THE REBEL INVASION: Defeat of Stuart’s Cavalry in Three Fights; A Supposed Heavy Battle Between Gens. Meade and Lee (7/2/1863)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 7/2/1863

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Special Dispatch to the New-York Times.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Tuesday Evening -- 8 P.M.

I am just in from the front, and send by a messenger to Frederick a brief dispatch of the occurrences of yesterday and to-day. The rebel force which made the said on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad consisted of STUART'S whole force, with eight pieces of artillery. On Monday night they arrived at Westminster and interrupted the Western Maryland Railroad. They threw out strong pickets, and shot two citizens who attempted to escape and give us information. Early this morning, Gen. GREGG attacked STUART and drove him all the way from Westminster to Hanover, Pennsylvania -- a distance of eighteen miles. During the forenoon Gens. KILPATRICK and CASTAR drove STUART out of Hanover after a splendid fight, and they are still pursuing him; part of his force going toward Gettysburgh and part toward York.

During the day Gen. BUFORD drove a regiment of rebel infantry out of Gettysburgh, who also retired in a northeasterly direction.

You may expect to hear of brilliant news.

The whole army is in splendid spirits.

The rebels are reported to have burned Cashtown, Penn., yesterday. It is between Gettysburgh and Chambersburgh.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY POTOMAC. Wednesday, July 1, 1863 -- 8 A. M.}

Gen. KILPATRICK captured fifty prisoners, including a Lieutenant-Colonel and a Lieutenant yesterday afternoon. They belonged to FITZHUGH LEE's cavalry brigade. The rebels retreated by way of the road to York, which is the nearest route to Harrisburgh. The column of infantry which was driven out of Gettysburgh, also fell back east toward York by way of Berlin and Abbottsville. This looks like a concentration of their forces near Harrisburgh.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4164768/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

1

2

3

4

5

6

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Rebel Invasion: Defeat of Stuart’s Cavalry in Three Fights – 2-3
Gen. Rosecrans’ March: Manœuvres and Counter- Manœuvres of the Two Armies – 3-5
News from Washington: Our Special Washington Dispatches – 5
Editorial: The Opportunity of the Militia – 5-6
Richmond – 6
Cool and Considerate – 6
The Right Spirit – 6
POSTSCRIPT-A Heavy Battle in Pennsylvania; The First and Eleventh Corps Engaged with Longstreet and Hill – 6

[C19fan]

What a Postscript. That is a cliffhanger.

[C19fan]

Rosecrans, using maneuver, conducted one of the most brilliant campaigns of the war driving the Confederates back to Chattanooga. Union causalities were measured in the hundreds.

[Deaf Smith]

Thanks for your Civil War threads as reported by newspapers.

Have reading them since you first started posting them.

[BroJoeK]

A major battle underway in Pennsylvania.
In the meantime, smaller skirmishes include this one between Cavalry forces at Hunterstown:

Pennsylvania 1863 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
June 29	Oyster Point (Camp Hill), PA	Union Dept of Susquehanna (Couche ~200?), Confederate ANV 2 companies (Ewell, ~200?)	Union none, Confederates 2	USA (Confederate attack failed)
June 30	Hanover, PA	Union Army of Potomac Cavalry Brigade (Kilpactric ~5,000?), Confederate Army of N VA (Stuart ~6,000?)	Union 216-total (32?-killed), Confederates 117-total (18? killed)	inconclusive (Union held their ground, Stuart bypassed)
June 30	Sporting Hill, PA	Union PA & NY Militia (Couch ~2,000?), Confederate Army of N VA Cavalry (Jenkins ~2,000?)	Union 11-total (none-killed), Confederates 45-total (16 killed)	inconclusive (Union held their ground)
July 2	Hunterstown, PA	Union Cavalry (Custer ~2,000?), Confederate Army of N VA Cavalry (Hampton ~1,000?)	Union unknown, Confederates unknown	inconclusive

Summary of Civil War Engagements as of July 2, 1863:
Engagements in Confederate states:

State	Union Victories	Confederate Victories	Inconclusive	Total Engagements
South Carolina	2	2	1	5
Virginia	11	33	14	58
North Carolina	8	1	1	10
Florida	2	0	0	2
Louisiana	10	1	1	12
Tennessee	11	7	1	19
Arkansas	8	1	2	11
Georgia	1	1	0	2
Mississippi	8	5	0	13
Texas	0	1	0	1
Alabama	1	0	0	1
Total Engagements in CSA	62	53	21	136

Engagements in Union states/territories:

State	Union Victories	Confederate Victories	Inconclusive	Total Engagements
Maryland	3	0	1	4
West Virginia	9	3	2	14
Missouri	14	13	1	28
New Mexico	5	8	0	13
Kentucky	5	6	2	13
Oklahoma	1	3	0	4
Pennsylvania	1		3	4
Total Engagements in Union	39	33	9	81
Total Engagements to date	101	86	30	217

[jonascord]

Interesting that the reporter misspelled this guy Custer's name...

Ah, well, won't hear of him again, anyway.