Battle of First Kernstown

On March 23, 1862, at approximately 2:15 PM, during the Battle of First Kernstown, Lt. Col. Daum directed Union batteries on Pritchard's Hill to concentrate fire on the Confederate assault and made a key decision to stop the Confederate advance before it crossed the field. He moved Lt. Lucius Robinson's six-gun battery from the rear of the Union artillery to high ground just west of Middle Road across from the Pritchard farm gate, where its 12-pound howitzers and 6-pound smoothbore guns could create a cross fire on the approaching infantry columns. As artillery from Pritchard's Hill and Robinson's battery burst above Colonel Fulkerson's men, many fell with upper body injuries from exploding shrapnel. An Ohio infantryman recalled, "As we looked down upon them, we could see our shells knock them right and left." Among those in the assault were brothers Privates Lindsey and Clordoma Clarke of the 23rd Virginia Infantry; Lindsey suffered leg and arm wounds from exploding artillery shells, and Clordoma was also wounded.

Virginia · United States