488:
crossing at Edwards Ferry. Wright's forces briefly skirmished with Rodes and Ramseur's Cavalry, who quickly withdrew in the face of superior numbers. Though the crossing was not disputed, Wright spent the rest of the day getting his army across the river and was only at Leesburg by days end, where he
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George Wells to Waterford to engage Johnson and the 21st New York with the 1st West Virginia Light Artillery under Col. William B. Tibbits to attack the wagon train. Wells for his part drove off the remaining Confederates at Waterford, though Johnson's main force had already left, and then stayed to
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The Federal cavalry was successful in capturing 37 wagons, burning 43 and capturing 54 prisoners at the expense of several artillery pieces and at least 18 casualties. Because the two Federal armies could not effectively communicate they were unable to hinder Early's withdrawal and missed the best
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Tibbits, meanwhile, arrived a mile north of Heaton's Crossroads on the Berlin pike and caught sight of the Confederate column, which to his delight was without cavalry protection. Tibbits left a small force there as a decoy, telling them to wait for the artillery signal to attack and then took his
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As the Confederates made their way across the Loudoun Valley, Johnson's cavalry stopped at Waterford to water their horses, assuming the army was in safe territory and not in imminent danger. This delay allowed the main army to advance beyond its right flank screen. Around noon, Duffié's patrols
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Upon returning to Hillsboro, Lt. William Josyln of the 21st New York determined to retrieve the abandoned artillery and received permission from Gen. Duffié to do so. Accompanied by 18 troopers, Josyln arrived at Heaton's Crossroads to discover the guns had already been taken away by the
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opportunity they had to date to do so. The Confederates, for their part, gained little from the day besides their passage across the Blue Ridge and a few pieces of artillery which was counterbalanced by Johnson being twice embarrassed, once at Waterford and again at Woodgrove.
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The attack quickly lost coherence as the force fanned out among the fleeing wagons and as troopers left to escort captured wagons back to Hillsboro. The attack, however, did not go unnoticed among the Confederate leadership. Gen. Breckenridge ordered Brig. Gen.
208: 428:, Wright determined to cross the Potomac the following morning and ensnare Early in the Federal pincers. Wright, however, could not easily communicate with Crook as the telegraph wires between his position and Harpers Ferry had been cut by 201: 194: 493:
reported back to him, alerting him of the presence of the Confederate wagon train as well as of Johnson's force at Waterford. General Crook immediately dispatched the 15th New York Cavalry under
220: 531:'s gang, dressed in Federal uniforms, who they took to be friendly soldiers. After gaining the confidence of the troopers the Rangers killed the 18 enlisted men and took Josyln prisoner. 610: 539:
As the day drew to a close, the last of Early's force except Johnson, who went into camp at Woodgrove southwest of Hillsboro and now acting as a rearguard, crossed the Blue Ridge and
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as well as several divisions of "100-days" troops recruited to defend Washington. On the afternoon of July 15, Wright arrived in Poolesville and learned of the arrival of the
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The morning of July 16, with the Federals closing in, General Early broke camp at Leesburg and set out for the Shenandoah Valley by way of
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via the Snickers Gap and Leesburg Pike. While his main army and wagon trains used that route to withdrawal, cavalry under Brig. Gen.
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Later that morning, Wright began his crossing at Conrad's Ferry, with a small force under Maj. Gen.
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was to lead cavalry, and a column of POWs and cattle captured Maryland, on a southerly route across
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Confederates. They also encountered a small detachment of Confederate partisans, either from
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was ordered to take a more northerly route and protect the armies right flank and Brig. Gen.
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marched behind the wagons and Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden's cavalry served as the rearguard.
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to deploy his infantry and artillery on a ridge west of the town along with Brig. Gen.
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A small force of infantry and cavalry from the Army of West Virginia, under Brig. Gen.
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Nearly a full day after Early set out towards Virginia, Union forces under Maj. Gen.
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had crossed into Loudoun that morning by way of Berlin (present day
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receive the accolades of the unionist town's thankful citizens.
