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(Piedmont)

Piedmont

June 5-6, 1864
Augusta County, VA
Campaign: Raiding Lee’s Breadbasket

Maj. Gen. David Hunter, USA
Brig. Gen. William E. Jones, CSA

The Union mustered around 8,500; the Confederates roughly 5,500.

Union losses were a little under 900; Confederate losses around 1,500.

After replacing Sigel in command of Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley, Maj. Gen. “Black Dave” Hunter renewed the Union offensive.

On June 5, Hunter engaged the Confederate army under “Grumble” Jones north of Piedmont.  After severe fighting, a flanking movement made by Thoburn’s brigade turned Jones’s right flank.  Jones was killed while trying to stem the retreat of his soldiers.  The retreat became a rout: more than 1,000 Confederates, including 60 officers, were captured as well as three guns.

Hunter occupied Staunton on June 6 and, after a pause to await the arrival of Brig. Gen. George Crook’s column, began to advance on Lynchburg, destroying military stores and public property in his wake.

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(Piedmont)