The First Battle of Kernstown

The First Battle of Kernstown (HMRM)

Location: Winchester, VA 22601
Buy Virginia State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 39° 8.669', W 78° 11.687'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 611 views
Inscription

The Beginning of "Stonewall" Jackson's Valley Campaign

The First Battle of Kernstown, fought by 10,000 Americans on March 23, 1862, was the first battle waged in the Shenandoah Valley. Throughout the morning, sixteen Union cannon crowned the knolls of Pritchard's Hill (the high ground immediately north of here) to hold an overmatched Confederate force in place. Shortly after noon, Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson delivered the remainder of his Confederate army to the battle. Relying on faulty intelligence, Jackson attacked a force that outnumbered him by 3,000 men. Unsuccessful in dislodging the Union artillery by direct assault, Jackson shifted his infantry and half of his artillery to a dominant ridge line one mile west of here and by 3:30 P.M. he exchanged fire with the Union cannon. Colonel Nathan Kimball, commanding the Union force here, sent 4,500 infantrymen to attack the new Confederate position. At sunset, the Union infantry routed Jackson's army and sent it streaming southward. Although Jackson suffered his only defeat at Kernstown, the U.S. War Department ordered an additional 15,000 soldiers to the Valley instead of other areas where they were sorely needed. This set the stage for Jackson's subsequent campaign, which made "Stonewall" Jackson the most famous military nickname in the Civil War.

On July 24, 1864, Union and Confederate forces clashed again on the rolling terrain near Kernstown in a larger battle than the 1862 contest. Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early overpowered the Union defense of Pritchard's Hill commanded by Brigadier General George Crook. Within Early's Confederate force was Colonel George S. Patton, the grandfather and namesake of the famous World War II general. Patton helped defeat an overmatched Union force containing two future U.S. Presidents: Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes and Lieutenant William McKinley. Early's victory was the last one enjoyed by the Confederates in the Shenandoah Valley.
Details
HM NumberHMRM
Tags
Placed ByShenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Monday, October 13th, 2014 at 8:56pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17S E 742433 N 4336558
Decimal Degrees39.14448333, -78.19478333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 39° 8.669', W 78° 11.687'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds39° 8' 40.14" N, 78° 11' 41.22" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)540
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 628 Kernstown Ct, Winchester VA 22601, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. This marker needs at least one picture.
  10. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  11. Is the marker in the median?