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Description:
Believing Early's Confederate
army was no longer a threat in the Shenandoah Valley, Federal Gen.
Horatio Wright abandoned his pursuit and ordered the VI and XIX
Corps to return to Washington, where they were to be sent to Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant's Federal forces at Petersburg. Wright left Gen.
George Crook with three Federal divisions in the Valley and some
cavalry to hold Winchester. Under orders to prevent reinforcements
from being sent to Grant, Early marched north on July 24 against
Crook. After an hour of stubborn resistance at Pritchard's Hill,
the Federal line collapsed and Crook's divisions streamed back in
disarray through the streets of Winchester. Federal Col. James Mulligan,
commanding Crook's 3rd Division, was mortally wounded. Future U.S.
President Rutherford B. Hayes commanded a Federal brigade that fought
against Confederate Gen. John C. Breckinridge's division. Crook
retreated to the Potomac River and crossed near Williamsport, Maryland
on July 26. Because of this defeat and the subsequent burning of
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on July 30, Grant ordered the VI and
XIX Corps back to the Shenandoah Valley and unified several Federal
commands in the region under Gen. Philip Sheridan.
Significance:
Second Kernstown was the last major Confederate victory in the Shenandoah
Valley and temporarily removed Federal control of Winchester and
the northern Shenandoah Valley. The battle was fought on much of
the same ground as the First Battle of Kernstown in 1862. It is
interesting that Federal forces under Col. Hayes, who later became
the President of the United States, fought directly against Gen.
Breckinridge, who was a former Vice President of the United States
and also the Democratic candidate for president in 1860.
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