165 YEARS AGO: The Federal defeat at Ball’s Bluff outrages northerners, sends the Lincolns into mourning, and increases calls for an “all-out war” against the Confederacy.
Tag: Charles P. Stone
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Federal forces suffer another horrific defeat when they are driven off a cliff overlooking the Potomac River at Leesburg, Virginia.
Shaking the Enemy Out of Leesburg
165 YEARS AGO: Federal forces converge on an isolated Confederate unit at Leesburg, a Virginia town up the Potomac River from Washington. However, confusion over troop positions leads to conflicting orders that cause Federal confusion.
The Rockville Expedition
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Federals led by Colonel Charles P. Stone seize Edwards’ and Conrad’s ferries on the Potomac River, which are the main approaches from Maryland to the strategic town of Leesburg, Va.
Make Yourself That Rallying Point
An officer is assigned to protect Washington from secessionists, and a controversial letter from Winfield Scott becomes public.
Hooker Reorganizes the Army of the Potomac
Joseph Hooker works to reorganize and revitalize the demoralized Federal Army of the Potomac.