Richmond Reports on the August 1 fight

Today at Brandy Station: August 6, 1863

The Richmond Daily Dispatch carried a story of the fighting that took place on August 1st. Portions of the article follow.

Friday night last a force of the enemy's cavalry, estimated at three brigades, crossed, or were reported to be crossing, the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford. Hampton's cavalry brigade were on picket at the time, their line extending from Kelly's to Beverly's Ford.--By morning the entire Yankee force engaged were across, and began a bold advance towards Brandy Station. Their force greatly outnumbering ours, Hampton's brigade commenced falling back slowly, the pickets having been previously driven by the enemy back to the main body. After falling back a mile or more, the brigade halted and checked the enemy's advance for a considerable time. The enemy's movements were covered, in a measure, by woods, of which they availed themselves; but whenever the opportunity and ground favored, were frequently and most gallantly charged by our regiments and driven back.


The day thus passed with successive skirmishing, fighting, and charging, until between four and five o'clock P. M., when within about a mile and a half of Culpeper two regiments of infantry from Anderson's division — the 12th Va., of Mahone's brigade, and the 2d Miss, of Posey's brigade — were thrown out as skirmishers, and advanced to the support of our cavalry. The Yankees perceiving these supports coming up, "about-faced" and "skedaddled" across an open field, or other open space of ground, in our front. The pursuit was continued until the enemy escaped out of sight, and, it is believed, recrossed the river that night.


We had not more than one battery of artillery engaged, which poured at interval a number of rounds of grape and canister into the enemy's ranks with great effect. Six or eight of our artillerymen were wounded, three of them mortally. The Yankees had at least two batteries engaged; but most of the casualties among our men were caused by their sharpshooters, their artillery on this occasion having been an ineffective auxiliary. It is alleged that our artillery would have done greater execution but for the deficiency of rifle ammunition provided.

Gen. Hampton being yet disabled from returning to the field by his wound, the brigade, as you have probably learned, was commanded and admirably handled by Col. Baker, of the 1st North Carolina regiment. Our loss is, at this writing, unknown, but will probably be covered by 75 or 100 killed and wounded.

Skirmish at Brandy Station

Today at Brandy Station: August 4, 1863

Today is the last day of the Gettysburg Campaign. Below are a few excerpts that I have come across describing this last action.

9th Virginia Cavalry
Northern advance from Rappahannock Bridge brought on a fight near Miller’s [Fleetwood] Hill. The 9th was under artillery fire, with light casualties.

17th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Companies F and M, 17th PA Cavalry march to Kelly’s Ford and camp across the river after being relieved of picket duty near Brandy Station.

34th Battalion Virginia Cavalry
advance before 5:30pm and engage Federal forces in a skirmish at Brandy Station. The brigade consisted of 2,000 troops and six guns [Whitworths and 12 pounders]. The Confederate line was said to be so strong that it could not be penetrated without a fight; however, after driving the Federal pickets about 1,500 yards, the Southerners were in turn driven nearly two miles when the Federal Division came up. The Confederates were pressed so hard, they could not even form.

A soldier in the 107th New York Infantry
I can hear very distinctly the belching cannon. Soon we will have an invitation to the celebration. The firing comes nearer and nearer. We are expecting orders every minute.'

Mooreman's Lynchburg Battery
"I had the hottest arty fight I have had for some time. The Yankees had a four gun battery playing on my one gun (Napoleon) and literally ploughed up the ground around my piece – every man at the gun was struck and three of them badly wounded – still we held our ground until a shell struck the wheel of the carriage, disabling the piece entirely – we then had to withdraw."

12th Virginia Infantry
Union Cavalry…led by General John Buford, crossed the Rappahannock and engaged Stuart near Brandy Station. Mahone’s Brigade marched from Culpeper to Brandy, six miles, at the double quick in intense heat. The 12th, near Brandy, emerged from a woods, caught a part of the Union cavalry by surprise, and delivered a telling volley that emptied many saddles.

The fight is listed as a skirmish, like so many others during the later period of the war. Of course, if the 'skirmish' took place in August 1861, it would have been a great battle. But other real battles have taken place, most recent of course was Gettysburg. And because of Gettysburg, and others, this fight is just a footnote in history.

The sources for the Virgina units involved come from the Virginia Regimental Series, the 107th NY letter I saw years ago on ebay and the 17th Pennsylvania report is from the Supplemental OR, Series 69

Confused Reports of this Fight

Today at Brandy Station: August 3, 1863

From the Richmond Dispatch:

Information received from Culpeper county by the train last evening furnishes us an account of a pretty severe cavalry fight in Culpeper county, in the immediate neighborhood of the old battlefield of Brandy Station, on Saturday last.

We could only obtain confused reports of this fight, but from these we gather that the enemy, in a force consisting of some three brigades of cavalry, advanced on our line of pickets in the early part of the day. The picket force was composed of the 12th Virginia regiment, Gen. Mahone's brigade. This force resisted the enemy until Hampton's cavalry came up, when the battle was joined between our cavalry and that of the enemy. During some portions of the engagement the fighting is represented to have been very severe. In the early part of the fight Capt. E. W. Branch, commanding the Grays, from this city, was killed, and his body brought to the city by the Central train last evening.

Hampton's Legion sustained the greater part of the loss inflicted upon us. Col. Black was shot through the hand with a Minnie ball; Col. Baker's arm was shattered, and Col. Young received a severe wound in the breast. The Legion is now commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. Our cavalry fought them a distance of six miles, gradually falling back upon our infantry supports.

The enemy, however, did not afford these supports an opportunity to engage in the fight, but retired as soon as they came up. Our loss was some fifteen killed and from sixty to seventy wounded. The loss of the enemy was not known by any one with whom we conversed. It is not improbable that this light is the immediate forerunner of an engagement on a much larger scale.

A funeral notice was also printed in today's Dispatch:
The funeral services of Capt E. W Branch, Richmond Grays 12th regiment Va volunteers; who was killed in a skirmish near Brandy Station August 1st, will take place this afternoon at 6 o'clock at the Monumental Church.