Battle of Dranesville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Dranesville |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
 Battle of Dranesville |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Edward O. C. Ord | J. E. B. Stuart | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 5,000 | 4,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 71 | 230 | ||||||
The Battle of Dranesville was a small but important fight during the American Civil War. It happened on December 20, 1861, in Fairfax County, Virginia. The battle was between Confederate soldiers led by Brigadier General J. E. B. Stuart and Union soldiers led by Brigadier General Edward O. C. Ord. Both sides were on winter patrols when they met by chance in the village of Dranesville. The Union army won this battle.
Contents
What Happened Before the Battle
After a battle called Battle of Ball's Bluff in October, big fights stopped in the eastern part of the war. Both armies settled into their "winter quarters," which means they stayed in camps for the cold months.
But small groups of soldiers were still sent out. They would check on the enemy's positions. They also looked for food and supplies, a process called "foraging."
On December 20, 1861, General Stuart led a group of Confederate soldiers. They were escorting wagons that were collecting supplies in Loudoun County. His group included infantry (foot soldiers), cavalry (soldiers on horseback), and artillery (cannons).
At the same time, General Ord led a large group of Union soldiers. They were moving west to clear out Confederate guards along the Potomac River. Ord left some of his soldiers behind to protect his path back to base.
Who Fought in the Battle
Union Forces
The Union forces were led by Brigadier General Edward O. C. Ord. He commanded about 5,000 soldiers. His troops were mostly from the Pennsylvania Reserves. They included several infantry regiments, cavalry, and two artillery batteries.
Confederate Forces
The Confederate forces were led by Brigadier General J. E. B. Stuart. He had about 4,000 soldiers. His group included infantry from Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Kentucky. He also had cavalry and an artillery unit with four cannons.
The Battle Begins
Around noon, General Ord's Union soldiers reached the village of Dranesville. They quickly pushed away the Confederate cavalry guards they found there. Ord then started to move his troops west along the Leesburg Pike, a main road.
About an hour later, General Stuart and his main Confederate force arrived from the south. They ran into the back of Ord's Union group.
Ord quickly turned his infantry around to face the Confederates. He set up his soldiers on one side of the road. He also placed his cannons on a small hill nearby. Stuart put his infantry on the other side of the road. His cannons were placed about 300 yards away from the Union cannons.
During the setup, something confusing happened. Some Confederate soldiers from Kentucky accidentally fired at their own side, thinking they were Union troops. The South Carolina soldiers fired back! This caused some confusion and damage among the Confederates.
The Union's 11th Virginia and 10th Alabama regiments tried to advance. But they faced heavy fire from the Union side. The colonel of the 10th Alabama was wounded, and his second-in-command was killed.
The Union's 9th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment charged forward. But they were quickly pushed back. Then, the cannons on both sides started firing at each other. The Union's position was strong, and they quickly knocked out the Confederate cannons.
Ord then sent his infantry forward in a "skirmish line." This is a line of soldiers spread out to fight. The two sides fought for almost two hours.
By 3 p.m., Stuart knew his supply wagons were safe. He ordered his soldiers to retreat. Ord chased them for about half a mile to make sure they were really leaving. Then, he stopped the chase and returned to his base.
The next day, Stuart came back with more soldiers. But the battle was already over.
Results of the Battle
The Battle of Dranesville was a small fight. It didn't change the overall plan of the war. But it was important for the Union army. It was the first time in the eastern part of the war that Union forces had clearly beaten their Confederate enemies.
The Confederates had 230 soldiers killed or wounded. The Union forces had only 71 casualties. This victory helped boost the spirits of the Union soldiers. They had successfully driven the Confederates from the battlefield.
