Overview
The Battle of Hanover took place on June 30, 1863, during the Gettysburg Campaign. Confederate cavalry under General J.E.B. Stuart encountered Union cavalry commanded by General H. Judson Kilpatrick near Hanover, Pennsylvania. The engagement occurred while Stuart was trying to rejoin the main Confederate army as it moved through Pennsylvania.
Earlier in June, General Robert E. Lee had moved the Army of Northern Virginia north through the Shenandoah Valley toward Maryland and Pennsylvania. Stuart’s cavalry protected Lee’s movements east of the Blue Ridge Mountains and fought Union cavalry at the Battles of Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville. Afterward, Lee approved Stuart’s plan to take three cavalry brigades east, ride around the Union army, and then move north to join General Richard Ewell’s forces in Pennsylvania.
Stuart left on June 25. On June 28, his cavalry captured about 150 Union supply wagons at Rockville, Maryland. Stuart decided to take the wagons with him, which slowed his progress. On June 29, his cavalry stopped at Union Mills, Maryland, while Kilpatrick’s 3rd Cavalry Division was nearby at Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
Both commanders moved toward Hanover on June 30, but Kilpatrick arrived first. Around 10:00 a.m., Confederate cavalry surprised the Union rearguard as Kilpatrick’s column moved through town. Kilpatrick quickly reversed his column and launched a counterattack that drove the Confederates from Hanover. The fighting developed into a large cavalry engagement. During the battle, Stuart narrowly escaped capture by riding his horse across a 15-foot-wide ravine.
Fighting continued during the afternoon, including a two-hour artillery duel. Stuart eventually decided that Kilpatrick held the advantage and withdrew toward York with his captured wagon train. Although neither side won a clear victory, the engagement delayed Stuart’s return to Lee. He did not reach Gettysburg until the afternoon of July 2.
Essential Facts
- Date: June 30, 1863.
- Location: Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: Judson Kilpatrick, George A. Custer, Elon Farnsworth.
- CSA Commanders: J.E.B. Stuart, John R. Chambliss, Fitzhugh Lee.
- Who Won: The outcome of the Battle of Hanover was inconclusive.
- Campaign: Gettysburg Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, July–December, 1863.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: 215.
- Forces Engaged: 3rd Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 5,000.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: 117.
- Forces Engaged: Stuart’s Cavalry Division of the Army of Northern Virginia.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 6,000.
Significance
The Battle of Hanover is important to American History because it delayed General J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry during the Gettysburg Campaign. Stuart was trying to rejoin the Confederate army when his forces encountered Union cavalry under General Judson Kilpatrick. After cavalry fighting and a two-hour artillery duel, Stuart withdrew toward York. The delay prevented him from reaching the Battle of Gettysburg until the afternoon of July 2. His absence deprived General Robert E. Lee of important information about Union troop movements and positions and reduced the effectiveness of the Army of Northern Virginia during the opening stages of the battle.
History
Lee Plans to Invade the North
In early May 1863, Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia soundly defeated Major General Joseph Hooker and his Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Despite the Confederate victory, Lee’s army needed food, horses, and equipment after the battle. With northern Virginia ravaged by two years of combat, Lee took the war to the North.
Lee Consolidates near Culpeper, Virginia
Lee planned to disengage from Union forces near Fredericksburg, move the Army of Northern Virginia northwest across the Blue Ridge Mountains, and then push northeast through the Shenandoah Valley into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Lee began gathering his army near Culpeper, Virginia, and troop movements began on June 3, 1863. To mask his intentions and screen the assembly of his invasion force, Lee stationed his cavalry, commanded by Major General J. E. B. Stuart, at Brandy Station, a few miles northeast of Culpeper.
Battle of Brandy Station
To mask his intentions and screen the assembly of his invasion force, Lee stationed his cavalry, commanded by Major General J. E. B. Stuart, at Brandy Station, a few miles northeast of Culpeper. On June 9, Union Major General Alfred Pleasonton and his Cavalry Corps launched a surprise attack against Stuart’s Cavalry Division near Brandy Station. After an all-day fight at the Battle of Brandy Station, Pleasonton retired without discovering Lee’s main encampment at Culpeper, only six miles away.
Second Battle of Winchester
After the Battle of Brandy Station, Lee’s army continued its trek northwest toward Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley, where roughly 6,900 troops were garrisoned under the command of Brigadier General Robert Milroy. On June 13, Lieutenant General Richard Ewell and his 2nd Army Corps reached Winchester. Ewell initiated a three-day engagement known as the Second Battle of Winchester that forced Milroy’s evacuation, clearing the upper Shenandoah Valley for Lee’s advancement.
Stuart’s Orders
As Lee continued to move north on the west side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he ordered Stuart’s Cavalry to move in the same direction through the Loudoun Valley on the east side of the mountains, screening the Confederate invasion force. Lee instructed Stuart to prevent Federal reconnaissance forces from advancing through gaps in the mountains to gather information about the Army of Northern Virginia’s movements. Part of Stuart’s orders included holding the Ashby’s Gap Turnpike and the Snickersville Turnpike, two strategic roads leading through the mountains.
Cavalry Clashes
Between June 17 and June 19, the Union and Confederate cavalry forces engaged each other at the Battle of Aldie, the Battle of Upperville, and the Battle of Middleburg. Although the Federal cavalry performed well, forcing the Confederates to give ground, Stuart successfully blocked the mountain passes, frustrating Pleasonton’s efforts to ascertain Lee’s intentions.
