Near Brandy Station in Culpeper County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Battle of Kelly's Ford
Union Cavalry Comes of Age
Photographed By Craig Swain, March 17, 2013
1. Battle of Kelly's Ford Marker
Inscription.
Battle of Kelly's Ford. Union Cavalry Comes of Age. On March 17, 1863, Union Gen. William W. Averell led 2,100 horsemen to the northern bank of the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford, four miles in front of you, under orders to "rout or destroy" Confederate Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and his cavalry command in their camps at Culpeper Court House., Pounding through the hail of flying lead, Averell's men advanced about a mile toward his objective before Lee counterattacked near Wheatley's Ford. Dismounted Union troopers hurled back the gray cavalry from behind a stone wall and mortally wounded artillerist John Pelham, one of the Confederacy's most beloved heroes, before re-mounting and chasing the Virginians into the fields in front of you. Here the two lines crashed together several times in a savage melee., In a swirling brawl punctuated by pistol shots, saber clashes, and cries of "To the death!" the Federals forced their opponents back across Carter's Run, the small stream about 1,200 yards in front of you. With artillery fire arching overhead, Lee desperately rallied his shaken men where you now stand. At this point, after eight hours of hard fighting, Averell chose to withdraw. Although the New Yorker had failed to "rout or destroy" his foe, the Battle of Kelly's Ford proved that the reorganized and refitted Union cavalry was now a combat force to be reckoned with., "I wish you would put up your sword, leave my state, and go home. You ride a good horse, I ride a better. If you won't go home, returned my visit, and bring me a sack of coffee." - Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, letter to Gen. William W. Averell after the action at Hartwood Church, "Here's your coffee. Here's your visit. How did you like it? How's that horse?" - Gen. William W. Averell, letter to Gen. Fitzhugh Lee after the Battle of Kelly's Ford
On March 17, 1863, Union Gen. William W. Averell led 2,100 horsemen to the northern bank of the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford, four miles in front of you, under orders to "rout or destroy" Confederate Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and his cavalry command in their camps at Culpeper Court House.
Pounding through the hail of flying lead, Averell's men advanced about a mile toward his objective before Lee counterattacked near Wheatley's Ford. Dismounted Union troopers hurled back the gray cavalry from behind a stone wall and mortally wounded artillerist John Pelham, one of the Confederacy's most beloved heroes, before re-mounting and chasing the Virginians into the fields in front of you. Here the two lines crashed together several times in a savage melee.
In a swirling brawl punctuated by pistol shots, saber clashes, and cries of "To the death!" the Federals forced their opponents back across Carter's Run, the small stream about 1,200 yards in front of you. With artillery fire arching overhead, Lee desperately rallied his shaken men where you now stand. At this point, after eight hours of hard fighting, Averell chose to withdraw. Although the New Yorker had failed to "rout or destroy" his foe, the Battle of Kelly's Ford proved that the reorganized and refitted Union cavalry was now a combat force to be reckoned with.
"I
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wish you would put up your sword, leave my state, and go home. You ride a good horse, I ride a better. If you won't go home, returned my visit, and bring me a sack of coffee." - Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, letter to Gen. William W. Averell after the action at Hartwood Church
"Here's your coffee. Here's your visit. How did you like it? How's that horse?" - Gen. William W. Averell, letter to Gen. Fitzhugh Lee after the Battle of Kelly's Ford
Erected 2013 by Virginia Civil War Trails and Civil War Trust.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1898.
Location. 38° 30.624′ N, 77° 49.279′ W. Marker is near Brandy Station, Virginia, in Culpeper County. Marker is on Newbys Shop Road (Virginia Route 673), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Remington VA 22734, United States of America. Touch for directions.
The Battle of Kelly's Ford provided Union Gen. Joseph Hooker with valuable intelligence that he would soon use to outflank and gravely threaten Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in the Chancellorsville Campaign.
More about this marker. Although the marker is in Culpeper County, the marker is within the Remington, Virginia zip code area.
Photographed By Craig Swain, March 17, 2013
3. John Pelham
Twenty-four-year old Maj. John Pelham won a sterling reputation commanding Confederate artillery on the battlefields of Antietam and Fredericksburg. He was in Culpeper County courting Elizabeth Shackleford, the daughter of a local judge, when the sound of guns at Kelly's Ford called him to battle. He died in her parlor that night. From Miller's Photographic History of the Civil War (1911)
Photographed By Craig Swain, March 17, 2013
4. Fighting at Kelly's Ford
Many troopers experienced their first clash of sabers at Kelly's Ford. The two lines met in hand-to-hand combat and broke off quickly, then reformed and charged again. The horrifying effects of saber wounds played a significant role in determining who would give way first. - Courtesy Library of Congress
Photographed By Craig Swain
5. Battle of Kelly's Ford Interpretive Center
Photographed By Craig Swain, March 17, 2013
6. Fields before Carter's Run
Carter's Run crosses the open fields in the far distance. The last stages of the battle of Kelly's Ford played out across these open fields on March 17, 1863.
Photographed By Samuel Paik, September 10, 2017
7. Entrance to Battle of Kelly's Ford Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2013. This page has been viewed 1,556 times since then and 70 times this year. Last updated on August 10, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos:1. submitted on March 24, 2013, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 6, 2013, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 7. submitted on September 18, 2017, by Samuel Paik of Gainesville, Virginia. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.