The World Needs More Kevin

Following the victory at Second Bull Run the Federal army was in some disarray in and retreat. It’s commander, John Pope was losing control and his nerves and he did not know what to do. Fearing Lee cutting him off from Washington or catching him while he was reforming Pope ordered a retreat from Centreville to Washington but an order from the general-in-chief in Washington turned him around to attack Robert E. Lee.

Lee had not pursued Pope following the victory because his army was tired from weeks of marching and for some three days of fighting but he was not going to sit idly by and wait for Pope to regroup. Stonewall Jackson was already in motion to try to get behind Pope at Centreville while James Longstreet kept the other wing on the battlefield to deceive Pope. Pope had two options to get to Washington, the Warrenton Turnpike and the Little River Turnpike and both converged at Germantown, Virginia. That was Jackson’s objective but his men were worn down but Pope was unaware of this movement.

That changed overnight with a report of Confederate cavalry at Germantown. Pope dismissed this report but soon received another about a large force of infantry on the march. Now he realized he was in trouble and ordered the army to continue to retreat into Washington. When daylight came on September 1 Pope sent infantry from several different commands to reconnoiter and to block Jackson. The bulk of the blocking force came from IX Corps soldiers under Isaac Stevens and III Corps soldiers under Phil Kearney.

The heavens opened up, which made for difficult marching. Jackson made only three miles that day before settling down on Ox Hill near the Chantilly Plantation. Jackson himself laid down to take a nap as minor skirmishing was occurring. Around 3 PM Stevens men arrived at Ox Hill and he chose to attack with his outnumbered force. The attack was initially successful but was repulsed with a counterattack. Stevens was killed at around 5 PM when he was shot in the head.

Now the heavens really opened up and a massive thunderstorm erupted. Visibility diminished and gunpowder became wet. Kearney arrived on the field about this time and ordered an attack of his own. His attack stalled after hand-to-hand combat and Kearney himself became lost and found himself behind Confederate lines and was killed.

With no headway the battle ended as the Federals withdrew to join the Union army retreating into Washington. Longstreet came up to aid Jackson but the fighting was over now. After reaching Washington Pope’s army was disbanded and placed back under George McClellan. McClellan was the only person at this point who could rally the demoralized force and return it to the field. He would have to since Lee now resolved to invade Maryland.

Casualties were not heavy compared to major battles but the Union lost about 1,300 men and the Confederates about 800. For the most part the battlefield has been lost to development though a small portion of it is still around at the Ox Hill Battlefield Park.