On June 9, 1863, Union cavalry corps unleashed a surprise attack on J.E.B. Stuart’s Confederate cavalry forces at Brandy Station near the Rappahannock River in Virginia. The fighting raged for an entire day and marked the largest battle of the war predominantly pitting cavalry against each other.
Though the momentum swung repeatedly from one side to the other, Union fighters failed to detect a major infantry camp of Lee’s nearby in Culpeper, Va. The fighting at Brandy Station would mark the prelude to Lee’s push northward into Pennsylvania that would culminate in the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.
The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less