The First Battle of Kernstown

At 9:00 A.M. on March 23, 1862, Confederate artillery unlimbered near the Valley Turnpike and opened the First Battle of Kernstown by firing on Pritchard’s Hill. Union artillery moved onto these knolls and over the next five hours fired 700 rounds of shot and shell, protected by more than 300 Union soldiers, while Colonel Nathan Kimball established his headquarters on the hill. Early in the afternoon, Kimball repulsed a Confederate infantry attempt to drive the artillery from this ground, but General Jackson then shifted Confederate artillery from the Valley Turnpike to the crest of Sandy Ridge, and by 3:30 P.M. his cannon had suppressed the Union artillery position. From this hill, Kimball responded by launching two rapid infantry attacks to force “Stonewall” Jackson from his commanding position. By sunset, these assaults had dislodged Jackson’s troops from Sandy Ridge and captured two cannon and 250 healthy soldiers. Confederate losses also included 450 killed, while Kimball’s men suffered nearly 600 killed and wounded. Kimball’s victory brought him promotion to brigadier general, and the Indiana physician became the only field commander in the Civil War to defeat both Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson in separate engagements. Kimball’s leadership at Kernstown was repeated in later campaigns, and breveted major general in 1865, he retired after participating in 22 victories against three losses. Colonel William Murray spent most of the battle on this knoll with the 84th Pennsylvania Infantry until he was ordered late in the afternoon to charge the Confederate cannon on Sandy Ridge; he was killed 40 yards from the Southern artillery, the highest-ranking officer to die that day.

Winchester, Virginia · United States