Front Royal (Guard Hill, Cedarville )

Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective December Issue: 1989 Twenty Years On: The End of Communism and the Fate of Eastern Europe eHistory Book Reviews November Review: 428 AD: An Ordinary Year at the End of the Roman Empire MultiMedia Histories Featured History: The Era of William McKinley

		THESE ARE ARCHIVED PAGES OF THE OLD EHISTORY SITE click here for the NEW eHistory site These pages are not actively maintained and may have errors in content and functionality


eHistory > American Civil War > Battles > Front Royal (G...	Search


Articles

Battles

Biographies

Books

Book Reviews

Civil War Daily

Essays & Papers

Glossary

HistoryLists

Images

Interactive

Letters & Diaries

Maps

Medicine

Newsletter

Official Records

Periodicals

Regimental Units

Timeline

Front Royal (1862)

War:

American Civil War

Also known as:

Guard Hill, Cedarville

Date(s):

23 May 1862

Location:

Warren County, Virginia, US

Outcome:

Confederate victory

Description:

Col. John R. Kenly, USA
Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, CSA

Jackson brought over 10,000 men to the battle; the Union only had 1,000.

The Union force was all but destroyed, with 960 casualties against only 60 Confederate.

Nathaniel Banks had dispersed his army around the Shenandoah, and Jackson was determined to take advantage. Banks’ problem was compounded by having to send half his troops – and the better half – off to join McClellan; Jackson only narrowly avoided the same problem. The cautious Joe Johnston saw Banks’ weakness as an opportunity to pare troops away from Jackson, not to attack Banks. But Jackson appealed to Jeff Davis, and won permission to hit back.

Jackson had overwhelming force, but was determined to bag the whole Yankee garrison; he sent scouts to cut telegraph lines while the main body moved direct on the town. When he learned the garrison was mainly the US 1st Maryland he paused long enough to bring the Confederate 1st Maryland to the front, where they joined the Louisiana “Tigers” as the spearhead. They overran the pickets of Kenly’s 1,000-man garrison at Front Royal. Driven through the town, the Federals stood fast on Camp Hill, then again at Guard Hill after attempting to burn the river bridges. While they started fires, bold Confederates ran forward and beat out the flames. Outnumbered and outflanked, Kenly continued the retreat to Cedarville, where two cavalry charges broke the roadblock and routed the Union force. About 900 Yankees surrendered.

Jackson’s victory at Front Royal forced the Union army under Banks at Strasburg into a rapid retreat towards Winchester.

Content provided by:
eHistory Staff

Selected sources:
American Battlefield Protection Program, Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service.

About | Contact