Battle of Arlington Mills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Arlington Mill |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Irvin McDowell | Milledge Luke Bonham | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| two companies, as many as 200 | squad, as few as 9 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 killed 1 wounded |
1 wounded | ||||||
The Battle of Arlington Mill in Virginia was an early fight in the American Civil War. It happened on June 1, 1861, just a week after Union soldiers moved into Virginia. This area was right across the river from Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. The battle took place around 11:00 p.m., only a few hours after another small fight called the Battle of Fairfax Court House.
During the night, a small group of nine Virginia soldiers secretly fired at Union troops. These Union soldiers were from the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry and the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry. They were on "picket duty," which means they were guarding the area at Arlington Mill. In the quick and confusing shootout, one Union soldier was killed and another was hurt. One Virginia soldier was also wounded. This small battle showed that Union forces could be attacked even when they were very close to Washington, D.C.
Contents
Why Did the Battle Happen?
The Start of the Civil War
The American Civil War began when Confederate forces took over Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 14, 1861. The next day, President Abraham Lincoln asked for 75,000 volunteers to join the army for 90 days. His goal was to get back federal property and stop the rebellion. Seven states in the Deep South had already left the United States to form the Confederate States of America (the Confederacy).
Virginia Joins the Confederacy
Four other states, including Virginia, refused to send troops to fight against the Confederacy. Instead, leaders in these states decided to leave the Union and join the Confederacy. On April 17, a meeting in Richmond, Virginia, voted for Virginia to secede (leave the Union). They also allowed the governor to call for volunteers to defend the state. Even though a public vote was planned, Virginia's actions effectively took it out of the Union.
Virginia's Governor, John Letcher, chose Robert E. Lee to lead Virginia's army and navy. Lee had just quit his job as a colonel in the U.S. Army. On April 24, Virginia and the Confederate States agreed that Virginia's forces would be led by the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis. This was before Virginia officially joined the Confederacy.
Union Troops Move In
The 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a group of soldiers who signed up for three months. They arrived in Washington, D.C., on May 16. On May 24, they moved into Arlington Heights, Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia. The 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as the 1st New York Fire Zouaves, joined the army on May 7. They were led by Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth.
President Lincoln didn't want to send troops into Virginia until after the public vote on secession. But on May 24, the day after the vote, Union soldiers crossed the Long Bridge into Arlington. Part of the 1st Michigan and 11th New York Infantry went to Alexandria. During this move, Colonel Ellsworth was killed when he took down a Confederate flag at the Marshall House hotel. The hotel owner, James W. Jackson, killed Ellsworth, and then Jackson was immediately killed by a Union soldier.
Union regiments set up camps and performed "picket duty," which means they guarded areas. They also started building defenses for Washington, D.C. Companies from both the 1st Michigan and 11th New York Infantry were on picket duty at Arlington Mill, about 5 miles (8 km) from Washington.
The Battle of Arlington Mill
A Night Attack
On the night of June 1, Company E of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry was on picket duty at Arlington Mill. Company G of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry was in a nearby house, getting ready to take over the guard duty.
Around 11:00 p.m., nine Virginia militia men fired at the Union guards. Some newspapers reported that in the confusion, the Michigan and New York soldiers might have accidentally fired at each other, as well as at the Virginians. After a short exchange of gunfire, the Virginia soldiers left. The Union forces had one soldier killed and one wounded from the New York company. The Virginians had one soldier wounded. A historical account mentions that 21-year-old Henry S. Cornell of Company G was the soldier killed that night.
What Happened Next?
After the Skirmish
After the small fights at Fairfax Court House and Arlington Mills on the same day, the Union Army didn't move further into northern Virginia until June 17. That's when they had another fight at the Battle of Vienna, Virginia. Historians say that these early small battles were important steps leading up to the much bigger First Battle of Bull Run. These small actions also got a lot of news coverage because the war was still new and exciting.
The 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment fought in the Battle of First Bull Run on July 21. The soldiers who had signed up for 90 days were sent home on August 7. A new 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment was then formed and served until July 1865. The 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment also fought at the Battle of First Bull Run. They lost many soldiers, had many taken prisoner, and some even left the army. The regiment was never fully put back together, and many of its men joined other New York regiments.
Arlington Mill Today
The original Arlington Mill building was destroyed by fire in 1920. In 2011, Arlington County, Virginia, began building a new community center on the site. The new center was expected to open by the end of 2013.
