Near Winchester in Frederick County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

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Third Battle of Winchester

"The enemy within the fort ... hastily evacuated"

— 1864 Valley Campaign —

Third Battle of Winchester Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Pete Skillman, January 21, 2017

1. Third Battle of Winchester Marker

Inscription.

Third Battle of Winchester. "The enemy within the fort ... hastily evacuated". (preface) , The fertile Shenandoah Valley was the "Breadbasket of the Confederacy" as well as an avenue of invasion. Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early's march north and his raid on Washington, D.C., in June-July 1864 alerted Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to the threat that Early posed while he held the Valley. In August, Grant sent Gen. Philip H. Sheridan and his Army of the Shenandoah to defeat Early. In several battles between September 19 and October 19, Third Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Tom's Brook, and Cedar Creek, Sheridan accomplished his mission and laid waste to much of the Valley in "The Burning."

(main text) , During the Third Battle of Winchester on the afternoon of September 19, 1864, Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early ordered Col. Thomas T. Munford's brigade to Star Fort. Here, with two guns of Maj. James Breathed's Horse Artillery, Munford was to protect Early's avenue of retreat.

No sooner had the Confederate detachment arrived than Union Col. James M. Schoonmaker's cavalry brigade charged the defenses and was repulsed. A veteran of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry later wrote, "When we ... charged for the entrance of the fort, we received a murderous fire, killing and wounding a number of men. ... The fort was occupied by a strong force, who swarmed the embankments and poured a hot and continuous fire into our column." After the charge, Munford noted that "things looked very ugly" as Union guns then shelled the position, compelling him to order the artillery's withdrawal.

As the Confederate artillery departed, Schoonmaker decided that instead of assaulting the fort from the front, he would move against its left. When the cavalrymen neared the walls, some of them dismounted and stormed the fort on foot. "The enemy within the fort," recalled a veteran of Schoonmaker's brigade, "becoming alarmed lest they be flanked and cut off, hastily evacuated."

On May 19, 1899, Schoonmaker received the Medal of Honor for bravery at the Third Battle of Winchester. His citation stated in part: "During the Battle of Star Fort, Virginia, at a critical period, gallantly led a cavalry charge against the left of the enemy's line of battle."

(captions) , (left photo) Col. James M. Schoonmaker Courtesy Nicholas Picerno Collection

(upper middle illustration) Schoonmaker's Charge Courtesy Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum

(lower middle photos) Schoonmaker's Medal of Honor, obverse and reverse Courtesy VMI Museum System

(right map) Third Battle of Winchester, Lt. Robert K. Sneden Courtesy Library of Congress

(preface)
The fertile Shenandoah Valley was the "Breadbasket of the Confederacy" as well as an avenue of invasion. Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early's march north and his raid on Washington, D.C., in June-July 1864 alerted Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to the threat that Early posed while he held the Valley. In August, Grant sent Gen. Philip H. Sheridan and his Army of the Shenandoah to defeat Early. In several battles between September 19 and October 19—Third Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Tom's Brook, and Cedar Creek—Sheridan accomplished his mission and laid waste to much of the Valley in "The Burning."

(main text)
During the Third Battle of Winchester on the afternoon of September 19, 1864, Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early ordered Col. Thomas T. Munford's brigade to Star Fort. Here, with two guns of Maj. James Breathed's Horse Artillery, Munford was to protect Early's avenue of retreat.

No sooner had the Confederate detachment arrived than Union Col. James M. Schoonmaker's cavalry brigade charged the defenses and was repulsed. A veteran of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry later wrote, "When we ... charged for the entrance

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of the fort, we received a murderous fire, killing and wounding a number of men. ... The fort was occupied by a strong force, who swarmed the embankments and poured a hot and continuous fire into our column." After the charge, Munford noted that "things looked very ugly" as Union guns then shelled the position, compelling him to order the artillery's withdrawal.

As the Confederate artillery departed, Schoonmaker decided that instead of assaulting the fort from the front, he would move against its left. When the cavalrymen neared the walls, some of them dismounted and stormed the fort on foot. "The enemy within the fort," recalled a veteran of Schoonmaker's brigade, "becoming alarmed lest they be flanked and cut off, hastily evacuated."

On May 19, 1899, Schoonmaker received the Medal of Honor for bravery at the Third Battle of Winchester. His citation stated in part: "During the Battle of Star Fort, Virginia, at a critical period, gallantly led a cavalry charge against the left of the enemy's line of battle."

(captions)
(left photo) Col. James M. Schoonmaker Courtesy Nicholas Picerno Collection

(upper middle illustration)

May 17, 2014

2. Third Battle of Winchester Marker

Schoonmaker's Charge Courtesy Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum

(lower middle photos) Schoonmaker's Medal of Honor, obverse and reverse Courtesy VMI Museum System

(right map) Third Battle of Winchester, Lt. Robert K. Sneden Courtesy Library of Congress

Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 19, 1864.

Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 39° 12.393′ N, 78° 9.843′ W. Marker was near Winchester, Virginia, in Frederick County. It could be reached from Fortress Drive 0.1 miles north of North Frederick Pike (U.S. 522), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 503 Fortress Drive, Winchester VA 22603, United States of America.

We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

Regionally, this marker was in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

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It was also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found 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 location: Duel of the Forts (a few steps from this marker); The Retreat (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Constructing Star Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); The Civilian's War (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); A Place of Refuge (about 300 feet away); Lord Fairfax (approx. ¼ mile away); Fort Collier (approx. 0.6 miles away); George Washington in Winchester (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Winchester.

Other markers no longer nearby. Second Battle of Winchester (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Star Fort (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Civil War Earthworks (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Constructing Star Fort (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Second Battle of Winchester (was about 300 feet away but has been permanently removed).

Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 21, 2017, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 821 times since then and 10 times this year. Last updated on May 14, 2018, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on January 21, 2017, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. 2. submitted on January 23, 2017. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.