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

Breaking the Deadlock

Converging Lines of Battle

— The Third Battle of Winchester (September 19, 1864) —

Breaking the Deadlock Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, March 31, 2024

1. Breaking the Deadlock Marker

Inscription.

Breaking the Deadlock. Converging Lines of Battle. , Time: Late Afternoon , The fields in front of you are part of the Hackwood Farm Late on the afternoon of September 19, Gen. George Crook's little Army of West Virginia swept Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon's division and Col. George Patton's brigade across these fields in a southwesterly direction toward Winchester. The Southerners halted their retreat and rallied behind an extensive stone wall on the opposite side of the interstate to your left and rear. Reinforced by two fresh brigades under Gen. Gabriel Wharton, the Confederates checked Crook's further advance., "Mackenzie (rode) ahead, holding his hat aloft on the point of his saber." - Union Gen. George Cook, Other Union troops came forward to the area behind you, including two New England regiments under Col. Stephen Thomas that had charged through the Second Woods, driving out the last vestiges of Confederate resistance to your right and rear. However, 19th Corps commander Maj. Gen. William Emory ordered them to halt there, although they were ideally positioned to attack the right flank of the Confederates behind the wall. Soon after, George Crook rode to these troops and requested their assistance without success., He encountered Gen. Emory Upton of the 6th Corps who had likewise failed in his effort to induce Thomas to advance. "Upton was nearly crying, he was so mad," recalled Crook. At length. Upton deployed Col. Ranald Mackenzie's 2nd Connecticut in front of Thomas's command and opened fire at the exposed Confederate flank, breaking the deadlock and allowing Crook's advance to resume., (captions) , This sketch by Allen Waud shows the final Federal assault, looking south from behind Crook's attacking troops. Library of Congress., Ulysses S. Grant considered Union Col. Ranald "Bad Hand" Mackenzie, "the most promising young officer in the army." , Col. Ranald Mackenzie, This sign made possible through funds donated by the Millbrook High School Cross Country Team

Time: Late Afternoon
The fields in front of you are part of the Hackwood Farm Late on the afternoon of September 19, Gen. George Crook's little Army of West Virginia swept Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon's division and Col. George Patton's brigade across these fields in a southwesterly direction toward Winchester. The Southerners halted their retreat and rallied behind an extensive stone wall on the opposite side of the interstate to your left and rear. Reinforced by two fresh brigades under Gen. Gabriel Wharton, the Confederates checked Crook's further advance.

"Mackenzie (rode) ahead, holding his hat aloft on the point of his saber." - Union Gen. George Cook

Other Union troops came forward to the area behind you, including two New England regiments under Col. Stephen Thomas that had charged through the Second Woods, driving out the last vestiges of Confederate resistance to your right and rear. However, 19th Corps commander Maj. Gen. William Emory ordered them to halt there, although they were ideally positioned to attack the right flank of the Confederates behind the wall. Soon after, George Crook rode to these troops and requested their assistance without success.

He encountered Gen. Emory Upton of the 6th Corps who had likewise failed in his effort to induce Thomas to advance.

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"Upton was nearly crying, he was so mad," recalled Crook. At length. Upton deployed Col. Ranald Mackenzie's 2nd Connecticut in front of Thomas's command and opened fire at the exposed Confederate flank, breaking the deadlock and allowing Crook's advance to resume.

(captions)
This sketch by Allen Waud shows the final Federal assault, looking south from behind Crook's attacking troops. Library of Congress.

Ulysses S. Grant considered Union Col. Ranald "Bad Hand" Mackenzie, "the most promising young officer in the army."
Col. Ranald Mackenzie

This sign made possible through funds donated by the Millbrook High School Cross Country Team

Erected by Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is September 19, 1864.

Location. 39° 12.002′ N, 78° 7.978′ W. Marker is in Winchester, Virginia, in Frederick County. It can be reached from Redbud Road (Virginia Route 661) 0.9 miles east of Martinsburg Pike (U.S. 11), on the right when traveling east. The marker is located along the Third Battle of Winchester Trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 541 Redbud Rd, Winchester VA 22603, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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

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 7 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bloody Repulse (about 800 feet away); Major General Robert Emmett Rodes

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, March 31, 2024

2. Breaking the Deadlock Marker

(approx. 0.2 miles away); Counterattack! (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hackwood And Patton (approx. 0.3 miles away); Tigers from the Woods (approx. 0.3 miles away); Union Breakthrough (approx. 0.3 miles away); Alabama (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Winchester.

Other markers no longer nearby. The Third Battle of Winchester (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester (was about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester

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(was approx. ¼ mile away but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Third Battle of Winchester (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . . James R. Wilkins Winchester Battlefields Visitor Center. Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (Submitted on April 5, 2024.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 4, 2024, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. This page has been viewed 276 times since then and 9 times this year. Last updated on March 13, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 4, 2024, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.