Near Shepherdstown in Jefferson County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Boteler’s Ford Tablet B. F. 3
(September 20, 1862)
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 11, 2020
1. Boteler’s Ford Tablet B. F. 3 Marker
Inscription.
Boteler’s Ford Tablet B. F. 3. (September 20, 1862). Early in the morning of September 20, movements were made by General McClellan to ascertain the position of the Army of Northern Virginia. Maj. Charles S. Lovell’s Brigade (1st and 6th, 2d and 10th, the 11th and 17th U. S. Infantry) Sykes’ Division, 5th Corps, crossed the Ford and pushed out on the Charlestown Road. Barnes' Brigade, Morell’s Division, was ordered to cross and move on Shepherdstown. Lovell had gone about a mile and a half on the Charlestown Road when he met the Confederates in force. The Brigade was deployed, about-faced and fell back to the bluffs bordering the river and on either side of the Charlestown Road. The 2d and 10th Infantry were deployed as skirmishers in a belt of woods on the left front. Warren’s Brigade (5th and 10th N. Y. Infantry) Sykes’ Division, crossed at the Ford and formed on Lovell’s left. Barnes, being ordered by Sykes to form on Lovell’s right, suspended his movement on Shepherdstown and went into position west of the mill, 220 yards north of this point. Lovell’s skirmishers and some Cavalry, which had crossed and gone to the front were now pressed back by the advance of A. P. Hill’s Confederate Division and Sykes ordered the entire command to recross the Potomac, which was done in good order by Lovell’s and Warren’s Brigades. The Confederate advance on the part of the line held by them being checked by the fire of Weed’s, Randol’s and Van Reed’s Batteries posted on the heights on the Maryland side of the river. Barnes’ Brigade, the last ordered withdrawn, met with great loss at the mill and on the bluffs and river bank beyond.
Early in the morning of September 20, movements were made by General McClellan to ascertain the position of the Army of Northern Virginia. Maj. Charles S. Lovell’s Brigade (1st and 6th, 2d and 10th, the 11th and 17th U. S. Infantry) Sykes’ Division, 5th Corps, crossed the Ford and pushed out on the Charlestown Road. Barnes' Brigade, Morell’s Division, was ordered to cross and move on Shepherdstown. Lovell had gone about a mile and a half on the Charlestown Road when he met the Confederates in force. The Brigade was deployed, about-faced and fell back to the bluffs bordering the river and on either side of the Charlestown Road. The 2d and 10th Infantry were deployed as skirmishers in a belt of woods on the left front. Warren’s Brigade (5th and 10th N. Y. Infantry) Sykes’ Division, crossed at the Ford and formed on Lovell’s left. Barnes, being ordered by Sykes to form on Lovell’s right, suspended his movement on Shepherdstown and went into position west of the mill, 220 yards north of this point. Lovell’s skirmishers and some Cavalry, which had crossed and gone to the front were now pressed back by the advance of A. P. Hill’s Confederate Division and Sykes ordered the entire command to recross the Potomac, which was done in good order by Lovell’s and Warren’s Brigades. The Confederate advance on the part of the line held by them being checked
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by the fire of Weed’s, Randol’s and Van Reed’s Batteries posted on the heights on the Maryland side of the river. Barnes’ Brigade, the last ordered withdrawn, met with great loss at the mill and on the bluffs and river bank beyond. (Marker Number B.F. 3.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Antietam Campaign War Department Markers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 20, 1801.
Location. 39° 25.673′ N, 77° 46.727′ W. Marker is near Shepherdstown, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. Marker is at the intersection of River Road (County Route 17/1) and Trough Road (County Route 31/1), on the left when traveling west on River Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Shepherdstown WV 25443, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 11, 2020
3. Boteler’s Ford Tablet B. F. 3 Marker
Photographed By Craig Swain, July 28, 2007
4. Along River Road
On the left are some of the bluffs that confronted the attacking Federal Forces.
Photographed By Craig Swain, July 28, 2007
5. Mill Ruins
Ruins of the cement mill stand next to a path down to the Patomac. In this vicinity, Barnes Brigade covered the Federal withdrawal.
Photographed By Bradley Owen, April 6, 2019
6. Mill ruins
Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 1, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,120 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on October 12, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on August 1, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on October 12, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4, 5. submitted on August 1, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 6. submitted on February 4, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.