"Buford's cavalry had a long and desperate encounter, hand to hand, with the enemy, in which he drove handsomely before him very superior forces. Over 200 prisoners were captured and one battle flag. The troops are in splendid spirits, and are entitled to the highest praise for their distinguished conduct."
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By 7.30 a.m., the Confederate defence of the area around St. James' Church had stopped further progress by Pleasonton's Right Wing under the command of John Buford (left). The plan to link up with the left wing under Gregg had now stalled - Gregg was only to arrive at his designated target around 10.30 a.m., many hours late and this left the entire rebel command free to concentrate on Buford's men.
Since the St James' line seemed unbreachable, Buford now ordered much of his force to the west, into the teeth of a Rebel brigade behind a stone wall on the Green farm. However, the Confederate cavalry commander, Rooney Lee, had succeeded in retaking and holding the vital stone wall from the Union troops. Now, within 500 yards of Buford's HQ at Cunningham's Farm, it seemed likely that the adjoining ridge would soon be attacked and the Union cavalry would be forced to retreat back across the Rappahannock River, humbled once again by the Stuart's cavalry.
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Buford, with Myles Keogh beside him, was soon joined on the ridge by General Pleasonton, keen to observe the progress after many hours of lively skirmishing. With Pleasonton were two of his staff, Captain George Custer and Lieutenant George Yates, both of whom would die with Myles Keogh at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. When the assault of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry failed, Buford decided to bring the infantry into it, making the following request of Captain George Stevenson of the third Wisconsin Infantry:
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Meanwhile, back at the church in the centre of the engagement and after several hours of taking cannon shot, Devin and his assigned infantry (124th NY) were shocked to see that the enemy had simply disappeared. Now at Doctor Green's farm, as 2nd Massachusetts (2 Co) and the 3rd Wisconsin (1 Co) infantry began pouring over the wall, Rooney Lee realised that the defenders at the church were no longer there and his right flank was left unprotected. With the Union cavalry in pursuit, he retreated to Fleetwood Hill.
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Throughout the morning, JEB Stuart's men had the luxury of being able to concentrate almost exclusively against Buford's. With the arrival in late morning of General Gregg's Division to the south, Stuart was in serious jeopardy of being flanked and broken. To retrieve the situation, he pulled all Rebel forces back to Fleetwood Hill, a long ridge a mile and a half to his rear. Buford stepped up the pressure by sending the 2nd U.S. Cavalry against the retreating Confederates. Captain Wesley Merritt (left), who was wounded in the action, describes the climatic fighting at the foot of Fleetwood Hill:
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Buford had dispatched Keogh's comrade and fellow Irish staffer, Joseph O'Keeffe (right) to the brigade attacking Lees' line. In the charge described above and as O'Keeffe rode boot to boot with Merritt, his mount was shot from underneath him and he was wounded in the foot. Inevitably, this led to his capture and the start of a year long spell as a prisoner of war for the young Irish captain.
Stuart had always had his way with the Union forces since the start of the war and now stood victorious on Fleetwood Hill forming a line two miles long, JEB could see the opposing cavalrymen grouped a mile away but something was different - their Yankee foe was not going away. Disturbed by this, Stuart sent Rooney Lee, supported by 'Grumble' Jones into Buford's regulars.
Fighting continued to rage throughout the afternoon as Buford's Reserve Brigade carried the northern portion of Fleetwood Hill while Gregg's men pounded Stuart from the south. But the Gray Cavalier was not to be beaten. With the approach of evening, Corps commander Pleasonton, accompanying Gregg's Division, decided enough was enough and sent orders to Buford to retreat. The staff messenger found General Buford...
Pleasonton was very happy as he felt that his men did very well. One of his accomplishments was that a set of official papers fell into his hands stating Lee's intention of his forthcoming invasion into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Some doubt does remain if he did indeed capture the documents.The South claimed that they held the hill when the battle was over. Stuart needed time to rest and regroup so his departure for the north was delayed. General Lee left without him but not before a visit. At his arrival, he saw his son Rooney who had taken a bullet in the thigh being taken off the field.
