Battle of Fairfax Court House (1863) 1863
Recorded location from Wikidata; battle sites are often approximate.
Key facts
| Date | 27 June 1863 | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 1863 | Wikidata P585 (point in time) |
| Era | 19th century (1800–1913) | derived from year |
| Location | United States | Natural Earth (modern borders) |
| Continent | North America | Natural Earth |
| War / conflict | American Civil War | Wikidata P361 |
| Coordinates | 38.8525, -77.3042 | Wikidata P625 |
About the battle
The Battle of Fairfax Court House was fought during the Gettysburg campaign of the American Civil War between two cavalry detachments from the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Joseph Hooker, and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee.
The Confederate cavalry leader General J.E.B. Stuart was keen to restore his prestige after two humiliating encounters with Union cavalry, and as the main body crossed the Potomac into Maryland, he received permission to detach three brigades and ride around the entire Union army to gather supplies and intelligence, and damage lines of communication.
At Fairfax Court House, Virginia, on June 27, one of Stuart’s brigades, led by Brigadier General Wade Hampton, was surprised by a small detachment of the 11th New York Cavalry under Major Remington, which initially drove them into the woods, but were so heavily outnumbered that they had to retreat. Although technically a Confederate win, this small engagement had a major impact on the outcome of Gettysburg, since it delayed Stuart’s arrival, depriving Lee of essential knowledge of the enemy’s whereabouts.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Battle of Fairfax Court House (1863) (revision 1373784071), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section; formatting and citations removed. No text added.
Nearby battles
- Battle of Fairfax Court House (1861) 1861 · 1 km
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Other battles of the American Civil War
- Siege of Fort Macon 1862
- Siege of Fort Pulaski 1862
- Skirmish at Paint Rock Bridge 1862
- Skirmish of the Brick Church 1862
- Van Buren raid 1862
- Action off Galveston Light 1863
- Battle of Aldie 1863
- Battle of Arkansas Post 1863
- Battle of Baxter Springs 1863
- Battle of Bayou Bourbeux 1863
All 498 battles of the American Civil War →
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