Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign: The Battle of Front Royal

James N.

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This hilltop cemetery overlooking the town of Front Royal was briefly used as a Confederate observation post and artillery position during the battle.

The Battle of Front Royal, fought April 22, 1862, was the third and smallest of those that comprised Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign. It was part of a maneuver to outflank the two Union divisions under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks that were encamped at the strategic town of Strasburg only a few miles west of Front Royal. Banks had occupied the position in the main valley following Jackson's defeat and subsequent retreat at the Battle of Kernstown south of Winchester. Instead of confronting Banks' larger army head-on, Jackson had turned his back and marched south to Staunton, then west into the mountains where he combined his small army of 6000 with the 3000 under Edward Johnson before moving against the vanguard of Maj. Gen. John C. Fremont's force at McDowell.

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Jackson's victory against Fremont's subordinates at McDowell allowed him to return to the main valley with his now enlarged army. Jackson made a show of moving on the Valley Turnpike directly against Banks, marching as far north as New Market where he turned onto the eastern road leading through the gap there into the smaller Luray Valley where he further combined his 9000 with the 8000-man division of Maj. Gen. Richard S. Ewell. Jackson crossed the South Branch of the Shenandoah River at the White House Bridge site above; below is the eponymous White House from which landmark the bridge got its name. In the background is the Massanutten Mountain with New Market Gap to the left. The mountain served as a shield masking Jackson's movements in the Luray Valley from Banks at Strasburg.

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The above is more a diagram than a map but gives some idea of the movements and relative locations; the scale is representative only. The town of Front Royal was important because it lay on the Manassas Gap R. R. and at the junction of the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River. The northern end of the Massanutten ridge lay only a short distance to the southwest.

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One of the romances of the war occurred here at Front Royal when the visiting "lady spy" Isabella Marie "Belle" Boyd, Siren of the Shenandoah, raced from this house in town where she was staying with relatives to inform Jackson that there was a garrison of little more than 1000 Union soldiers holding the town and told him that if he hurried he could catch them all. Ewell, whose troops were at the head of Jackson's column, quickly deployed 150 Louisiana Tigers and the 1st Maryland Regiment to clear the town of Federal skirmishers.

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Left to right: Isabella "Belle" Boyd; Federal commander Col. John R. Kenly of the 1st Maryland, U. S.; and Col. Bradley T. Johnson commanding the 1st Maryland, C.S.

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Front Royal was held by the 1st Maryland ( U. S. ) under its Colonel John R. Kenly and was encamped on a hill to the north of town near where the historical markers now stand along the highway. Following a short but vicious street battle which cleared the town, Ewell almost botched the operation due to his hasty deployment; there was never any doubt that Jackson's 17,000 men could overcome the 1100 Federals, but they almost got away!

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Jackson had attacked only with Ewell's infantry and a very few guns that could get into position; he had sent his cavalry under Col. Turner Ashby to the west to guard against any interference from Banks in Strasburg. Ashby remained on guard but dispatched Lt. Col. Thomas Flournoy's 6th Virginia Cavalry regiment to try to get behind Kenly on Guard Hill. When advised of this development, Kenly wisely decided to retreat across the bridge over the North Branch of the Shenandoah that then stood at the site above. The Federals attempted to burn the bridge but the Confederates followed so closely they were able to extinguish the flames and continue their pursuit.

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Kenly's withdrawal was screened in part by two attached companies of the 5th New York Cavalry who performed well enough against Ewell's pursuing infantry until Flournoy arrived with his troopers. Kenly formed a line about a mile north of a hamlet called Cedarville around Fairview House, but his men were disordered when they were run over by the stampeding New Yorkers. Kenly himself went down with a wound while trying to rally his Marylanders and was taken into the house which became the inevitable field hospital. Finally run to earth, the 1st Maryland (U.S.) surrendered and were taken in hand by Col. Bradley T. Johnson and his gleeful 1st Maryland (C.S.), who said the bogus had surrendered to the real. The New Yorkers were more successful in their escape and carried word of the disaster all the way back to Winchester. For only 36 killed and wounded, Jackson had inflicted a loss of 773, of whom almost 700 had been taken prisoner, in this most lopsided of his battles.

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From here Jackson's next move was to try to cut his opponent Banks off from his base in Winchester: http://civilwartalk.com/threads/jac...banks-through-winchester.113806/#post-1125484

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Following the war, the small hilltop cemetery became the final resting place for those Confederates who fell here and nearby in other Valley battles. The central mound above topped by the granite shaft holds the graves of the unknowns; other Confederates are scattered throughout, including some of John S. Mosby's Rangers beneath their own monument.

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View attachment 68403
This hilltop cemetery overlooking the town of Front Royal was briefly used as a Confederate observation post and artillery position during the battle.