The North claimed that they stood stirrup to stirrup to their Rebel counterparts and that they walked off the field by their own volition. A fact does however remain, Buford and Gregg never did complete that pincer movement. The list of casualties does not reflect the overall importance of the battle. The Confederates lost 485 men while Buford lost over 500, Gregg and Duffie' losses with the overwhelming amount being in Gregg's command, was 365 men. The total Union loss was 866. The highest amount for one unit was suffered by the brave 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Brigadier-General A. Pleasonton, Cavalry H.Q., June 9, 1863 - 8 p. m
By 7.30 a.m., the Confederate defence of the area around St. James' Church had stopped further progress by Pleasonton's Right Wing under the command of John Buford (left). The plan to link up with the left wing under Gregg had now stalled - Gregg was only to arrive at his designated target around 10.30 a.m., many hours late and this left the entire rebel command free to concentrate on Buford's men.Since the St James' line seemed unbreachable, Buford now ordered much of his force to the west, into the teeth of a Rebel brigade behind a stone wall on the Green farm. However, the Confederate cavalry commander, Rooney Lee, had succeeded in retaking and holding the vital stone wall from the Union troops. Now, within 500 yards of Buford's HQ at Cunningham's Farm, it seemed likely that the adjoining ridge would soon be attacked and the Union cavalry would be forced to retreat back across the Rappahannock River, humbled once again by the Stuart's cavalry.
The gun shown above is a 3in. Ordnance Rifle, such as used by Union artillery at Brandy Station
Buford, with Myles Keogh beside him, was soon joined on the ridge by General Pleasonton, keen to observe the progress after many hours of lively skirmishing. With Pleasonton were two of his staff, Captain George Custer and Lieutenant George Yates, both of whom would die with Myles Keogh at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. When the assault of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry failed, Buford decided to bring the infantry into it, making the following request of Captain George Stevenson of the third Wisconsin Infantry:
"Do you see those people down there? They got to be driven out. Mind, I don'torder you in: but if you think you can do it, go in."It was odd that an old 'regular' would have scruples about giving orders to the infantry, but Buford's appeal worked and one hundred or so Wisconsin foot soldiers attacked the stone wall, thereby undermining the Confederate position. The two forces continued to engage in this western part of the battlefield for several hours, resulting in particularly high casualties being suffered by the 8th Illinois Cavalry.
Meanwhile, back at the church in the centre of the engagement and after several hours of taking cannon shot, Devin and his assigned infantry (124th NY) were shocked to see that the enemy had simply disappeared. Now at Doctor Green's farm, as 2nd Massachusetts (2 Co) and the 3rd Wisconsin (1 Co) infantry began pouring over the wall, Rooney Lee realised that the defenders at the church were no longer there and his right flank was left unprotected. With the Union cavalry in pursuit, he retreated to Fleetwood Hill.
Throughout the morning, JEB Stuart's men had the luxury of being able to concentrate almost exclusively against Buford's. With the arrival in late morning of General Gregg's Division to the south, Stuart was in serious jeopardy of being flanked and broken. To retrieve the situation, he pulled all Rebel forces back to Fleetwood Hill, a long ridge a mile and a half to his rear. Buford stepped up the pressure by sending the 2nd U.S. Cavalry against the retreating Confederates. Captain Wesley Merritt (left), who was wounded in the action, describes the climatic fighting at the foot of Fleetwood Hill:"We rode pell-mell, with sabers in hand at the astonished enemy... The next moment it (the Rebel line) had broken and was flying, while horseman of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry mingling with the Rebels, dealt saber blows and pistol shots on every side... friend and foe, mixed inextricably together, rode on in this terrible carnage."
Buford had dispatched Keogh's comrade and fellow Irish staffer, Joseph O'Keeffe (right) to the brigade attacking Lees' line. In the charge described above and as O'Keeffe rode boot to boot with Merritt, his mount was shot from underneath him and he was wounded in the foot. Inevitably, this led to his capture and the start of a year long spell as a prisoner of war for the young Irish captain.Stuart had always had his way with the Union forces since the start of the war and now stood victorious on Fleetwood Hill forming a line two miles long, JEB could see the opposing cavalrymen grouped a mile away but something was different - their Yankee foe was not going away. Disturbed by this, Stuart sent Rooney Lee, supported by 'Grumble' Jones into Buford's regulars.
Fighting continued to rage throughout the afternoon as Buford's Reserve Brigade carried the northern portion of Fleetwood Hill while Gregg's men pounded Stuart from the south. But the Gray Cavalier was not to be beaten. With the approach of evening, Corps commander Pleasonton, accompanying Gregg's Division, decided enough was enough and sent orders to Buford to retreat. The staff messenger found General Buford...
