Battle of Kettle Run

On August 27, 1862, two of Confederate Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's divisions plundered the Federal supply depot at Manassas Junction while Gen. Richard S. Ewell's division, serving as Jackson's rear guard at Bristoe Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, prepared to meet a Union response on ground Ewell knew well from his upbringing nearby at Stony Lonesome farm. After learning of Jackson's raid, Union Gen. John Pope sent Gen. Joseph Hooker's division north from Warrenton Junction along the railroad, and on an extremely hot afternoon Hooker's troops met Ewell's skirmish line south of the Kettle Run bridge at 2 p.m. As the fighting intensified, Col. Henry Forno's brigade, made up of the 60th Georgia and 6th and 8th Louisiana Infantry, withdrew across the bridge, burned it, and regrouped with strong artillery support on the far side. Col. Joseph Carr's Union brigade then stormed across the stream under heavy fire, and Ewell's division held firm along the railroad, inflicting heavy casualties until Col. Nelson Taylor's Excelsior Brigade advanced and gave the Federals superior numbers. About 4 p.m., Ewell began an orderly retreat across Broad Run, and as the Confederates fought while withdrawing, Gen. Jubal A. Early's brigade disengaged last and crossed Broad Run about 6:00, burning the railroad bridge behind it. Federal casualties were about 300 killed and wounded, while the Confederates lost about 150. Ewell then withdrew to Manassas Junction, where that night Jackson burned the remaining Union supplies and moved his men to favorable ground on the old Manassas battlefield to await Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. James Longstreet's wing, setting the stage for the Second Battle of Manassas on August 28-30, 1862.

Nokesville, Virginia · United States