Second Winchester "Bringing fire and tempests on the world"

In June 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee began his second invasion of the North by sending Gen. Richard Ewell's Second Corps into the Shenandoah Valley to clear the way, and after Ewell crossed into the Valley on June 12 he converged on Union Gen. Robert Milroy's garrisons in Winchester and Berryville. Milroy, ignoring orders to abandon Winchester, trusted his fortifications and after fighting south of Winchester on June 13 concentrated his men within the triangle formed by Fort Milroy, West Fort, and Star Fort. At dawn on June 14, Ewell sent most of Gen. Jubal A. Early's division on a concealed flanking march to the west while other Confederate troops distracted the Union forces, and at 6pm Early opened a devastating artillery barrage on West Fort. Under that fire, Gen. Harry T. Hays's Louisiana brigade stormed the works, and after a brief hand-to-hand fight the Union defenders fell back to Fort Milroy and Star Fort. After dark, Milroy abandoned his remaining entrenchments in an attempt to cut his way through to Harper's Ferry, but Ewell had anticipated the move and sent Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's division on a night march to block the escape route north of Winchester. Near dawn the Federals tried to break out, but their attacks were repulsed and Milroy's force was effectively destroyed. With the Valley cleared, Lee's army had an unimpeded road north into Pennsylvania, leading ultimately to Gettysburg.

Virginia · United States