Overview
In the first two years of the war, Union cavalry forces struggled to hold their own against the Confederate cavalry in the Eastern Theater. After Confederate forces embarrassed Union cavalry at Hartwood Church in February 1863, Union officials were determined to retaliate.
In mid-March, Joseph Hooker, the new commander of the Army of the Potomac, sent General William W. Averell and the 2nd Cavalry Division to attack Confederate forces gathered near Culpeper Court House, Virginia.
On March 17, Averell marched toward Kelly’s Ford, intending to cross the Rappahannock River and make his way to Culpeper Court House. General Fitzhugh Lee, one of the Confederate cavalry commanders, sent troops from Culpeper Court House to Kelly’s Ford to block the crossing.
Union forces assaulted the Confederate defenses four times, finally breaking through and driving Lee’s men back. Lee gathered his forces in a nearby clearing and launched a counterattack. However, Union forces carried out an unexpected attack on Lee’s flank, forcing the Confederates to retreat.
After five hours of fighting, Averell decided to withdraw. Although he did not drive the Confederates away, it was a significant moral victory for the Union cavalry. For the first time in the Eastern Theater, they held their own with their Confederate counterparts.
Essential Facts
- Also Known As: Battle of Kellysville, Battle of Kelleysville
- Date: March 17, 1863
- Location: Near Kelly’s Ford, Virginia
- Combatants: United States of America, Confederate States of America
- Key Union Leader: William Woods Averell
- Key Confederate Leaders: Fitzhugh Lee
- Winner: Inconclusive
- Part of: Civil War 1863
Historical Context
The Battle of Kelly’s Ford occurred three and a half months after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and six weeks before the Battle of Chancellorsville started on April 30.
Significance
The Battle of Kelly’s Ford is important to American History because it was the first time in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War that Union cavalry forces were able to compete with their Confederate counterparts, and marked a turning point in how Union cavalry forces were perceived. The battle was also notable as the first engagement in the East between two cavalry brigades.
Inscription — At dawn on 17 March 1863, Brig. Gen. William W. Averell led 2,100 Union cavalrymen across the Rappahannock River at Kelly’s Ford. Brig. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee with about 1,000 Confederate horsemen counterattacked northwest of here about noon. Noted Confederate artillerist Maj. John Pelham accompanied Lee’s men and fell mortally wounded while impetuously taking part in a charge. The battle ended in a draw, marking the first time Confederate cavalrymen had not defeated their Union opponents, resulting in new confidence for the Union cavalry. It foreshadowed another Union crossing at Kelly’s Ford during the much larger battle of 9 June 1863 at Brandy Station.
History
Prior to the Gettysburg Campaign (1863), Union cavalry forces struggled to hold their own against the Confederate cavalry in the Eastern Theater of the war. During the winter of 1862–1863, Confederate dominance continued.
Confederate Raids Around Fredericksburg
J.E.B. Stuart’s Raid on Chambersburg (October 9–13, 1862) involved 1,800 Confederate cavalry circling George McClellan and the Army of the Potomac in Pennsylvania. Union cavalry, more than twice the size of Stuart’s force, failed to locate or stop the Confederates from escaping across the Potomac River.
At the Battle of Barbee’s Crossroads (November 5, 1862) in Virginia, Union cavalry showed potential but failed to exploit its battlefield success.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 11–15, 1862), Confederate forces maintained control of the city but continued to carry out cavalry raids against Union positions, including Fairfax Station (December 25, 1862) and Dumfries (December 26, 1862).
Union forces attempted to launch an offensive known as the “Mud March” in January 1863 but failed. Afterward, Major General J. Hooker replaced Major General Ambrose Burnside as commander of the Army of Potomac, and Union forces maintained a defensive perimeter around Fredericksburg along the north bank of the Rappahannock River.
Union Cavalry Corps Organized
Confederate cavalry forces roamed the countryside, scouting and probing Union positions. They were aided by Virginians who eagerly provided them with intelligence about the size, location, and distribution of Union forces. Hooker responded to this by establishing a new cavalry corps under the command of Major General George Stoneman. The cavalry corps was divided into two divisions, led by Brigadier General Alfred Pleasonton (1st Cavalry Division) and Brigadier General William Woods Averell (2nd Cavalry Division).
Hooker proceeded to establish a line of outposts northwest of Fredericksburg, with the center at Hartwood Church near Warrenton Road. This line was under Averell’s command.
Union Cavalry Embarrassed at Hartwood Church
On February 25, Brigadier General Fitzhugh Lee and his cavalry forces carried out a surprise raid against Hartwood Church. After a brief skirmish, Lee and his men took around 150 of Averell’s men as prisoners and withdrew. Hooker responded slowly to the news of the raid, allowing the Confederates to escape.
Prior to the war, Lee and Averell had been good friends. Before departing, Lee left Averell a note taunting him and saying that the next time they met, Averell should bring coffee. Averell was embarrassed and outraged and wanted revenge on Lee.
The Union cavalry’s string of failures frustrated Union officials, but Hooker was determined to turn the tide.