The Battle of Front Royal, fought April 22, 1862, was the third and smallest of those that comprised Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign. It was part of a maneuver to outflank the two Union divisions under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks that were encamped at the strategic town of Strasburg only a few miles west of Front Royal. Banks had occupied the position in the main valley following Jackson's defeat and subsequent retreat at the Battle of Kernstown south of Winchester. Instead of confronting Banks' larger army head-on, Jackson had turned his back and marched south to Staunton, then west into the mountains where he combined his small army of 6000 with the 3000 under Edward Johnson before moving against the vanguard of Maj. Gen. John C. Fremont's force at McDowell.

View attachment 68401

Jackson's victory against Fremont's subordinates at McDowell allowed him to return to the main valley with his now enlarged army. Jackson made a show of moving on the Valley Turnpike directly against Banks, marching as far north as New Market where he turned onto the eastern road leading through the gap there into the smaller Luray Valley where he further combined his 9000 with the 8000-man division of Maj. Gen. Richard S. Ewell. Jackson crossed the South Branch of the Shenandoah River at the White House Bridge site above; in the background is the Massanutten Mountain with New Market Gap to the left. The Massanutten served as a shield masking Jackson's movements in the Luray Valley from Banks at Strasburg.

View attachment 68410

The above is more a diagram than a map but gives some idea of the movements and relative locations; the scale is representative only. The town of Front Royal was important because it lay on the Manassas Gap R. R. and at the junction of the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River. The northern end of the Massanutten ridge lay only a short distance to the southwest.

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One of the romances of the war occurred here at Front Royal when the visiting "lady spy" Isabella Marie "Belle" Boyd, Siren of the Shenandoah, raced from this house in town where she was staying with relatives to inform Jackson that there was a garrison of little more than 1000 Union soldiers holding the town. Ewell, whose troops were at the head of Jackson's column, quickly deployed 150 Louisiana Tigers and the 1st Maryland Regiment to clear the town of Federal skirmishers.

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Front Royal was held by the 1st Maryland ( U. S. ) under its Colonel John R. Kenly and was encamped on a hill to the north of town near where the historical markers now stand along the highway. Following a short but vicious street battle, Ewell almost botched the operation due to his hasty deployment; there was never any doubt that Jackson's 17,000 could overcome the 1000 Federals, but they almost got away!

View attachment 68406

Jackson had attacked only with Ewell's infantry and a very few guns that could get into position; he had sent his cavalry under Col. Turner Ashby to the west to guard against any interference from Banks in Strasburg. Ashby remained on guard but dispatched Col. Thomas Flournoy's 6th Virginia Cavalry regiment to try to get behind Kenly on Camp Hill. When advised of this development, Kenly wisely decided to retreat across the bridge that then stood at the site above. The Federals attempted to burn the bridge but the Confederates followed so closely they were able to extinguish the flames and continue their pursuit.

View attachment 68407

Kenly's withdrawal was screened in part by two attached companies of the 5th New York Cavalry who performed well enough against Ewell's pursuing infantry until Flournoy arrived with his troopers. Kenly formed a line about a mile north of a hamlet called Cedarville around Fairview House, but his men were disordered when they were run over by the stampeding New Yorkers. Kenly himself went down with a wound while trying to rally his Marylanders and was taken into the house which became the inevitable field hospital. Finally run to earth, the 1st Maryland (U.S.) surrendered and were taken in hand by Col. Bradley T. Johnson and his gleeful 1st Maryland (C.S.), who said the bogus had surrendered to the real. The New Yorkers were more successful and carried word of the disaster all the way back to Winchester. For only 36 killed and wounded, Jackson had inflicted a loss of 773, of whom almost 700 had been taken prisoner, in this most lopsided of his battles.

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From here Jackson's next move was to try to cut his opponent Banks off from his base in Winchester. Following the war, the small hilltop cemetery became the final resting place for those Confederates who fell here and nearby in other Valley battles.

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Great stuff, James!

I had a chance last fall to tour all of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign (1862 and 1864) sites. I was really fond of the city of Front Royal and McDowell.

Bill
 
Since today is the anniversary of the battle, I'll bring this thread up again!
 
Great thread and beautiful pictures!

Thank you, ShenValleyGray, and welcome to the forums! May we assume from your name you are a resident; or, like myself, is this just one of your favorite Civil War locations? Either way, I welcome your input on my Jackson and Valley-related threads.
 
I am in fact a resident of the Shenandoah Valley, right in the "heart", between Edinburg and Mt. Jackson. I have just recently been bitten by the CW bug and find this site very educational. My main study right now is Stonewall Jackson and the Valley Campaign. Thank you for all of the information you have provided!
Thank you, ShenValleyGray, and welcome to the forums! May we assume from your name you are a resident; or, like myself, is this just one of your favorite Civil War locations? Either way, I welcome your input on my Jackson and Valley-related threads.
 
Another *BUMP* for the anniversary of this phase of Stonewall Jackson's celebrated Valley Campaign!
 
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