Overview
After the Union victory at Gettysburg, General George G. Meade and the Army of the Potomac followed General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia as it retreated into Virginia. Meade failed to block Lee’s escape after fighting at Williamsport, Boonsboro, and Manassas Gap.
In September, Lee weakened his army by sending General James Longstreet’s 1st Corps to Chattanooga to reinforce General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee. Meade renewed his pursuit, but Union officials soon ordered his 11th Corps and 12th Corps to Tennessee after the Confederate victory at Chickamauga. Lee then crossed the Rappahannock River and sought to attack Meade’s right flank.
On October 13, 1863, J.E.B. Stuart sent General Lunsford L. Lomax and his brigade eastward from Warrenton. During the march, Lomax dispatched scouts, who discovered Union cavalry guarding a wagon train at Warrenton Junction. The First Battle of Auburn took place when the Confederates planned to attack the wagon train, but encountered Union forces who drove them back. In the confusion, Stuart’s command was trapped between two corps of Union troops and the wagon train. He hid his command in a wooded ravine and sent scouts to deliver a message to General Lee, asking for reinforcements. Upon receiving the message, Lee sent General Richard S. Ewell to aid him.
At 3 a.m. on October 14, 1863, General Gouverneur K. Warren’s 2nd Corps left its camp and marched toward Catlett’s Station. The Union 3rd Corps had crossed Cedar Run south of Auburn during the night, leaving the creek banks muddy. Union wagons struggled to cross the difficult ground, so Warren ordered General John C. Caldwell’s brigade to occupy high ground north of the creek and protect the rear of the column.
Caldwell’s troops prepared breakfast on a position they called “Coffee Hill.” He formed a skirmish line facing Warrenton and placed the 10th New York in front. At 6:15 a.m., General Robert E. Rodes’ Confederate division approached and exchanged fire with the Union advance guard.
The gunfire alerted General J.E.B. Stuart, whose command was hiding in a nearby ravine. Stuart ordered Major Robert Beckham’s Horse Artillery to fire on Coffee Hill. Caldwell moved his infantry to the western slope and ordered General Alexander Hays’ division to attack the Confederate guns.
General James B. Gordon charged the Union advance twice to cover Stuart’s escape. Gordon suffered a wound, but Stuart reached Confederate forces southwest of Auburn. Rodes continued attacking until the fighting stalled around 10 a.m. An artillery duel followed while the Union column reached Catlett’s Station. Fighting ended by 1 p.m. The battle ended in a strategic draw.
Essential Facts
- Also Known As: Battle of Coffee Hill.
- Date: October 14, 1863.
- Location: Fauquier County, Virginia.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: Gouverneur K. Warren, John C. Caldwell, and Alexander Hays.
- CSA Commanders: Robert E. Lee, Richard S. Ewell, J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Rodes, Jubal A. Early, Fitzhugh Lee, James B. Gordon, and Robert Beckham.
- Who Won: The outcome of the Second Battle of Auburn was a strategic draw.
- Campaign: Bristoe Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, July–December, 1863.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: Unknown.
- Forces Engaged: The 2nd Corps, Caldwell’s brigade, Hays’ division, the 10th New York, the 125th New York, and Union artillery.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: Unknown.
- Forces Engaged: Ewell’s Corps, Rodes’ division, Stuart’s cavalry, Beckham’s Horse Artillery, Gordon’s brigade, Early’s forces, and Fitzhugh Lee’s forces.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Significance
The Second Battle of Auburn is important to American History because the outcome protected major portions of both armies during the Bristoe Campaign. Confederate reinforcements prevented Union troops from capturing General J.E.B. Stuart and his command. At the same time, General Gouverneur K. Warren’s forces protected a Union wagon train and allowed the column to reach Catlett’s Station safely. Neither army gained a clear strategic victory. However, General Robert E. Lee continued his effort to attack the withdrawing Army of the Potomac by ordering General A.P. Hill to pursue the Union column. That decision led directly to the Battle of Bristoe Station later that afternoon.
History
Lee Escapes After Gettysburg
Following the Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Major General George G. Meade and the Army of the Potomac cautiously pursued General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia as it retreated into Virginia. Despite encounters at the Battle of Williamsport (July 6–16, 1863), the Battle of Boonsboro (July 8, 1863), and the Battle of Manassas Gap (July 23, 1863), Meade could not prevent Lee’s escape and called off the chase.
Lee’s Army Depleted
In September, Confederate officials pressured Lee into sending Lieutenant General James Longstreet’s 1st Corps to Chattanooga to reinforce Lieutenant General Braxton’s Bragg’s Army of Tennessee, which was being battered by Major General William Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland. When Meade learned that Lee had weakened his army, he renewed his pursuit. In mid-September, Meade sent two columns forward to engage the remnants of Lee’s army, encamped along the Rapidan River.
Meade’s Army Depleted
The tables quickly turned, however, when Washington officials ordered Meade’s 11th and 12th Corps to Tennessee after the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20, 1863). With the size of Meade’s army also depleted, Lee responded by crossing the Rappahannock River in early October and by launching an offensive aimed at Meade’s right flank. Meade countered by beginning a withdrawal to secure his supply depot at Centerville.
First Battle of Auburn
On October 13, General J.E.B. Stuart sent General Lunsford L. Lomax’s brigade east from Warrenton. Lomax stopped at Auburn and sent scouts east, but he failed to scout south. As a result, the Confederates did not detect the Union 2nd Corps and 3rd Corps marching toward Auburn.
