The Bristoe Campaign was a series of battles fought in Virginia during October and November, 1863, in the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Army of the Potomac, unsuccessfully attempted to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Of all the campaigns undertaken by the Army of the Potomac, this is certainly the most obscure. State nickname: Old Dominion Other U.S. States Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Governor Mark R. Warner Official languages English Area 110,862 km² (35th)  - Land 102,642 km²  - Water 8,220 km² (7. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... George Gordon Meade (December 31, 1815 - November 6, 1872) was an American military officer during the American Civil War. ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... Robert Edward Lee, as a U.S. Army Colonel before the war Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a career army officer and the most successful general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. ... The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War in the eastern theater. ...

Background

After the Battle of Gettysburg in July, Robert E. Lee retreated back across the Potomac River to Virginia and concentrated behind the Rapidan River in Orange County. Meade was widely criticized for failing to pursue aggressively and defeat Lee's army. He planned new offensives in Virginia that fall to correct this. Battle of Gettysburg Conflict American Civil War Date July 1–3, 1863 Place Adams County Result Union victory The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the largest battle ever conducted in North America... Upper part of the Potomac River The Potomac River flows into Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ... Orange County is a county located in the state of Virginia. ...

Early in September, Lee dispatched two divisions of James Longstreet's Corps to reinforce the Confederate army in Georgia. Meade knew that Lee had been weakened by the departure of Longstreet and wanted to take advantage. He advanced his army to the Rappahannock River in August, and on September 13 he pushed strong columns forward to confront Lee along the Rapidan, occupying Culpeper, Virginia. Meade planned to use his numerical superiority in a broad turning movement, similar to the one planned by Joseph Hooker in the Battle of Chancellorsville that spring. However, on September 24 the Union had to deplete its forces as well, sending the XI and XII Corps to Chattanooga, Tennessee, following the Union defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga. James Longstreet James Longstreet (January 8, 1821 – January 2, 1904) was one of the foremost generals of the American Civil War, and later enjoyed a successful post-war career working for the government of his former enemies, as a diplomat and administrator. ... State nickname: Peach State / Empire State of the South Other U.S. States Capital Atlanta Largest city Atlanta Governor Sonny Perdue Official languages English Area 154,077 km² (24th)  - Land 150,132 km²  - Water 3,945 km² (2. ... For the river in New Zealand, see Rappahannock River, New Zealand The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia in the United States, approximately 184 mi (294 km). ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... Culpeper is a town located in Culpeper County, Virginia. ... This article is about Joseph Hooker, the U.S. Civil War Major General. ... Battle of Chancellorsville Conflict American Civil War Date April 30 – May 6, 1863 Place Spotsylvania County Result Decisive Confederate victory The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War in 1863. ... September 24 is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years). ... The Union Army refers to the United States Army during the American Civil War. ... The XI Corps (Eleventh Corps) was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, best remembered for its humiliating defeats at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg in 1863. ... XII Corps (ACW) - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in Tennesseee, and the seat of Hamilton County 6, Tennessee in the United States of America. ... Battle of Chickamauga Conflict American Civil War Date September 18-20, 1863 Place Catoosa County and Walker County, Georgia Result Confederate victory The Battle of Chickamauga marked the end of a Union offensive in the American Civil War in Catoosa County and Walker County, Georgia from September 18, 1863 to...

Lee learned of the departing Union corps and, early in October, he began an offensive sweep around Cedar Mountain with his remaining two corps, attempting to turn Meade's right flank. Meade, despite having superior numbers, ordered the Army of the Potomac to withdraw along the line of the Orange & Alexandria Railroad.

