Lee Called This Heroic Stand a Second Thermopylae

[tdstepen]

Recently, I was looking at a map of battles in Virginia and the Battle of Stephenson's Depot caught my eye because the battle bears my surname. Because my ancestor served in the artillery during the Civil War,I am always looking for something outstanding that artillerymen achieved. I found this achievement at Stephenson Depot. Confederate General Richard S. Ewell routed the Federal army of Major General Robert H. Milroy at Stephenson's Depot on June 15,1863. The defeated army headed for a bridge that led to Harper's Ferry and safety. Confederate Colonel Richard Snowden Andrews of the 1st Maryland ordered Lieutenant C.S. Contee and his fourteen artillerymen to hold the bridge at all costs. Four times the Federal army advanced toward the bridge only to be turned back by the brave artillerymen. When the Stonewall Brigade entered the field and won the day,thirteen of the fifteen artillerymen at the bridge were either dead or wounded.

A better version of the heroic stand is below.

Confederate Veteran,Vol.XXX,No.2,Nashville,Tennessee,February,1921
"The Heroic Defense of Bridge at Stephenson Depot"
https://books.google.com/books?id=HHpHAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA43&lpg=PA43&dq=Stephenson+Depot+then+and+now&source=bl&ots=NKkw6AFpRn&sig=m2xwGsjyhgMhrat7PYK0sBcZLdg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgy_bxqbrOAhXI5SYKHWEXB0I4ChDoAQg7MAc#v=onepage&q=Stephenson Depot then and now&f=false

 

[Dilba]

Great story. I had a relative in the 87th PVI, part of Milroy's Division (Elliott's 1st Brigade) that was among those these two Confederate guns beat up. Very interesting to read from the southern and victorious point of view. Thanks.

 

[tdstepen]

I would enjoy reading about the heroic actions of Union artillerymen as well as those of Confederacy.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Recently, I was looking at a map of battles in Virginia and the Battle of Stephenson's Depot caught my eye because the battle bears my surname. Because my ancestor served in the artillery during the Civil War,I am always looking for something outstanding that artillerymen achieved. I found this achievement at Stephenson Depot. Confederate General Richard S. Ewell routed the Federal army of Major General Robert H. Milroy at Stephenson's Depot on June 15,1863. The defeated army headed for a bridge that led to Harper's Ferry and safety. Confederate Colonel Richard Snowden Andrews of the 1st Maryland ordered Lieutenant C.S. Contee and his fourteen artillerymen to hold the bridge at all costs. Four times the Federal army advanced toward the bridge only to be turned back by the brave artillerymen. When the Stonewall Brigade entered the field and won the day,thirteen of the fifteen artillerymen at the bridge were either dead or wounded.

A better version of the heroic stand is below.

Confederate Veteran,Vol.XXX,No.2,Nashville,Tennessee,February,1921
"The Heroic Defense of Bridge at Stephenson Depot"
https://books.google.com/books?id=HHpHAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA43&lpg=PA43&dq=Stephenson+Depot+then+and+now&source=bl&ots=NKkw6AFpRn&sig=m2xwGsjyhgMhrat7PYK0sBcZLdg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgy_bxqbrOAhXI5SYKHWEXB0I4ChDoAQg7MAc#v=onepage&q=Stephenson Depot then and now&f=false

An even better version is found here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/161121288X/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

 

[tdstepen]

You must have found this account of the fighting at the bridge from the diary of Randolph Harrison McKim in researching your book.
© This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.

http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/mckim/mckim.html

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

You must have found this account of the fighting at the bridge from the diary of Randolph Harrison McKim in researching your book.
© This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.

http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/mckim/mckim.html

We did. It's a good one.

 

[Scott Mingus]

Great story. I had a relative in the 87th PVI, part of Milroy's Division (Elliott's 1st Brigade) that was among those these two Confederate guns beat up. Very interesting to read from the southern and victorious point of view. Thanks.

Who is your relative in the 87th PA? The York County History Center maintains Dennis Brandt's excellent database of soldiers from the York County region, including of course the 87th.

 

[civilken]

Thank you for the story.

 

[Silverfox]

I would enjoy reading about the heroic actions of Union artillerymen as well as those of Confederacy.