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and protect the armies left flank. The infantry of Generals
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Battles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
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set out in pursuit. Under his command was the entire
416:), briefly skirmished with Confederate cavalry near 933: 577:. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2007. 449:Confederate withdrawal and Union reconnaissance 164: 962:Inconclusive battles of the American Civil War 868:Ball's Bluff Battlefield and National Cemetery 967:Battles of the American Civil War in Virginia 604: 202: 575:Shenandoah Summer: The 1864 Valley Campaign 222:and operations against the B&O Railroad 611: 597: 331:. The action was tactically inconclusive. 209: 195: 294:skirmish that took place between Federal 942:Loudoun County in the American Civil War 620:Loudoun County in the American Civil War 354:decided to withdraw his army across the 934: 873:Harpers Ferry National Historical Park 592: 190: 457:which lay some 20 miles across the 319:on July 16, 1864, near present-day 13: 784:43rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry 779:35th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry 177:Location of the battle in Virginia 14: 983: 667: 163: 156: 118: 106: 1: 567: 501: 334: 125:Confederate States of America 558: 534: 436:a few days prior during his 7: 724:Action at Mount Zion Church 368:Montgomery County, Maryland 10: 988: 860: 814: 768: 760:George's Schoolhouse Raid 747: 729:Battle of Loudoun Heights 676: 665: 626: 443: 230: 151: 130: 99: 33: 25: 20: 952:Valley campaigns of 1864 329:Valley Campaigns of 1864 113:United States of America 51:Loudoun County, Virginia 709:Skirmish at Miskel Farm 694:Affair at Glenmore Farm 644:Battle of Harpers Ferry 288:Purcellville Wagon Raid 137:Col. William B. Tibbits 634:Battle of Ball's Bluff 479:Stephen Dodson Ramseur 438:raid on Point of Rocks 341:Battle of Fort Stevens 321:Purcellville, Virginia 131:Commanders and leaders 794:8th Virginia Infantry 639:Battle of Dranesville 543:and made camp around 399:Army of West Virginia 789:7th Virginia Cavalry 659:Battle of Upperville 654:Battle of Middleburg 549:8th Virginia Cavalry 317:John C. Breckinridge 286:, also known as the 174:class=notpageimage| 142:John C. Breckinridge 918:39.1357°N 77.6919°W 914: /  734:Heaton's Crossroads 689:Battle of Mile Hill 284:Heaton's Crossroads 245:Heaton's Crossroads 72:39.1357°N 77.6919°W 68: /  21:Heaton's Crossroads 684:Fight at Waterford 573:Patchan, Scott C. 463:Bradley T. Johnson 380:Leesburg, Virginia 362:and return to the 292:American Civil War 146:Bradley T. Johnson 28:American Civil War 923:39.1357; -77.6919 896: 895: 825:Robert H. Chilton 583:978-0-8032-3754-4 364:Shenandoah Valley 278: 277: 255:Rutherford's Farm 185: 184: 95: 94: 77:39.1357; -77.6919 979: 972:July 1864 events 947:1864 in Virginia 929: 928: 926: 925: 924: 919: 915: 912: 911: 910: 907: 739:Harmony Skirmish 699:Battle of Unison 671: 613: 606: 599: 590: 589: 541:Shenandoah River 303:Alfred N. Duffié 225: 223: 211: 204: 197: 188: 187: 167: 166: 160: 123: 122: 111: 110: 83: 82: 80: 79: 78: 73: 69: 66: 65: 64: 61: 35: 34: 18: 17: 987: 986: 982: 981: 980: 978: 977: 976: 932: 931: 922: 920: 916: 913: 908: 905: 903: 901: 900: 899: 897: 892: 888:Fort Beauregard 856: 850:Samuel C. Means 840:Elijah V. White 810: 804:Loudoun Rangers 764: 743: 719:2nd Dranesville 714:Blackleys Grove 672: 663: 649:Battle of Aldie 622: 617: 570: 561: 537: 525:Mosby's Rangers 513:Gabriel Wharton 504: 475:Robert E. Rodes 467:John McCausland 451: 446: 420:and retired to 345:Washington D.C. 337: 327:as part of the 281: 280: 279: 274: 226: 221: 219: 217: 215: 181: 180: 179: 178: 176: 170: 169: 168: 144: 117: 105: 76: 74: 70: 67: 62: 59: 57: 55: 54: 53: 12: 11: 5: 985: 975: 974: 969: 964: 959: 954: 949: 944: 894: 893: 891: 890: 885: 880: 875: 870: 864: 862: 858: 857: 855: 854: 853: 852: 844: 843: 842: 837: 832: 827: 818: 816: 812: 811: 809: 808: 807: 