Second Battle of Rappahannock Station Facts

Date

• November 7, 1863

Location

• Culpeper County, Virginia
• Fauquier County, Virginia

Campaign

• Bristoe Campaign

Principal Union Commanders

• Major General John Sedgwick
• Major General William H. French

Principal Confederate Commanders

• Major General Jubal A. Early

Union Forces Engaged

• 3rd Corps (Army of the Potomac)
• 6th Corps (Army of the Potomac)

Confederate Forces Engaged

• Early’s Division of Ewell’s Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 2,000

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 2,000

Estimated Union Casualties

• 419 (killed, wounded, missing/captured)

Estimated Confederate Casualties

• 1,670 (70 killed/wounded, 1,600 captured)

Result

• Union victory

Significance

• The Union victory at the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station forced Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia to retreat even farther south than hoped before establishing winter quarters
• The Union victory at the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station emboldened Major General George G. Meade to launch the Mine Run Campaign in November 1863.

Timeline of the Bristoe Campaign

These are the main battles and events of the Bristoe Campaign in order.

• October 13, 1863 — Battle of Auburn
• October 14, 1863 — Battle of Bristoe Station
• October 19, 1863 — Battle of Buckland Mills
• November 7, 1863 — Second Battle Rappahannock Station