Battle of Fort Stevens Facts

Date

• July 11-12, 1864

Location

• District of Columbia

Campaign

• Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864
• Early’s Valley Campaign

Principal Union Commanders

• Major General Alexander M. McCook
• Major General Horatio G. Wright

Principal Confederate Commanders

• Lieutenant General Jubal Early

Union Forces Engaged

• 6th, 19th, and 22nd Corps of the United States Army

Confederate Forces Engaged

• Army of the Valley

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 9,600

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 10,000

Estimated Union Casualties

• 373 (killed, wounded, captured/missing)

Estimated Confederate Casualties

• 500 (killed, wounded, captured/missing)

Result

• Union Victory

Significance

• The Battle of Fort Stevens was the only Civil War battle fought in the District of Columbia.
• President Abraham Lincoln came under direct fire from Confederate sharpshooters during the Battle of Fort Stevens.
• When President Lincoln came under fire during the Battle of Fort Stevens, it marked only the second time in history that an American president came under enemy fire. The first was when President James Madison came under British rocket fire during the Battle of Bladensburg in the War of 1812.
• One of the Confederate commanders during this engagement was Major General John C. Breckinridge, who lost to Lincoln in the previous presidential election. The Battle of Fort Stevens marked the only time in American history that two former opponents in a presidential election faced each other across battle lines.
• Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s retreat into Virginia after the Battle of Fort Stevens ended the last Confederate invasion of a Northern state during the Civil War.

Timeline of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864

These are the main battles and events of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 in order.

• May 15, 1864 — Battle of New Market
• June 5, 1864 — Battle of Piedmont
• June 17–18, 1864 — Battle of Lynchburg
• July 9, 1864 — Battle of Monocacy
• July 11–12, 1864 — Battle of Fort Stevens
• September 19, 1864 — Battle of Opequon
• September 22, 1864 — Battle of Fisher’s Hill
• October 9, 1864 — Battle of Tom’s Brook
• October 19, 1864 — Battle of Cedar Creek