M.A. Kleen

After three bloody days of fighting around Gettysburg, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee retreated southwest toward the Potomac River and Virginia. Union cavalry commander H. Judson Kilpatrick knew the Confederate army would have to pass through Hagerstown on its way to Williamsport, Maryland so taking it would be key to disrupting their retreat. On the morning of July 6, 1863, he attempted to drive off J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry with three cavalry brigades and three batteries of horse artillery. When they charged toward the town square, they found Stuart had barricaded the roads and was ready to fight. Quick thinking by Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early saved the day for the Confederates, as he funneled his three infantry brigades into the fight when he heard the nearby rumble of artillery. Combined pressure from Confederate infantry, cavalry, and artillery caused Kilpatrick to withdraw, leaving behind 21 killed, 60 wounded, and 220 missing. The Confederates lost an estimated 11 killed, 52 wounded, and 38 missing.