Quick Facts
- Also known as: The Battle of Chapman’s Mill
- Date Started: The Battle of Thoroughfare Gap started on August 28, 1862.
- Date Ended: The Battle of Thoroughfare Gap ended on August 28, 1862.
- Location: Fauquier County and Prince William County, Virginia
- Who Won: The Confederacy won the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap
Interesting Facts
- The Battle of Thoroughfare Gap was a relatively minor engagement that had significant consequences.
- Combined losses on both sides at the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap totaled only about 100.
Campaign
- The Battle of Thoroughfare Gap was part of the Northern Virginia Campaign
Principal Union Commanders
- Major General Irvin McDowell
- Colonel Sir Percy Wyndham
- Brigadier General James B. Ricketts
Principal Confederate Commanders
- Major General James Longstreet
- Colonel G.T. Anderson
- Brigadier General Cadmus M. Wilcox
- Colonel Henry Benning
Union Forces Engaged
- 1st New Jersey Cavalry Regiment
- Ricketts’ Division (Army of Virginia)
Confederate Forces Engaged
- 9th Georgia Infantry Regiment
- Longstreet’s Wing (Army of Northern Virginia)
Number of Union Soldiers Engaged
- Undetermined
Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged
- Undetermined
Estimated Union Casualties
- Fewer than 100 (killed, wounded, and missing/captured)
Estimated Confederate Casualties
- Fewer than 100 (killed, wounded, and missing/captured)
Result
- Confederate victory
Outcome
- The Confederate victory at the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap created a clear path for the reunification of the Army of Northern Virginia on August 29, 1862, virtually ensuring a Confederate victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run the next day.
Timeline of the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap
These are the main battles and events that led to and followed the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap, in chronological order.
August 9, 1862 — Battle of Cedar Mountain
August 22-25, 1862 — First Battle of Rappahannock Station
August 28, 1862 — Battle of Thoroughfare Gap
August 28, 1862 — Battle of Brawner’s Farm
August 28–30, 1862 — Second Battle of Bull Run
September 1, 1862 — Battle of Chantilly