Flanked out of his position on Richardson's Hill, Union Col. John R. Kenly hurried his command north to the bridges over the forks of the Shenandoah River, where the Front Royal Turnpike Bridge crossed the South Fork, the Manassas Gap Railroad bridge stood just east, and another bridge crossed the North Fork. As the Federals crossed, the 1st Maryland Infantry (CSA) pressed the Union rear and Louisianans attacked the flanks. Kenly's troops burned their tents and supplies, along with his headquarters at the Vannort house to the west, and he ordered the bridges burned to block Confederate pursuit while deploying the 5th New York Cavalry and his cannons on Guard Hill to protect his retreat route. The attempt failed when Louisianans led by Gen. Richard Taylor charged into the flames and beat them out, though the North Fork Bridge was damaged enough, and fire from Guard Hill strong enough, to slow the Confederate crossing. That Federal advantage ended when Lt. Col. Thomas S. Flournoy's 6th Virginia Cavalry swam the rain-swollen river and formed for the pursuit. Although Kenly had ordered the North and South Fork bridges burned, Sgt. William Taylor of Company H, 1st Maryland Infantry (USA), though painfully wounded, single-handedly destroyed enough of the North Fork Bridge that the Confederates could not use it, and on Aug. 2, 1897, he received the Medal of Honor for his courage at Front Royal.
