Middletown in Frederick County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
South Carolina Troops at Cedar Creek
Photographed By Bradley Owen, October 19, 2023
1. South Carolina Troops at Cedar Creek Marker
Inscription.
South Carolina Troops at Cedar Creek. .
Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw’s Division, Brig. Gen. James Conner's Brigade (Formerly Kershaw’s) Maj. James M. Goggin Commanding 2nd South Carolina Infantry 3rd South Carolina Infantry 3rd South Carolina Battalion Sharpshooters 7th South Carolina Infantry 8th South Carolina Infantry 15th South Carolina Infantry 20th South Carolina Infantry. , (Rear),
South Carolina at Cedar Creek. South Carolina remembers with honor her gallant sons who fought in defense of home and country, in the Army of the Valley District under Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, in the Battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. Six regiments and one battalion of South Carolina troops served in the brigade of Gen. James Conner (formerly Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw’s), which was commanded in the battle by Maj. James M. Goggin. General Conner having been severely wounded at Hupp’s Hill on 13 October. This brigade comprised the left flank of the division of Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw, and was formed in line of battle about 1/2 mile south of the earthworks of Col. Joseph Thoburn's Division of Maj. Gen. Phillip Sheridan’s Army of the Shenandoah, just north of Cedar Creek before dawn. Kershaw’s Division attacked those trenches about 5 a.m., Conner's brigade moving past the Hite House to assault the right flank of Thoburn's position. Kershaw’s brigade historian Capt. Augustus Dickert, wrote that the Federal earthworks in this battle were the most formidable the brigade ever encountered. The division took the position after heavy combat, and attacked north up the Valley Pike, as other Confederate troops attacked the Union Army from the east. Conner's Brigade and Kershaw’s Division next fought in this vicinity about 6 a.m. for the Union earthworks of Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover's Division of the 19th Corps. The Carolinians fought the troops of Col. Dan Macauley's Brigade with bayonets and clubbed muskets capturing the works and continuing the advance. They battled the enemy south of and to the west of Belle Grove, cooperating in assaults of a Union strongpoint known as Red Hill. Kershaw’s Division continued the advance north after the collapse of the Red Hill position and became next to the leftmost division in the Confederate advance. As it moved west and north of Middletown, Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon’s Division became the left flank of the final Confederate line, with Conner's Brigade and Kershaw’s Division to his right. Sheridan’s Army was given about 4 hours to rest and reorganize during the respite General Early permitted them. About 4 p.m., the Army of the Shenandoah attacked south against the formerly victorious Confederates. The superior numbers of the Federals eventually prevailed, and the left flank of the Confederate line collapsed about 5 p.m., causing the South Carolinians and their comrades in the Army of the Valley to retreat south. South Carolina troops fought valiantly from dawn til dark, in this the second greatest battle in the Shenandoah Valley during the war.
Deo Vindice.
Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw’s Division
Brig. Gen. James Conner's Brigade
(Formerly Kershaw’s)
Maj. James M. Goggin Commanding
2nd South Carolina Infantry
3rd South Carolina Infantry
3rd South Carolina Battalion Sharpshooters
7th South Carolina Infantry
8th South Carolina Infantry
15th South Carolina Infantry
20th South Carolina Infantry
(Rear)
South Carolina at Cedar Creek
South Carolina remembers with honor her gallant sons who fought in defense of home and country, in the Army of the Valley District under Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, in the Battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864.
Six regiments and one battalion of South Carolina troops served in the brigade of Gen. James Conner (formerly Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw’s), which was commanded in the battle by Maj. James M. Goggin. General Conner having been severely wounded at Hupp’s Hill on 13 October. This brigade comprised the left flank of the division of Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw, and was formed in line of battle about 1/2 mile south of the earthworks of Col. Joseph Thoburn's Division of Maj. Gen. Phillip Sheridan’s Army of the Shenandoah, just north of Cedar Creek before dawn. Kershaw’s Division attacked those trenches about 5 a.m., Conner's brigade
Click or scan to see this page online
moving past the Hite House to assault the right flank of Thoburn's position. Kershaw’s brigade historian Capt. Augustus Dickert, wrote that the Federal earthworks in this battle were the most formidable the brigade ever encountered. The division took the position after heavy combat, and attacked north up the Valley Pike, as other Confederate troops attacked the Union Army from the east. Conner's Brigade and Kershaw’s Division next fought in this vicinity about 6 a.m. for the Union earthworks of Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover's Division of the 19th Corps. The Carolinians fought the troops of Col. Dan Macauley's Brigade with bayonets and clubbed muskets capturing the works and continuing the advance. They battled the enemy south of and to the west of Belle Grove, cooperating in assaults of a Union strongpoint known as Red Hill. Kershaw’s Division continued the advance north after the collapse of the Red Hill position and became next to the leftmost division in the Confederate advance. As it moved west and north of Middletown, Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon’s Division became the left flank of the final Confederate line, with Conner's Brigade and Kershaw’s Division to his right. Sheridan’s Army was given about 4 hours to rest and reorganize during the respite General Early permitted them. About 4 p.m., the Army of the Shenandoah attacked south against the formerly victorious Confederates. The
Photographed By Bradley Owen, October 19, 2023
2. South Carolina Troops at Cedar Creek Marker
(Rear)
superior numbers of the Federals eventually prevailed, and the left flank of the Confederate line collapsed about 5 p.m., causing the South Carolinians and their comrades in the Army of the Valley to retreat south. South Carolina troops fought valiantly from dawn til dark, in this the second greatest battle in the Shenandoah Valley during the war.
Deo Vindice
Erected 2019 by Secession Camp #4, Sons of Confederate Veterans - Stonewall Jackson Chapter #220, United Daughters of the Confederacy - Robert E. Lee Confederate Heritage Assn. - Maj. Egbert A. Ross Camp #1423, Sons of Confederate Veterans 13th N.C. Troops (Reactivated) - Latham's N.C. Artillery (Reactivated).
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is October 19, 1864.
Location. 39° 0.635′ N, 78° 18.611′ W. Marker is in Middletown, Virginia, in Frederick County. Marker can be reached from Valley Pike (U.S. 11) north of Water Plant Road, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located on the XIX Corps Earthworks Trail which begins at Tour Stop 3 on the Battle of Cedar Creek Driving Tour. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8886 Valley Pike, Middletown VA 22645, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 29, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 26, 2023, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 66 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 29, 2023, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