Stuart’s Ride
The next week, Lee approved Stuart’s plan to leave two brigades guarding the passes through the Blue Ridge Mountains and to ride east with his remaining three brigades. Stuart intended to maneuver himself around the rear of the Union army and then ride north to join Ewell’s Corps in Southern Pennsylvania. Stuart’s objectives were to gather intelligence about the Army of the Potomac’s movements and to commandeer supplies if possible.
Departing on June 25, Stuart skirted south of Major General Winfield S. Hancock’s Federal 2nd Corps. On June 28, his troopers plundered a Federal supply depot at Rockville, Maryland, capturing a train of 150 wagons. Sensing no urgency to return to the main army, Stuart’s progress was slowed by his decision to take his bounty with him, rather than destroy it.
Hanover
On June 29, the Confederate cavalry stopped at Union Mills, Maryland, as it traveled north toward Pennsylvania. Brigadier General H. Judson Kilpatrick’s 3rd Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac was just six miles northwest of there at Littlestown, Pennsylvania. Eager to join Ewell’s infantry, Stuart chose to avoid an engagement with Kilpatrick. Instead, on the next day, he headed toward Hanover, Pennsylvania, roughly ten miles to his north.
Kilpatrick Arrives at Hanover First
Unbeknownst to Stuart, Kilpatrick was also moving toward Hanover on June 30. Having a shorter distance to cover, Kilpatrick’s forces arrived at Hanover first.
Confederates Attack Kilpatrick’s Rearguard at Hanover
The Union cavalry had nearly passed through the village by about 10 a.m. when the Confederates surprised their rearguard, sending them scurrying into town. Upon hearing the sounds of gunfire, Kilpatrick’s column reversed course and mounted a spirited counterattack, driving the Confederates back out of the village. The ensuing action quickly developed into a full-scale cavalry engagement in and around Hanover. At one point, Stuart barely escaped being captured by pursuing Federals by leaping his horse over a fifteen-foot-wide ravine.
Stuart Withdraws After Artillery Duel
Skirmishing continued in and around the town, as both commanders positioned their big guns, setting the stage for a two-hour artillery duel during the afternoon. As the day progressed, Stuart became convinced that Kilpatrick had gained the advantage and chose to withdraw in the direction of York, Pennsylvania, with his captured wagon train, still planning to find Ewell.
Outcome
Although casualties were light on both sides (roughly 330 killed and wounded), the Battle of Hanover was a significant engagement because it delayed the arrival of Stuart’s cavalry at the Battle of Gettysburg until mid-afternoon of the second day of that pivotal conflict. Stuart’s late arrival deprived Lee of vital information about Union troop deployments prior to the battle, and his absence also limited the effectiveness of the Army of Northern Virginia during the first two days of the engagement.
Timeline
- 1863, April 30–May 6 — Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia defeated Joseph Hooker and the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
- 1863, June 3 — Confederate troop movements started as Lee gathered his army near Culpeper, Virginia, for his invasion of the North.
- 1863, June 5 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Franklin’s Crossing.
- 1863, June 9 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Brandy Station.
- 1863, June 13–15 — The Confederates won the Second Battle of Winchester.
- 1863, June 17 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Aldie.
- 1863, June 17–19 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Middleburg.
- 1863, June 21 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Upperville.
- 1863, June 27 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Fairfax Court House.
- 1863, June 20 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Upperville.
- 1863, June 25 — J.E.B. Stuart departed with three cavalry brigades and moved around the Union army.
- 1863, June 28 — Stuart’s cavalry raided a Union supply depot at Rockville, Maryland, and captured about 150 wagons.
- 1863, June 29 — Stuart’s cavalry stopped at Union Mills, Maryland, while Hugh Judson Kilpatrick’s cavalry was nearby at Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
- 1863, June 30 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Westminster, also known as Corbitt’s Charge
- 1863, June 30
- Kilpatrick reached Hanover before Stuart.
- Confederate cavalry surprised Kilpatrick’s rearguard near Hanover.
- Kilpatrick counterattacked and drove Confederate cavalry out of Hanover.
- Stuart narrowly escaped capture by riding his horse across a fifteen-foot-wide ravine.
- Union and Confederate artillery exchanged fire for about two hours.
- Stuart withdrew toward York, Pennsylvania, with his captured wagon train.
- 1863, July 2 — Stuart reached Gettysburg during the afternoon of the second day of the battle.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Hanover (1863) — The Battle of Hanover was fought on June 30, 1863, during the Gettysburg Campaign between Confederate cavalry under General J.E.B. Stuart and Union cavalry led by General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick. Confederate troops surprised Kilpatrick’s rearguard, but Union forces counterattacked and drove them from Hanover. A two-hour artillery duel followed before Stuart withdrew toward York. The battle delayed Stuart’s cavalry and prevented him from reaching Gettysburg until the afternoon of July 2.
Alignment
The Battle of Hanover is part of the following AP US History sections:
Suggested Reading
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Mingus and Wittenberg, the authors of more than 40 Civil War books, present a history of the opening moves of the Gettysburg Campaign in the 2-volume study. This compelling study is one of the first to integrate the military, media, political, social, economic, and civilian perspectives with rank-and-file accounts from the soldiers of both armies as they inexorably march toward their destiny at Gettysburg. This first volume covers June 3–21, 1863, while the second, covers June 22–30, completes the march, and carries the armies to the eve of the Battle of Gettysburg.