Ask and you shall receive:

Johnny Cook


Johnny Cook enlisted as a bugler with Battery B, 4th United States Artillery. During the Battle of Antietam, 15 year old
Johnny served as a messenger. He and the other men in his unit came under heavy fire from Confederate soldiers along the Hagerstown Pike near the infamous Cornfield. When Johnny returned from helping his wounded commander to safety, he discovered that the other men serving on the cannon had been killed. Johnny began to load the cannon by
himself until General Gibbon rode by, saw what was happening, jumped off his horse, and began to help the brave
young cannoneer. The Confederate soldiers came dangerously close, but Johnny and General Gibbon were able
to man the cannon and push them back towards the West Woods.
For his bravery at Antietam, Johnny Cook became one of the youngest soldiers ever to receive the Medal of Honor. His official Medal of Honor citation reads: "Volunteered at the age of 15 years to act as a cannoneer, and as such volunteer served a gun under a terrific fire of the enemy." The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest recognition for bravery. Johnny went on to serve at Gettysburg and several other battles. After the war, he moved back to his hometown of Cincinnati,
Ohio. He died in 1915 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

https://www.nps.gov/anti/learn/education/upload/People-and-Places.pdf

 

[Silverfox]

Remembered this story told on location when visiting the Sharpsburg battlefield. Brave men indeed.

 

[Dilba]

Who is your relative in the 87th PA? The York County History Center maintains Dennis Brandt's excellent database of soldiers from the York County region, including of course the 87th.

Frederick Shoffstall, Co. G of the 87th. He was from Lancaster. I've always wondered what brought him to the 87th, recruited in York. Does the database mention him?

 

[5fish]

Is an overview of that day...

June 15: Johnson's attack at Stephenson's Depot[edit]
Near dawn on June 15, Johnson's skirmishers encountered the head of Milroy's retreating column near the intersection of the Valley Pike and old Charles Town road. Milroy faced his column to the right on the pike and prepared to fight his way out of a "murderous trap" by enveloping the enemy. Johnson deployed his regiments along Milburn Road as they came up and advanced to the railroad and placed two guns on either side of the Charles Town Road railroad bridge. The rest of the artillery was deployed on the heights east of Milburn Road. As it grew light, Federal forces made several desperate but uncoordinated attacks against the bridge and railroad embankment. The Confederates were being steadily reinforced and repulsed each attempt. Nicholl's Brigade crushed the final Federal attack and the Stonewall Brigade then came up in line of battle north of the road and advanced to cut the Valley Pike. This was the final blow; and some remaining Federal regiments hoisted the white flag. At some point Milroy's horse was shot out from under him, and the Division as a whole scattered in various directions to the northwest, north, and northeast, with some small groups even managing to escape covertly to the southeast toward and through Manassas Gap into Federally controlled territory.

 

[5fish]

Here is the large plaque more like a small monument...

http://www.civilwaralbum.com/misc6/stephensons_depot2a.htm

http://www.civilwaralbum.com/misc6/stephensons_depot1.htm


Expired Image Removed



Expired Image Removed


Expired Image Removed

 

[bankerpapaw]

Great story!!!

 

[Rio Bravo]

Wasn't this where the Stonewall Brigade captured 6 Union Regts ?

 

[5fish]

I like to point out the Confederate artillery unit was trying to stop the Union regiments from retreating. Unlike the Spartans, who sacrificed themselves to cover the Greek retreat from Thermopylae... just an observation...

 

[Scott Mingus]

Frederick Shoffstall, Co. G of the 87th. He was from Lancaster. I've always wondered what brought him to the 87th, recruited in York. Does the database mention him?

He is not listed in the database, unfortunately. Dennis Brandt included thousands of soldiers, but not everyone.

 

[Dilba]

He is not listed in the database, unfortunately. Dennis Brandt included thousands of soldiers, but not everyone.

It was worth a look. Thanks for the effort!

 

[dlavin]

Interesting about McKim. His name seems to come up a lot.

I met a guy while sitting at the bar in a Newport News VA BBQ joint who brought up McKim's name. Not sure how we got started on the subject but he told me to look up McKim when I had a chance. This would have been about 5 years ago now that this happened. Wasnt any of you guys was it? LOL. How funny would that be.