Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Battle of Aldie

Cavalry Clash amid the Haystacks

— Gettysburg Campaign —

Battle of Aldie Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Pete Skillman, February 4, 2017

1. Battle of Aldie Marker

Inscription.

Battle of Aldie. Cavalry Clash amid the Haystacks. , After Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's stunning victory at Chancellorsville in May 1863, he led the Army of Northern Virginia west to the Shenandoah Valley, then north through central Maryland and across the Mason-Dixon Line into Pennsylvania. Union Gen. George G. Meade, who replaced Gen. Joseph Hooker on June 28, led the Army of the Potomac in pursuit. Confederate cavalry commander Gen. J.E.B. Stuart cut Federal communications and rail lines and captured supplies. The armies collided at Gettysburg on July 1, starting a battle that neither general planned to fight there. Three days later, the defeated Confederates retreated, crossing the Potomac River into Virginia on July 14.

In June 1863, Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry screened Gen. Robert E. Lee's infantry from prying Federal eyes as the Army of Northern Virginia marched into the Shenandoah Valley. On the afternoon of June 17, opposing cavalry clashed here for control of the intersection to your right. From that junction, the Snickersville Turnpike led northwest to Snickers' Gap and this road -- the Ashby's Gap Turnpike -- led to Ashby's Gap.

Confederate Col. Thomas T. Munford's brigade deployed here to block a Union advance along either turnpike. Capt. Reuben Boston, Co. I, 5th Virginia Cavalry, dismounted 50 sharpshooters on the ridge in front of you. Sheltering their horses in the low ground in back of the ridge, they took cover behind haystacks. The Adam farmhouse to your left was behind them. On your left front, the 1st Virginia Cavalry and three guns of Breathed's horse artillery battery supported Boston.

Union Gen. H. Judson Kilpatrick arrayed his cavalry regiments in a north-south line to attack Munford's positions astride both turnpikes. He ordered the 2nd New York and 6th Ohio to drive Boston's men from the knoll and to secure the Ashby's Gap Turnpike. Several attacks forced the Virginians to retreat on foot toward the farmhouse for cover behind a low wooden fence. Outnumbered and endangered by defective rounds from their own artillery, the Virginians here surrendered. Munford held the Ashby's Gap Turnpike nonetheless, as bloody fighting erupted in fields to the north and along the Snickersville Gap Turnpike. The Confederates continued to block the routes to the Blue Ridge gaps.

[Captions:] , Col. Thomas T. Munford
, Gen. H. Judson Kilpatrick
Courtesy Library of Congress, Union cavalry charging past haystacks near Aldie Courtesy Library of Congress

"Surrender!" Near Aldie, June 17, 1863 - Courtesy Library of Congress

After Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's stunning victory at Chancellorsville in May 1863, he led the Army of Northern Virginia west to the Shenandoah Valley, then north through central Maryland and across the Mason-Dixon Line into Pennsylvania. Union Gen. George G. Meade, who replaced Gen. Joseph Hooker on June 28, led the Army of the Potomac in pursuit. Confederate cavalry commander Gen. J.E.B. Stuart cut Federal communications and rail lines and captured supplies. The armies collided at Gettysburg on July 1, starting a battle that neither general planned to fight there. Three days later, the defeated Confederates retreated, crossing the Potomac River into Virginia on July 14.

In June 1863, Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry screened Gen. Robert E. Lee's infantry from prying Federal eyes as the Army of Northern Virginia marched into the Shenandoah Valley. On the afternoon of June 17, opposing cavalry clashed here for control of the intersection to your right. From that junction, the Snickersville Turnpike led northwest to Snickers' Gap and this road -- the Ashby's Gap Turnpike -- led to Ashby's Gap.

Confederate Col. Thomas T. Munford's brigade deployed here to block a Union advance along either turnpike. Capt. Reuben Boston, Co. I, 5th Virginia Cavalry, dismounted 50 sharpshooters

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on the ridge in front of you. Sheltering their horses in the low ground in back of the ridge, they took cover behind haystacks. The Adam farmhouse to your left was behind them. On your left front, the 1st Virginia Cavalry and three guns of Breathed's horse artillery battery supported Boston.

Union Gen. H. Judson Kilpatrick arrayed his cavalry regiments in a north-south line to attack Munford's positions astride both turnpikes. He ordered the 2nd New York and 6th Ohio to drive Boston's men from the knoll and to secure the Ashby's Gap Turnpike. Several attacks forced the Virginians to retreat on foot toward the farmhouse for cover behind a low wooden fence. Outnumbered and endangered by defective rounds from their own artillery, the Virginians here surrendered. Munford held the Ashby's Gap Turnpike nonetheless, as bloody fighting erupted in fields to the north and along the Snickersville Gap Turnpike. The Confederates continued to block the routes to the Blue Ridge gaps.

[Captions:]
Col. Thomas T. Munford

Gen. H. Judson Kilpatrick
Courtesy Library of Congress

Union cavalry charging past haystacks near Aldie Courtesy Library of Congress

"Surrender!" Near Aldie, June 17, 1863 - Courtesy Library of Congress

Erected

Photographed by Pete Skillman, February 4, 2017

2. Battle of Aldie Marker

2013 by Virginia Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 17, 1863.

Location. 38° 58.699′ N, 77° 39.257′ W. Marker is in Aldie, Virginia, in Loudoun County. It is on John Mosby Highway (Virginia Route 50) 0.1 miles west of Snickersville Turnpike (Route 734), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Middleburg VA 20117, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Snickersville Turnpike (approx. ¼ mile away); Mercer’s Home (approx. 0.6 miles away); Aldie Mill (approx. 0.7 miles away); A Revolutionary War Hero (approx. 0.7 miles away); Gettysburg Campaign (approx. 0.7 miles away); Stuart and Bayard (approx. 0.7 miles away); Cavalry Battles (approx. 0.7 miles away); Slashing Sabers (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Aldie.

Surrender!!!<br><br>Near Aldie image. Click for full size.

Alfred R. Waud - Library of Congress

3. Surrender!!!

Near Aldie

“Sword-bearing cavalryman confronting infantryman”, June 17, 1863 by Alfred R. Waud.

Union Cavalry Charging Past Haystacks near Aldie image. Click for full size.

Edwin Forbes - Library of Congress

4. Union Cavalry Charging Past Haystacks near Aldie

“Cavalry fight near Aldie” by Edwin Forbes, June 24 1863.

Col. Thomas T. Munford image. Click for full size.

Internet Archive

5. Col. Thomas T. Munford

This photo of Thomas T. Munford appeared in from The Photographic History of The Civil War in Ten Volumes: Volume Four, The Cavalry, 1911. p. 92.

Gen. Judson Kilpatrick image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress

6. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick

Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2017, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 1,435 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 4, 2017, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 9, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 6. submitted on November 14, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.