Skirmish at Hoke Run

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Skirmish at Hoke Run
Part of: American Civil War
date July 2, 1861
place Berkeley County , West Virginia, USA
output Union victory
Parties to the conflict

United States 34United States United States

States of America Confederate 1861-3Confederate States of America Confederate States of America

Commander
Robert Patterson
Joseph E. Johnston
Thomas J. Jackson
Troop strength
14,344
2,256
losses
23
91
Manassas campaign

The battle at Hoke Run , also known as the battle at Falling Waters , was a battle during the American Civil War during the Manassas campaign . It took place on July 2, 1861 in the northeastern part of the Shenandoah Valley in what is now West Virginia .

Major General Robert Patterson was supposed to bind the Shenandoah Confederate Army under Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston in the Shenandoah Valley and prevent it from reinforcing Brigadier General PGT Beauregard near Manassas , Virginia.

Patterson crossed the Potomac near Williamsport, Maryland on July 2 with the 18,000 volunteers from his division called up for 90 days on April 15 . He was marching on Main Street toward Martinsburg , West Virginia. Near the brook Hoke Run he met Thomas J. Jackson's brigade , which was supposed to delay Patterson's advance. During the battle, Jackson dodged south, fighting slowly and according to plan.

On July 3, Patterson occupied Martinsburg. There he stood idly until July 15, when he marched to Bunker Hill, West Virginia. During this advance there was repeated banter with Jackson's brigade.

As early as July 12, the Commander in Chief of the US Army , Major General Winfield Scott Patterson had ordered to attack and beat General Johnston. If he is not strong enough to do this, he should bind him in the Shenandoah Valley. However, if Johnston evaded Manassas with stronger forces and a direct pursuit was too dangerous, he should follow Johnston via Leesburg , Virginia. In his July 16 report, Patterson pointed out that the road to Winchester was closed and therefore he did not believe that there were any stronger Confederate forces in Winchester. Furthermore, the commitment period of his 90-day volunteers is running out and these regiments are not ready to serve any longer. But he intends to keep the important place of Harpers Ferry with the 3-year volunteers .

By moving eastward, the pressure on the Confederates in the Shenandoah Valley was so reduced that Johnston could immediately put parts of his army on the train to reinforce from Beauregard to Manassas march. This was instrumental in the Confederate victory in the first Battle of Manassas .

literature

  • United States. War Dept .: The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies , Volume II, Govt. Print. Off., Washington 1880-1901
  • James M. McPherson : Battle Cry of Freedom . Oxford University Press, New York 1988, ISBN 0-19-503863-0 .

swell

  1. ↑ a b Troop strength. Cornell University Library, January 12, 2017, accessed May 26, 2018 (Official Records, Vol. 2, p. 187).
  2. ↑ a b National Park Service: Losses
  3. ↑ Instructions on how to proceed. Cornell University Library, January 12, 2017, accessed May 26, 2018 (Official Records, Vol. 2, p. 166).
  4. ↑ Justification. Cornell University Library, January 12, 2017, accessed May 26, 2018 (Official Records, Vol. 2, pp. 166f).

Coordinates: 39 ° 31 '17.12 "  N , 77 ° 54' 48.11"  W.