Hooker and Averell Target Culpeper Court House
Hooker believed aggressive cavalry attacks were necessary to stop Stuart and Smith from harassing Union outposts. Hooker ordered Averell to “attack and rout or destroy the cavalry forces of the enemy reported to be in the vicinity of Culpeper Court House.”
- Averell led the 2nd Cavalry Division with 3,000 soldiers.
- He was supported by Captain Joseph W. Martin and his 6th Light New York Artillery, a six-gun horse artillery battery.
- On March 16, 1863, Averell assembled his command at Morrisville, about eight miles east of Kelly’s Ford on the Rappahannock River.
- Culpeper Court House was 10 miles further west of Kelly’s Ford.
Due to rumors of a Confederate force north of him, at Catlett’s Station, Averell sent a contingent of 900 men to guard against an attack.
Lee Reinforces Kelly’s Ford
On March 17, 1863, the Union column moved westward toward Kelly’s Ford early in the morning, and Averell learned that Fitzhugh Lee and his cavalry brigade were encamped at Culpeper Court House. Confederate scouts informed Lee of Averell’s approach, so he reinforced his defenses at Kelly’s Ford.
- Trees were cut down and placed to block the crossing.
- Sixty sharpshooters were positioned in rifle pits along the south bank of the Rappahannock River.
The Battle of Kelly’s Ford Begins
- Averell’s column arrived at Kelly’s Ford around 8:00 a.m.
- Averell ordered 100 men to dismount and storm the abatis blocking Kelly’s Ford.
- Union soldiers made three unsuccessful charges into the water and were pushed back.
- A fourth charge succeeded in driving the Confederates off and capturing the crossing.
- By noon, Averell’s entire force had crossed the river and prepared to march toward Culpeper Court House.
Lee Prepares a Counterattack
- The Union crossing was slow and gave Lee time to prepare his forces.
- Lee arrived at the crossing with 800 Confederate cavalrymen and two artillery pieces commanded by Captain James Breathed.
Union Forces Prepare Defenses at Kelly’s Ford
Union scouts saw Lee’s advancing forces and informed Averell, who responded by arranging his division in a defensive line of battle.
- Left Flank — Colonel Arnold N. Duffié and his brigade.
- Center — Colonel John B. McIntosh and his brigade.
- Right Flank — Captain Marcus Reno and two regiments.
Averell also placed two dismounted regiments behind a stone fence.
Confederate Assault at Kelly’s Ford
Lee’s five regiments advanced toward Union forces, which were positioned a half mile south of Kelly’s Ford. Upon arrival, Lee launched an assault against the Union forces.
- Confederate sharpshooters led the assault, followed by the 3rd Virginia Cavalry in column formation.
- The 3rd and 5th Virginia Cavalry rushed through a narrow gate in the stone wall and tried to flank the Union line.
- The flanking maneuver failed due to heavy carbine fire from the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry and shelling from Martin’s artillery.
During the battle, J.E.B. Stuart and his chief of artillery, Major John Pelham, arrived from Culpeper Court House to observe the action.
Duffié’s Historic Charge Forces Lee to Fall Back
- Colonel Duffié disobeyed Averell’s orders, instructing him to hold his position, and launched an unauthorized charge against Lee’s forces.
- The surprise attack caught the Confederates off guard.
- The Union line overlapped the Confederate line, increasing pressure on Lee’s forces.
- Lee ordered his men to retreat through a wooded area to a clearing behind it. There, he regrouped his forces.
Lee’s retreat was significant because it marked the first time in the war that Confederate cavalry had been forced to retreat due to a Union charge.
Missed Opportunity for Union
Union forces pressed the attack and followed the Confederates into the clearing. As Union forces approached, Lee ordered his men to charge again.
- The charge was repulsed by heavy Union artillery fire and small arms fire from both mounted and dismounted troops.
- The Confederate retreat nearly became a rout but was not fully exploited by Union forces.
Reno’s brigade, which was in position to flank the retreating Confederates, did not advance. Unlike Duffié, Reno passed on the opportunity to attack and followed Averell’s orders to maintain a solid front and avoid unsupported advances.
The Battle of Kelly’s Ford Ends
Averell chose not to pursue the Confederates, recalled his troops, and withdrew. Union forces recrossed Kelly’s Ford to the north bank of the Rappahannock River.
- Averell justified the withdrawal, citing the presence of J.E.B Stuart and the possibility of Confederate reinforcements.
- He also reported approaching railroad cars that suggested the arrival of Confederate infantry.
During the battle, Union forces took prisoners. Averell decided to leave two of them behind with a message for his old friend, Lee. The message, which was accompanied by a bag of coffee, read:
“Dear Fitz, Here’s your coffee. Here’s your visit. How do you like it?”
Casualties
- Union forces suffered 78 casualties (killed, wounded, and missing).
- Confederate forces suffered 133 casualties (killed, wounded, and missing).
The most significant casualty was Major John Pelham, a renowned Confederate artillery leader, who was killed by a shell splinter during the first charge at the stone fence. Afterward, Stuart wrote, “The gallant Pelham — so noble, so true — will be mourned by the nation.”
