Battle of Manassas Gap facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Manassas Gap
Part of the American Civil War
Date July 23, 1863 (1863-07-23) Location Warren County, Virginia Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
William H. French Francis B. Spinola	Richard H. Anderson
Strength
Unknown amount of Corps	Unknown amount of Brigades
Casualties and losses
440

The Battle of Manassas Gap, also known as the Battle of Wapping Heights, took place on July 23, 1863. It happened in Warren County, Virginia, during the American Civil War. This battle was one of the last events of the Gettysburg Campaign. It occurred as General Robert E. Lee's Confederate army was retreating back to Virginia.

Union forces wanted to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their goal was to attack the Confederate army from behind. The Confederates were setting up defenses in the upper Shenandoah Valley. The Union army did manage to get through the pass at Manassas Gap. However, they couldn't do it fast enough. Lee's army had already moved further into the valley to safety. Because of this, the battle ended without a clear winner. This is called an inconclusive battle.

Why the Battle Happened

After their defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg, General Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia began to retreat. They crossed the Potomac River and moved into the Shenandoah Valley.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. George Meade's Army of the Potomac was chasing Lee. Meade decided to try a different approach. He planned to go around the Confederate army. His troops would cross the river east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They would cross at Harpers Ferry and Berlin, Maryland. From there, they would enter the Loudoun Valley. Then, they would try to force their way through the Blue Ridge Mountains behind Lee's army.

To make this happen, on July 23, Meade gave an order. He told the III Corps, led by Maj. Gen. William H. French, to cut off the retreating Confederates. They were to do this at Front Royal, Virginia. They needed to force their way through Manassas Gap.

The Battle Itself

Map of the Manassas Gap Battlefield area.

The fighting began at dawn. General French's attack started with the New York Excelsior Brigade. This group was led by Brig. Gen. Francis B. Spinola. They faced Brig. Gen. Ambrose R. Wright's brigade of Georgians. These Georgians were led by Col. Edward J. Walker. They were defending the mountain pass.

At first, the fight was slow. The Union forces had more soldiers. They used their numbers to push Walker's men back through the gap. In the late afternoon, around 4:30 p.m., French launched a strong attack. This pushed Walker's brigade completely out of the gap.

Soon, the Confederates received help. Col. Edward A. O'Neal's Brigade arrived. Artillery from Col. Thomas Henry Carter also joined the fight. This stopped the Union advance. By dusk, the Union attack became disorganized. They eventually gave up for the day.

During the night, the Confederate forces pulled back. They moved into the Luray Valley. On July 24, the Union army took control of Front Royal. But by then, Lee's army was safely out of reach.

What Happened Next

This small battle did not have a clear winner. The Union army successfully got through the gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They also occupied Front Royal. However, they couldn't do it before Lee's army moved further into the valley to safety.

Because the Union failed to cut off the Confederate retreat, Lee's army could reorganize. They were able to regroup. By the end of that summer, both armies were back in their usual spots. They faced each other across the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers. This set the stage for more battles later that fall. These included the Bristoe and Mine Run campaigns.