First Battle of Auburn
Catlett's Station, St. Stephen's Church |
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Fauquier County, Virginia
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| Campaign: |
Bristoe Campaign
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After the retreat from Gettysburg, the Confederate army concentrated behind Rapidan River in Orange County. The Federals advanced to Rappahannock River in August, and in mid- September they pushed strong columns forward to confront Lee along the Rapidan. Early September, Lee dispatched two divisions of Longstreet’s Corps to reinforce the Confederate army in Georgia; the Federals followed suite, sending the XI and XII Corps to Tennessee by railroad in late September after the Battle of Chickamauga. In early October, Lee began an offensive sweep around Meade’s right flank with his remaining two corps, forcing the Federals to withdraw along the line of the Orange & Alexandria Railroad. On October 13, Stuart, with Fitzhugh Lee and Lomax’s brigades, skirmished with the rearguard of the Union III Corps near Auburn. Finding himself cut off by retreating Federal columns, Stuart secreted his troopers in a wooded ravine until the unsuspecting Federals moved on.
Auburn
After several clashes with the Union cavalry Stuart continued to pursue the retreating Union forces nipping at the rear guard as opportunity presented itself. On the 11th his force was reunited as he joined Funsten's Brigade and communication with Fitzhugh Lee's division was reestablished. On the morning of the 13th he dispatched BG Lomax's brigade on a scout east of Warrenton. The effort revealed Buford's troopers guarding "an immense park of wagons" in the vicinity of Catlett's Station. Leaving Lomax at Auburn to protect his rear Stuart hurried to the area without awaiting the results of a proper reconnassaince. His scout in that direction, CPT William Blackford, had become lost and had not yet reported. The juicy target was too much for Stuart to resist and he failed to identify the presence of two corps of Union infantry moving into the area.
As he moved to make an assault on the train the head of MG William French's III Corps column stumbled into Lomax's rear guard. French was also operating somewhat blind as he had sent Kilpatrick's cavalry off on scout. The chance encounter left French and his staff, riding at the front of his column, face to face with the dismounted enemy pickets. The startled group quickly recovered and engaged the Confederates with their pistols. The equally surprised Confederates realizing the depth of their predicament beat a hasty retreat to the Lomax's main body. French called up the brigades of COL Philipe Regis de Troibriand to deploy on the left of the road and COL Charles Collis on the right. After a battery was placed in support "a charge was made upon the woods and the force speedily dislodged." The thiry minute skirmish accounted for about fifty casualties. As this small battle was being fought Blackford regained his bearings and arrived to inform Stuart of the new circumstances.
Stuart immediately conducted further reconnassaince and discovered that not only had they encountered the Federal III Corps in his front but MG Governeur Warren's II Corps was marching behind him. He was trapped bewteen two much superior forces. The fat target of the wagon train was forgotten and a plan developed to save his command. The severe odds made fighting their way out impossible and the progress of the two enemy columns closed all the escape routes. Stuart decided to hide his men while the enemy passed. Fortunately the terrain between the two enemy forces offered up a suitable refuge. The Confederate troopers made a dash for a ravine between a set of hills just large enough to hold his 3000 men, artillery, and wagons. The order for quiet was sent down the line as daylight faded and the Stuart's men settled in for a stressful night.
The Federal columns did not pass entirely as hoped. The rear portion of French's column went into camp only 300 yards away. The Confederates were silent but had difficulty maintaining order among the horses and mule teams of the small ordnance train. They were constantly afraid that they would be given away by their animal companions. But the exhausted Federals failed to notice anything amiss. During the night six men were dressed in Union uniforms and sent out in an effort to contact Lee. Amazingly all six accomplished their mission. Ewell was ordered to send relief. At daybreak a Confederate column arrived much to Stuart's relief and added the combat power necessary to challenge the remaining Federals in the area.
| American Civil War battles within the Commonwealth of Virginia |
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