Harmony Skirmish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harmony Skirmish |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States of America |
 Confederate States of America |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Marcus Reno | John S. Mosby | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Loudoun Rangers 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry 1st United States Infantry |
43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1000 | 128 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 34 (9 killed, 20 wounded, 5 captured) | 11 (2 killed, 5 wounded, 4 captured) | ||||||
The Harmony Skirmish was a small fight during the American Civil War. It happened on March 21, 1865, near a village called Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia. Today, that village is known as Hamilton.
The battle was between Confederate forces led by Colonel John Mosby and Union forces led by Colonel Marcus Reno. A Union group was sent into Loudoun County to find and stop small Confederate fighter groups, called partisans. But they were ambushed by Mosby's Rangers near Harmony.
Mosby's Rangers caused some harm to the Union soldiers. However, the Union forces had more soldiers and better equipment. So, the Rangers had to pull back. This skirmish was the last big fight of the war in Loudoun County. The battle ended without a clear winner.
Why the Fight Happened
On March 20, Colonel Reno led about 1,000 Union soldiers from Harpers Ferry. Their goal was to gather supplies and clear the Loudoun Valley of Confederate partisans. The Union group included the Loudoun Rangers, the 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry, the 1st United States Infantry, and two small cannons.
As the Union soldiers marched through Loudoun County, they faced constant attacks from Confederate partisans. Five of these partisans were captured in Hillsboro.
John Mosby's scouts quickly learned about the Union soldiers. Mosby then ordered his Rangers to meet up the next morning. On March 21, Mosby and 128 Rangers headed north from Fauquier County to face the Union forces.
The Skirmish Begins
Around midday, Mosby reached Harmony. He found out the Union soldiers were about 2 miles (3 km) west in Purcellville. Mosby wasn't sure how strong the Union force was. So, he led his Rangers about 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of Harmony.
He hid most of his soldiers in a forest south of the road. He left 24 Rangers, led by Jim Wiltshire, on the road as bait. The 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry soon saw Wiltshire's men. They thought it was just a small group of partisans, like the ones they had been fighting. So, they immediately charged forward.
Wiltshire's group pretended to retreat. They ran until they reached the forest where the other Rangers were hidden. Then, they suddenly turned around and attacked the Union soldiers. At the same time, the rest of Mosby's Rangers came out of the woods and attacked the Union soldiers from the side. The 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry tried to fight back but soon had to retreat.
The Fight Continues
The Rangers chased after them. But when they reached Harmony, they met Union infantry soldiers. These soldiers were hidden behind a hedgerow. The infantry fired a strong volley of shots at the Rangers. This wounded and killed several Rangers and forced most of them to fall back.
A few brave Rangers kept chasing the Union soldiers. One Ranger, James Sinclair, killed a Union soldier and saw he was wearing a diamond ring. In the middle of the fight, Sinclair jumped off his horse to try and take the ring. When it wouldn't come off, he cut the soldier's finger off.
Soon, Mosby called off his Rangers and they fell back towards Fauquier. Mosby continued to follow the Union soldiers for the next three days as they moved through Loudoun and Fauquier. However, no more major fighting happened between them.
What Happened After
In this short fight, the Rangers killed 9 Union soldiers, wounded 20, and captured 5. The Rangers lost 2 killed, 5 wounded, and 4 captured. One of the captured Rangers, John Chew, was paralyzed by a gunshot and left behind.
This fight did not stop the Union soldiers from continuing their mission. The Rangers also did not cause as many casualties as they usually did in their raids. However, this skirmish is important because it was the last significant fight in Loudoun County during the Civil War.