Battles

The battles fought during the Bristoe Campaign were:

• First Battle of Auburn (October 13, 1863) — J.E.B. Stuart was on one of his typical raids to capture supply wagons and blundered into the rear guard of the Union III Corps near Warrenton. Richard S. Ewell's corps was sent to rescue him, but Stuart hid his troopers in a wooded ravine until the unsuspecting III Corps moved on and the assistance wasn't necessary.
• Second Battle of Auburn (October 14, 1863) — As the Union army withdrew towards Manassas Junction, Meade was careful to protect his western flank from the kind of envelopment that had doomed John Pope and Hooker in previous battles in this area. Brigades from Gouverneur K. Warren's II Corps fought a rearguard action against Stuart's cavalry and the infantry of Harry Hays's division near Auburn. Stuart's cavalry boldly bluffed Warren's infantry and escaped disaster. The II Corps pushed on to Catlett Station on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad.
• Battle of Bristoe Station (October 14, 1863) — A.P. Hill's corps stumbled upon two corps of the retreating Union army at Bristoe Station and attacked without proper reconnaissance. Union soldiers of the II Corps, posted behind the Orange & Alexandria Railroad embankment, mauled two brigades of Henry Heth's division and captured a battery of artillery. Hill reinforced his line, but could make little headway against the determined defenders. After this victory, the Meade continued his withdrawal to Centreville unmolested. Lee's Bristoe offensive sputtered to a premature halt. Meade was well entrenched and Lee had outrun his supplies. After minor skirmishing near Manassas and Centreville, the Confederates retired slowly to the Rappahannock River, destroying the Orange & Alexandria Railroad as they went. Meade was under pressure from general-in-chief Henry W. Halleck to pursue Lee, but it would take almost a month to re-lay the railroad track behind his army.
• Battle of Buckland Mills (October 19, 1863) — After defeat at Bristoe Station and an aborted advance on Centreville, Stuart's cavalry shielded the withdrawal of Lee's army from the vicinity of Manassas Junction. Union cavalry under Judson Kilpatrick pursued Stuart's cavalry along the Warrenton Turnpike, but were lured into an ambush near Chestnut Hill and routed. The Federal troopers were scattered and chased five miles in an affair that came to be known as the "Buckland Races".
• Battle of Rappahannock Station II (November 7, 1863) — Lee returned to his old position behind the Rappahannock, but left a fortified bridgehead on the north bank, protecting the approach to Kelly's Ford. On November 7, Meade forced passage of the Rappahannock at two places. A surprise attack by John Sedgwick's VI Corps at dusk overran the Confederate bridgehead at Rappahannock Station, capturing two brigades (more than 1,600 men) of Jubal A. Early's division. Fighting at Kelly's Ford was less severe, but the Confederates retreated, allowing the Federals across in force.

October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... J.E.B J.e. ... Daniel Sickles and staff after the Battle of Gettysburg There were four formations in the Union Army designated as III Corps (or Third Corps) during the American Civil War. ... Richard Stoddert Ewell (February 8, 1817 - January 25, 1872) was a Confederate military officer during the American Civil War. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Major General John Pope John Pope (March 18, 1822 – September 23, 1892) was a career Army officer and general in the American Civil War. ... Gouverneur K. Warren Gouverneur Kemble Warren (8 January 1830 - 8 August 1882) was a civil engineer and prominent officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps (Second Corps) during the American Civil War. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Ambrose Powell Hill (November 9, 1825 _ April 2, 1865), was a Confederate States of America general in the American Civil War. ... Henry Heth Henry Heth (December 16, 1825 – September 27, 1899) was a career U.S. Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. ... Henry Wager Halleck (1815 - 1872) was an American soldier and politician. ... October 19 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (1836-1881) Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (14 January 1836 near Deckertown, New Jersey – 4 December 1881 in Santiago, Chile) was a officer in the Union army during the American Civil War achieving the rank of Brevet Major General, the United States Minister to Chile, and a failed political... November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... Major General John Sedgwick John Sedgwick (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was a teacher, a career military officer, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. ... Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a lawyer and Confederate general in the American Civil War. ...

Aftermath

On the verge of going into winter quarters around Culpeper, Lee's army retired instead into Orange County, south of the Rapidan. The Army of the Potomac occupied the vicinity of Brandy Station and Culpeper County. Lee and his officers were disgusted with their lack of success.

The five battles in the Bristoe Campaign resulted in 3,910 casualties on both sides, including 1,600 Confederate prisoners. The campaign was followed by the equally inconclusive Mine Run Campaign later in November.

External links

• National Park Service battle descriptions (http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/bycampgn.htm#East63)