"entirely isolated from the rest of the command under Pleasonton but paying no attention and fighting straight on."Buford grudgingly withdrew his division despite being hit at that moment on his right flank by Munford's Brigade, freshly arrived on the field of battle. Nonetheless, Buford's men re-crossed the Rappahannock in an orderly fashion and thus concluded the biggest cavalry battle of the war, thirteen hours after the first bullet was fired. All were across the river by 9.00 pm.
Pleasonton was very happy as he felt that his men did very well. One of his accomplishments was that a set of official papers fell into his hands stating Lee's intention of his forthcoming invasion into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Some doubt does remain if he did indeed capture the documents.The South claimed that they held the hill when the battle was over. Stuart needed time to rest and regroup so his departure for the north was delayed. General Lee left without him but not before a visit. At his arrival, he saw his son Rooney who had taken a bullet in the thigh being taken off the field.
The North claimed that they stood stirrup to stirrup to their Rebel counterparts and that they walked off the field by their own volition. A fact does however remain, Buford and Gregg never did complete that pincer movement. The list of casualties does not reflect the overall importance of the battle. The Confederates lost 485 men while Buford lost over 500, Gregg and Duffie' losses with the overwhelming amount being in Gregg's command, was 365 men. The total Union loss was 866. The highest amount for one unit was suffered by the brave 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
General Stuart's ego had been damaged because his men may have fought to a draw, although he told his men,
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We know little of Captain Keogh's actions during the day long fight but it is likely that he engaged the enemy. Indeed, there is documented evidence that many of the staff members were involved in some form of combat with the Rebel foe, be it Captain O'Keeffe or 1st Lieutenant John Mix of Buford's staff to the young Custer, aide-de-camp to Pleasonton. A few days later, Custer (left, in General's uniform, 1863) was given the honour of handing over the only captured battle standard direct to the Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac - his star was now on the rise.
While Keogh came through the battle without a scratch, it was no less a reflection on his bravery. Buford's report later stated of his staff's performance -
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South-West of Fleetwood Hill as it looks today
Special mention must be made of the hard work and dedication of the Civil War Preservation Trust and the Brandy Station Foundation who preserve this and many other battlefields for the benefit of future generations - "Without memory, we have no deeds" (Brian C. Pohanka)
In this site's opinion, the best map of the Battle of Brandy Station is found by clicking on the link below;
http://www.civilwar.org/brandystation08/maps/2008%20Brandy%20Station%20Appeal%20Maps.pdf
"Comrades!, Two divisions of the enemy's cavalry and artillery on that glorious day, have taught them again the weight of Southern vengeance........".On the Union side, the New York Tribune stated,
"The Confederates begin to find that their boasted cavalry is being overmatched by Union horseman. Our troops........ will make as fine a cavalry as can be found in the world".No doubt Myles Keogh took great satisfaction in their job well done. He had come off the battlefield, part of an undefeated army for the first time in his military career. Nonetheless, Myles' emotions must have been mixed as he rode back across the Rappahhannock River that evening - his two Papal army comrades were no longer with him. Dan Keily was still recuperating after receiving a horrendous facial wound at Port Republic the previous year and now Joseph O'Keeffe was listed in the official report as missing, fate unknown (the only staff casualty of the battle).
We know little of Captain Keogh's actions during the day long fight but it is likely that he engaged the enemy. Indeed, there is documented evidence that many of the staff members were involved in some form of combat with the Rebel foe, be it Captain O'Keeffe or 1st Lieutenant John Mix of Buford's staff to the young Custer, aide-de-camp to Pleasonton. A few days later, Custer (left, in General's uniform, 1863) was given the honour of handing over the only captured battle standard direct to the Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac - his star was now on the rise.While Keogh came through the battle without a scratch, it was no less a reflection on his bravery. Buford's report later stated of his staff's performance -
"I am under many obligations for their prompt and untiring exertions. I often had to send them where the fire was hot, and when their horses were jaded, but there was no hesitation."The Union cavalry came to age on this day, the 9th of June, 1863 - a turning point had happened. The Union cavalry were not afraid to meet their born-to-the-saddle enemy again and would prove it a month later at Gettysburg...
South-West of Fleetwood Hill as it looks todaySpecial mention must be made of the hard work and dedication of the Civil War Preservation Trust and the Brandy Station Foundation who preserve this and many other battlefields for the benefit of future generations - "Without memory, we have no deeds" (Brian C. Pohanka)
In this site's opinion, the best map of the Battle of Brandy Station is found by clicking on the link below;
http://www.civilwar.org/brandystation08/maps/2008%20Brandy%20Station%20Appeal%20Maps.pdf