The Civil War in Stevensburg

The Civil War in Stevensburg. Battle of Brandy Station in Stevensburg. Union and Confederate forces engaged in the largest cavalry battle of the Civil War on June 9, 1863, from Stevensburg north to Beverly's Ford on the Rappahannock River. An important phase of this huge battle comprising nearly 17,000 mounted troops, which opened the Gettysburg Campaign, was fought here in Stevensburg. While then inaugurating a Northern invasion of Pennsylvania in early June, Confederate infantry and artillery planned to cross the Blue Ridge and march toward the Potomac River, while screened to the east by General J.E.B. Stuart's Cavalry Division, camped in Culpeper County., Learning of an enemy cavalry concentration in Culpeper and fearing a mounted cavalry raid on Washington, D.C., General Joseph Hooker, Commander of the Federal Army of the Potomac, ordered an attack to "disperse and destroy" Confederate cavalry "assembled in the vicinity of Culpeper." At midmorning on June 9, 1863, a Union cavalry division of 2,000 troops commanded by Col. Alfred N.A. Duffie attacked two Confederate cavalry regiments, about 600 men, at Hansbrough's Ridge, just east of here. A Federal cavalry charge broke the Confederate line, prompting the Southerners to fall back and create a defensive alignment centered upon the Old Carolina Road crossing of Mountain Run, at Norman's Mill. Federal cavalry promptly fired downward and Col. Matthew C. Butler, Confederate commander, suffered the loss of a leg to an artillery round. That same shell killed his beloved horse, "Benchlegs.", Despite this fierce artillery attack, the Confederate line held, and Col. Duffie's division soon receive superior orders to withdraw east of Hansbrough's Ridge, ending the Stevensburg Phase of the Battle of Brandy Station., Union forces suffered about 866 casualties during the Battle of Brandy Station, with Confederates experiencing near 600 casualties. Federal cavalry gained valuable offensive experience at Brandy, portending future successes in important battles to come. After the Battle of Brandy Station, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia continued their long march to Pennsylvania. Following their defeat at Gettysburg, the Confederate Army returned here, to Culpeper County.