Battle of Walkerton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Walkerton |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States of America (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Hugh Judson Kilpatrick Ulric Dahlgren † |
Wade Hampton | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 4,000 | |||||||
The Battle of Walkerton was a small but important fight during the American Civil War. It happened on March 2, 1864, in a place called Walkerton, in King and Queen County, Virginia. This battle was part of a bigger plan by the Union army, known as the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid.
Contents
The Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid
The Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid was a daring plan by the Union army. Their goal was to attack Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the capital city of the Confederacy. The Union hoped to free many Union soldiers held prisoner there.
Starting the Mission
The raid began on February 28, 1864. Union General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick led about 4,000 soldiers. They started from Stevensburg, Virginia. Their main goal was to reach Richmond.
Two Parts of the Plan
Kilpatrick's force rode along the Virginia Central Railroad. They tore up the train tracks to cause damage. At the same time, a smaller group was sent ahead. This group was led by Colonel Ulric Dahlgren. He was the son of a famous Navy leader, John Dahlgren.
Colonel Dahlgren's job was to sneak into Richmond. He planned to attack the city's defenses from behind. He also hoped to free the Union prisoners. These prisoners were held at a place called Belle Isle.
The Attack on Richmond
General Kilpatrick reached Richmond on March 1. But Colonel Dahlgren had not arrived yet. Kilpatrick faced Confederate cavalry. These enemy soldiers were led by General Wade Hampton. Kilpatrick had to pull his soldiers back. He moved towards New Kent Court House.
Dahlgren's Difficult Journey
Meanwhile, Colonel Dahlgren found it hard to get into Richmond. The city's defenses were too strong. He decided to try and escape by heading north. His group of soldiers became separated.
On March 2, Dahlgren and about 100 of his men were ambushed. This happened in King and Queen County. Confederate soldiers from the 9th Virginia Cavalry attacked them. Local soldiers called "Home Guards" also joined the fight.
The Battle of Walkerton
During this ambush near Walkerton, Colonel Dahlgren was killed. Most of his men were captured by the Confederates. This was a big loss for the Union side. The Battle of Walkerton was a clear victory for the Confederacy.
The Mysterious Papers
After the battle, some papers were found on Colonel Dahlgren. These papers caused a huge stir. They seemed to be an official Union order. The order allegedly said to burn Richmond. It also suggested capturing or harming important Confederate leaders.
Union leaders like General Meade, General Kilpatrick, and President Lincoln said they knew nothing about these papers. They said the papers were not real. But at the time, many Southerners were very angry. They believed the North was planning a "war of extermination." This meant they thought the North wanted to completely destroy the South.