806: 798: 797: 796: 791: 786: 781: 772: 770: 766: 765: 763: 762: 757: 751: 749: 745: 744: 742: 741: 736: 731: 726: 721: 716: 711: 706: 704:Fight at Aldie 701: 696: 691: 686: 680: 678: 674: 673: 666: 664: 662: 661: 656: 651: 646: 641: 636: 630: 628: 624: 623: 616: 615: 608: 601: 593: 587: 586: 569: 566: 560: 557: 536: 533: 503: 500: 459:Loudoun Valley 450: 447: 445: 442: 426:Loudoun Valley 393:, part of the 387:Horatio Wright 352:Jubal A. Early 347:, Confederate 343:on July 12 in 339:Following the 336: 333: 325:Loudoun County 276: 275: 273: 272: 267: 262: 257: 252: 247: 242: 237: 231: 228: 227: 214: 213: 206: 199: 191: 183: 182: 172: 171: 162: 161: 155: 154: 153: 152: 149: 148: 139: 133: 132: 128: 127: 115: 102: 101: 97: 96: 93: 92: 89: 85: 84: 49: 47: 43: 42: 39: 31: 30: 23: 22: 16: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 984: 973: 970: 968: 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 939: 937: 930: 927: 889: 886: 884: 881: 879: 878:Fort Johnston 876: 874: 871: 869: 866: 865: 863: 859: 851: 848: 847: 845: 841: 838: 836: 835:John Mobberly 833: 831: 828: 826: 823: 822: 820: 819: 817: 813: 805: 802: 801: 799: 795: 792: 790: 787: 785: 782: 780: 777: 776: 774: 773: 771: 767: 761: 758: 756: 753: 752: 750: 746: 740: 737: 735: 732: 730: 727: 725: 722: 720: 717: 715: 712: 710: 707: 705: 702: 700: 697: 695: 692: 690: 687: 685: 682: 681: 679: 675: 670: 660: 657: 655: 652: 650: 647: 645: 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 631: 629: 625: 621: 614: 609: 607: 602: 600: 595: 594: 591: 584: 580: 576: 572: 571: 565: 556: 554: 550: 546: 542: 532: 530: 529:John Mobberly 526: 520: 518: 517:Robert Ranson 514: 508: 499: 496: 490: 487: 482: 480: 476: 472: 468: 464: 460: 456: 441: 439: 435: 431: 430:John S. Mosby 427: 423: 419: 415: 411: 406: 404: 403:Harpers Ferry 400: 396: 392: 388: 383: 381: 377: 376:White's Ferry 373: 369: 365: 361: 357: 356:Potomac River 353: 350: 346: 342: 332: 330: 326: 322: 318: 315: 311: 308: 304: 301: 297: 293: 289: 285: 271: 268: 266: 263: 261: 258: 256: 253: 251: 248: 246: 243: 241: 238: 236: 233: 232: 229: 224: 212: 207: 205: 200: 198: 193: 192: 189: 175: 159: 150: 147: 143: 140: 138: 135: 134: 129: 126: 121: 116: 114: 109: 104: 103: 98: 90: 87: 86: 81: 52: 48: 45: 44: 41:July 16, 1864 40: 37: 36: 32: 29: 24: 19: 898: 821:Confederate 775:Confederate 755:Burning Raid 733: 574: 562: 538: 521: 509: 505: 491: 483: 455:Snickers Gap 452: 410:George Crook 407: 384: 338: 287: 283: 282: 265:Folck's Mill 260:Kernstown II 244: 240:Fort Stevens 218:Early's Raid 100:Belligerents 91:Inconclusive 26:Part of the 921: / 830:John Janney 471:Ashby's Gap 372:Poolesville 307:Confederate 250:Cool Spring 75: / 936:Categories 909:77°41′31″W 906:39°08′09″N 883:Fort Evans 677:Skirmishes 568:References 553:Round Hill 545:Berryville 502:Crossroads 486:Edward Ord 335:Background 300:Brig. Gen. 270:Moorefield 63:77°41′31″W 60:39°08′09″N 559:Aftermath 535:Woodgrove 422:Hillsboro 418:Waterford 414:Brunswick 395:XIX Corps 314:Maj. Gen. 290:, was an 391:VI Corps 370:towards 360:Virginia 349:Lt. Gen. 310:infantry 235:Monocacy 46:Location 627:Battles 434:Rangers 296:cavalry 846:Union 815:People 800:Union 581:  444:Battle 312:under 298:under 88:Result 861:Sites 769:Units 748:Raids 358:into 579:ISBN 495:Col. 477:and 305:and 38:Date 527:or 432:'s 401:at 323:in 938:: 555:. 440:. 405:. 382:. 612:e 605:t 598:v 585:. 210:e 203:t 196:v

Index

American Civil War
Loudoun County, Virginia
39°08′09″N 77°41′31″W / 39.1357°N 77.6919°W / 39.1357; -77.6919
United States
United States of America
Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
Col. William B. Tibbits
John C. Breckinridge
Bradley T. Johnson
Heaton's Crossroads is located in Virginia
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v
t
e
and operations against the B&O Railroad
Monocacy
Fort Stevens
Heaton's Crossroads
Cool Spring
Rutherford's Farm
Kernstown II
Folck's Mill
Moorefield
American Civil War
cavalry
Brig. Gen.
Alfred N. Duffié
Confederate
infantry

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