The Second Burning of the Rappahannock River Bridge

Today along the Rappahannock: August 23, 1862

In the morning Gen. Longstreet drove the enemy across the Rappahannock Bridge, with a loss to them, but they succeeded in burning the bridge. Gen. Jackson remained at Lee’s Springs all day and took infantry and artillery over to the hills across the river. The enemy came up late in the P.M. and we opened on them; they replied and a fierce artillery duel took place. When the enemy’s infantry advanced a Georgia regiment charged on them with a yell and drove them away. I came up in the afternoon and found all engaged on fixing to cross the river. Gen. Stuart got back from an expedition to the enemy’s rear at Catlett’s, he captured wagons; some 300 prisoners, money, Pope’s Hd. Qr.s papers, etc. There was a heavy rain in the P.M. and the streams are getting up.

The Orange & Alexander bridge over the Rappahannock River at Rappahannock Station would suffer the fate of being destroyed throughtout the war. This episode was the second burning of the year. The first was done by the Confederates the previous spring, when they evacuated Culpeper in April.