Cross Keys in Rockingham County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Attack on Buell's Battery

"We Will Hurt Them Before They Take My Guns"

— The Battle of Cross Keys (June 8, 1862) —

The Attack on Buell's Battery Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 21, 2025

1. The Attack on Buell's Battery Marker

Inscription.

The Attack on Buell's Battery. "We Will Hurt Them Before They Take My Guns". , Early Afternoon, After repulsing the advance of the 8th New York at the Widow Pence farm, Confederate Gen. Isaac Trimble looked for new enemies to fight. Observing "a battery on the enemy's left" - four cannon under Union Capt. Frank Buell - he moved to capture those guns., Buell's battery was located on a wooded knoll a quarter mile in front of you, supported by the 27th Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Bucktails, and the survivors of the 8th New York., Trimble led the 15th Alabama through the then-swampy ravine in front of you to attack the Federals from the flank and ordered the 16th Mississippi and 21st Georgia to advance as soon as "I was hotly engaged." But as he neared this area, Trimble spotted additional Federal troops 600 yards to your right. He divided the 15th Alabama into two "battalions," leaving one with Col. John F. Treutlen to assault the force around Buell's guns while he marched the other towards the Yankees on the farther height., As Treutlen's battalion swung up the hill across from you, Buell cried out, "Boys, they've got us, but we will hurt some of them badly before they take my guns." The Alabamians were greeted by a torrent of fire and "the blood was flowing freely." "A panic seized [the] command," Capt. William C. Oates of the 15th recalled, "and it retreated in confusion.", At the sounds of the attack, the 16th Mississippi and 21st Georgia advanced, but the Mississippians surged ahead, leaving their flank exposed to the 27th Pennsylvania, who "commenced a rapid and destructive fire." The two sides traded crashing broadsides in the woods until the Georgians arrived. The combined firepower of the two southern regiments drove off the Union infantry but the Federal cannon escaped, "belch[ing] forth a murderous flood of [canister]" before dashing back towards the next Union line., It was towards that line, Union Gen. Henry Bohlen's brigade, that Trimble was now advancing., (Captions):, Capt. William C. Oates, 15th Alabama. Oates later led the assault against the 20th Maine at Gettysburg., Col. Carnot Posey, commander of the 16th Misisippi. Posey was shot in the chest during the attack but soon recovered.

Early Afternoon

After repulsing the advance of the 8th New York at the Widow Pence farm, Confederate Gen. Isaac Trimble looked for new enemies to fight. Observing "a battery on the enemy's left" - four cannon under Union Capt. Frank Buell - he moved to capture those guns.

Buell's battery was located on a wooded knoll a quarter mile in front of you, supported by the 27th Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Bucktails, and the survivors of the 8th New York.

Trimble led the 15th Alabama through the then-swampy ravine in front of you to attack the Federals from the flank and ordered the 16th Mississippi and 21st Georgia to advance as soon as "I was hotly engaged." But as he neared this area, Trimble spotted additional Federal troops 600 yards to your right. He divided the 15th Alabama into two "battalions," leaving one with Col. John F. Treutlen to assault the force around Buell's guns while he marched the other towards the Yankees on the farther height.

As Treutlen's battalion swung up the hill across from you, Buell cried out, "Boys, they've got us, but we will hurt some of them badly before they take my guns."

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The Alabamians were greeted by a torrent of fire and "the blood was flowing freely." "A panic seized [the] command," Capt. William C. Oates of the 15th recalled, "and it retreated in confusion."

At the sounds of the attack, the 16th Mississippi and 21st Georgia advanced, but the Mississippians surged ahead, leaving their flank exposed to the 27th Pennsylvania, who "commenced a rapid and destructive fire." The two sides traded crashing broadsides in the woods until the Georgians arrived. The combined firepower of the two southern regiments drove off the Union infantry but the Federal cannon escaped, "belch[ing] forth a murderous flood of [canister]" before dashing back towards the next Union line.

It was towards that line, Union Gen. Henry Bohlen's brigade, that Trimble was now advancing.

(Captions):

Capt. William C. Oates, 15th Alabama. Oates later led the assault against the 20th Maine at Gettysburg.

Col. Carnot Posey, commander of the 16th Misisippi. Posey was shot in the chest during the attack but soon recovered.

Erected 2025 by Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. (Marker Number Stop #8.)

Topics.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 21, 2025

2. The Attack on Buell's Battery Marker

This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil.

Location. 38° 21.186′ N, 78° 49.069′ W. Marker is in Cross Keys, Virginia, in Rockingham County. It is on Goods Mill Road 0.9 miles north of Charlie Town Road, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located along a short trail at a roadside parking area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6475 Goods Mill Road, Harrisonburg VA 22801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

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: Walker's Flank Attack (within shouting distance of this marker);

The Widow Pence Farmhouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 21, 2025

3. The Widow Pence Farmhouse

Located at 6991 Port Republic Road.

The Battle Dies Out (within shouting distance of this marker); The 8th New York Advances (approx. 0.4 miles away); Marching to Disaster (approx. 0.4 miles away); Death in the Clover (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Attack's Aftermath (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Confederate Barrage (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lying in Wait (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cross Keys.

Other markers no longer nearby. Battle of Cross Keys (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Battle of Cross Keys (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Battle of Cross Keys (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced another nearby.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 145 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 27, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. 3. submitted on July 29, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.