Tag: Shepherdstown Battlefield

September 16, 1862: Union Clashes with Retreating Confederates near Shepherdstown

It was the morning of September 19, 1862, and two days after the Battle of Antietam. The bulk of Robert E. Lee’s retreating Confederate Army had already crossed the Potomac River at Shepherdstown.

Lee left behind a rear guard at the Potomac to defend against an anticipated attack from Union General George McClellan.

Over the next two days, Union and Confederate forces clashed off and on in the Shepherdstown vicinity. When all was said and done, nearly 700 soldiers had been killed, wounded, or captured, making Shepherdstown the bloodiest battle ever fought in what would become West Virginia.

Antietam and its aftermath convinced both commanders that the Maryland Campaign was over. On the Union side, McClellan decided that his army didn’t have the strength to keep pursuing Lee, while Lee abandoned his plans to reenter Maryland. With the Confederate Army driven south of the Potomac, President Abraham Lincoln claimed a Union victory and, on September 22, issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Despite his claims of victory, though, Lincoln was incensed by his commander’s ongoing foot-dragging in pursuing Lee. He dismissed McClellan two months later.

West Virginia, Tennessee Given Battlefield Protection Funds

West Virginia and Tennessee are among the states receiving part of $7.2 million in grants to help identify, preserve and protect historic battlefields.

The announcement was made by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Wednesday.

The National Park Service said in a news release the projects include 19 battlefields threatened by urban and suburban development in nine states. The release said the projects cover nearly 1,200 acres of battlefield land as part of the American Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants program.

In West Virginia, Jefferson County Historical Landmarks Commission will receive more than $44,000 for restoration of Shepherdstown Battlefield.

The Tennessee Historical Commission will receive more than $212,000 for two restoration projects of Fort Donelson Battlefield in partnership with the Civil War Trust.

Union Clashes with Retreating Confederates near Shepherdstown: Sept. 19, 1862

It was the morning of September 19, 1862, and two days after the Battle of Antietam. The bulk of Robert E. Lee’s retreating Confederate Army had already crossed the Potomac River at Shepherdstown.

Lee left behind a rear guard at the Potomac to defend against an anticipated attack from Union General George McClellan.

Over the next two days, Union and Confederate forces clashed off and on in the Shepherdstown vicinity. When all was said and done, nearly 700 soldiers had been killed, wounded, or captured, making Shepherdstown the bloodiest battle ever fought in what would become West Virginia.

Antietam and its aftermath convinced both commanders that the Maryland Campaign was over. On the Union side, McClellan decided that his army didn’t have the strength to keep pursuing Lee, while Lee abandoned his plans to reenter Maryland. With the Confederate Army driven south of the Potomac, President Abraham Lincoln claimed a Union victory and, on September 22, issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Despite his claims of victory, though, Lincoln was incensed by his commander’s ongoing foot-dragging in pursuing Lee. He dismissed McClellan two months later.

Trust Acquires Section of Shepherdstown Battlefield

The Civil War Trust has acquired another section of a Civil War battlefield in Shepherdstown.

Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association president Edward Dunleavy says the 2.72-acre tract is contiguous to a core area of the battlefield.

Dunleavy tells The Journal that his group contributed $6,500 toward the trust’s $202,000 acquisition.

The National Park Service has said it wants to expand Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland to include about 500 acres of the Shepherdstown battlefield, which is about 5 miles from Antietam.

The Battle of Shepherdstown was fought Sept. 19-20, 1862. It began two days after the Union victory at Antietam, when federal troops crossed the Potomac River to capture Southern artillery pieces.

The Civil War Trust’s website shows the group has preserved more than 300 acres of the battlefield.

Park Service Favors Adding W.Va. Battlefield to Antietam

The National Park Service says a Civil War battlefield near Shepherdstown would make a suitable addition to the Antietam National Battlefield in neighboring Maryland.

The agency announced the finding Wednesday. Now it’s up to Congress to decide whether the boundary of the Antietam battlefield near Sharpsburg should be adjusted to include the 510-acre site across the Potomac River.

Congressional authorization would enable the park service to acquire land or conservation easements.

The Shepherdstown battle was the final engagement of the Maryland Campaign, which included clashes at Harpers Ferry, South Mountain, and Antietam.

The Battle of Shepherdstown is also known as the Battle of Boteler’s Ford. It was fought September 19 and 20, 1862 – two days after the battle of Antietam.

It resulted in more than 600 casualties.

National Park Service Seeks Public Comments on Shepherdstown Battlefield Boundary Adjustment

This week is the last chance to make a public comment about a boundary adjustment for the Shepherdstown Battlefield. The National Park Service is looking for thoughts and opinions on whether the battlefield should be part of the park system. If so, will it be an addition to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park or Antietam National Battlefield?

On September 19th and 20th 1862, the Battle of Shepherdstown was underway. Some say, this battle may have significantly changed the course of the American Civil War. Edward Dunleavy, the President of the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association says it was this small battle that caused Confederate General, Robert E. Lee to retreat south, halting his Maryland campaign.

“Lincoln had talked to his cabinet in July of 1862 about releasing the Emancipation Proclamation,” Dunleavy said, “and his secretary of state, Seward, said if you do it now without a military victory, it will fall on deaf ears, but if you do it after a military victory, it’ll have some importance. So the Union army could claim a military victory by pushing Lee’s army in retreat back into Virginia, and on September 22nd, the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation was released by Lincoln. That’s the significance of this battle.”

Dunleavy thinks the Shepherdstown Battlefield would be better as an addition to Antietam, because he says historically, it makes more sense.

“From a purely Civil War standpoint, it really should be part of the Antietam Battlefield,” he argued, “Not to take anything away from Harpers Ferry, but the fact is, there was an enormous surrender at Harpers Ferry during the Maryland campaign, but there was really no battle that ever happened there.”

While most of the opinions from the public and even the National Park Service seem to be overwhelmingly for Antietam, that’s still up for debate.

The boundary adjustment will be re-evaluated by both the National Park Service and Congress. Dunleavy says it will probably take at least six months or longer before a decision is made.

The comment period will end on Friday, October 3rd.

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