Battle of Culpeper Court House

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Date	September 13, 1863
Location	Culpeper Court House, Virginia
Result	Union victory

Belligerents

United States of America
(Union Army)

Confederate States
of America
(Confederate States Army)

Commanders

Alfred Pleasonton

J.E.B. Stuart

Strength

Cavalry corps of three divisions

Cavalry corps of two divisions

Casualties and losses

100 men taken prisoner

The Battle of Culpeper Court House was an American Civil War engagement fought September 13, 1863, near Culpeper, Virginia, between the cavalry of the Union Army of the Potomac and that of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. The Union victory opened up the Culpeper region to Federal control, a prelude to the subsequent Bristoe Campaign.

On September 12, 1863, the Army of the Potomac's 10,000-man Union cavalry corps under Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton left camp near Warrenton, Virginia, and crossed the Rappahannock River, where various elements concentrated near the hamlet of Sulphur Springs. Their objective was to attack Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's headquarters at Culpeper Court House, the seat of Culpeper County.

At 4:00 a.m. the following day, Pleasonton's three divisions moved forward nearly two miles, fording the Hazel River and approaching Culpeper. Advancing in three columns, the Union troopers drove off scattered Confederate pickets and skirmishers. Near the main Confederate defensive line at 1:00 p.m., First Division commander H. Judson Kilpatrick ordered a mounted charge by the Michigan Brigade of George Armstrong Custer, which carried the Rebel position centered at the railroad depot. Custer seized more than 100 prisoners, as well as three artillery pieces. The three columns converged at Culpeper and continued their advance, driving the Confederates towards the Rapidan River in heavy skirmishing. At nightfall, the victorious Federals encamped near Cedar Mountain, with the Confederates across Racoon Ford on the Rapidan. Probing actions the next two days indicated the new Rebel position was too strong to carry.