The Union column reached Auburn at about 4:15 p.m. General William H. French’s 3rd Corps led the advance, followed by General Gouverneur K. Warren’s 2nd Corps. Because French had sent his cavalry north to guard the column’s left flank, Union troops approached without cavalry scouts at the front and unexpectedly encountered Lomax’s Confederates.
French and his staff fired their revolvers while Union infantry and artillery moved into position. Lomax ordered a charge, but Federal artillery fired canister shot and drove the Confederates back. Lomax and General Fitzhugh Lee withdrew toward Warrenton after recognizing that they faced two Union infantry corps.
The engagement left Stuart trapped between the Union corps and wagon train. He hid his command in a wooded ravine and sent scouts through the Union lines to request reinforcements from General Robert E. Lee. Upon receiving the message, Lee sent General Richard S. Ewell and his corps toward Auburn.
Second Battle of Auburn
At 3 a.m. on October 14, General Gouverneur K. Warren’s 2nd Corps broke camp and marched toward Catlett’s Station. The Union 3rd Corps had crossed Cedar Run south of Auburn during the night, leaving the ground muddy. Union wagon trains struggled to move through the mud on the creek banks. Warren ordered General John C. Caldwell’s brigade to occupy the high ground north of Cedar Run to protect the rear of the column and the wagon train.
Caldwell’s men set up a temporary camp on the hill and started preparing breakfast. The troops referred to their position as “Coffee Hill.” Caldwell formed a skirmish line facing northwest toward Warrenton and placed the 10th New York in front as an advance guard.
At 6:15, Confederate General Robert E. Rodes and his division led the advance of General Richard S. Ewell and his corps toward Coffee Hill. Rodes’ troops encountered the 10th New York, and skirmishing started. The gunfire reached the ravine where General J.E.B. Stuart and his command were hiding. Stuart sent scouts to investigate and learned that Union forces held Coffee Hill.
Stuart ordered Major Robert Beckham and his artillery to occupy a hill east of Coffee Hill. Beckham’s guns opened fire, surprising the Union forces. Caldwell responded by turning his artillery toward the Confederate position, moved his infantry to the western slope for protection, and ordered Brigadier General Alexander Hays and his division to attack Beckham.
As Beckham prepared to move his guns, Stuart ordered Brigadier General James B. Gordon to charge the Union advance forces, who were led by the 125th New York. Gordon’s first charge briefly stopped the Union progress. Stuart ordered another charge to cover his cavalry’s escape toward the southeast. Gordon suffered a wound during the fighting, but Stuart escaped and joined Major General Jubal A. Early and General Fitzhugh Lee southwest of Auburn.
After Stuart escaped, the battle intensified. Rodes attacked Coffee Hill from 8:00 to 9:00, while Early and Lee joined from the southwest. By 10:00, the battle had stalled. An hour-long artillery duel followed while the Union column reached Catlett’s Station safely. Caldwell then withdrew to the east, and Rodes followed. Fighting ended by 1:00 p.m., and Ewell withdrew.
The battle ended in a strategic draw. The Confederate reinforcements saved Stuart’s command from being captured, while the Union forces successfully protected their wagon train. General Robert E. Lee then ordered General A.P. Hill to pursue the Union column east along the railroad, leading to the Battle of Bristoe Station later that afternoon.
Timeline
- 1863, July 1-3 — Union forces won the Battle of Gettysburg.
- 1863, July 6-16 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Williamsport.
- 1863, July 8 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Boonsboro.
- 1863, July 23 — Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive Battle of Manassas Gap.
- 1863, September — Confederate officials pressured Robert E. Lee to send James Longstreet’s 1st Corps to Chattanooga.
- 1863, September
- George G. Meade renewed his pursuit after he learned that Lee had weakened his army.
- Meade sent two columns toward the remnants of Lee’s army along the Rapidan River.
- 1863, September 19–20 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Chickamauga.
- 1863, October 13
- Union and Confederate forces fought the inconclusive First Battle of Auburn.
- When fighting ended, J.E.B. Stuart hid his command in a wooded ravine near Gouverneur K. Warren’s camp.
- Stuart sent six scouts through the Union lines after dark to request reinforcements from Robert E. Lee.
- Robert E. Lee sent Richard S. Ewell and his corps toward Auburn.
- 1863, October 14, 3:00 a.m. —Gouverneur K. Warren’s 2nd Corps marched toward Catlett’s Station.
- 1863, October 14, 6:15 a.m. — Robert E. Rodes’ division encountered the 10th New York near Coffee Hill.
- 1863, October 14, 8:00–9:00 a.m. — Rodes attacked Coffee Hill while Confederate forces joined the battle from the southwest.
- 1863, October 14, 10:00 a.m. — The Confederate attack stalled, and an artillery duel followed.
- 1863, October 14, 1:00 p.m.
- The fighting ended, and Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell withdrew.
- Afterward, Lee ordered A.P. Hill to pursue the Union column toward Bristoe Station.
AP US History
Definition
Second Battle of Auburn (1863) — The Second Battle of Auburn was fought on October 14, 1863, as General Gouverneur K. Warren’s 2nd Corps protected a Union wagon train near Cedar Run. General Robert E. Rodes attacked Union forces on Coffee Hill, while Confederate artillery surprised the Union troops. During the engagement, General James B. Gordon covered General J.E.B. Stuart’s escape. The battle ended in a strategic draw after the Union column reached Catlett’s Station safely.
Alignment
The Second Battle of Auburn is part of the following AP US History sections:
