After the Battle of Gettysburg Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia retreated back into Virginia across the Rapidan River into Orange County. The Union Army was across the river in Culpeper County. In early October Lee stood atop Clarke Mountain contemplating how he could resume the offensive against Major General George Meade (the two pictures below were taken from the top of Clark Mountain). One of Lee’s corps was in Georgia commanded by Lieutenant General James Longstreet leaving him with a total of about 55,000 men. Meade was absent the XI and XII corps who were in Georgia leaving him with about 76,000 men.

The command structure of the Confederate Army remained the same after Gettysburg with Lieutenant General Richard Ewell commanding the 2nd Corps and Lieutenant General A.P. Hill the 3rd. Major General Jeb Stuart led the cavalry. The Union Army of the Potomac, on the other hand, had a very different command structure. The I Corps was now commanded by Major General John Newton who had replaced John Reynolds after his death at Gettysburg. Major General Gouverneur Warren was now commander of the II Corps replacing Major General Winfield Hancock who was recovering from a wound suffered at Gettysburg. The III Corps was now led by Major General William French replacing the wounded Dan Sickles. The V and VI Corps were led by George Sykes and John Sedgwick. The cavalry was commanded by Major General Alfred Pleasanton. His three divisions were led by three experienced Brigadier Generals- John Buford, David Gregg and Judson Kilpatrick. At his headquarters on the Rogers Farm Lee laid out his plan to his infantry and cavalry commanders.

As shown in the map below, Lee planned to have Stuart screen the movements of the Confederate infantry as they moved around the Union right. Hill and Ewell would meet near Warrenton and then swing around and behind the Union army.

The map below shows the region of the campaign.

The map below summarizes the campaign.

Below are some sites in Orange County that are relevant to the series but will not be covered in the posts about the campaign.

Montpelier- South Carolina’s Brigadier General Samuel McGowan’s encampment. This camp was used in the winter of 1863-1864 and was built after the Mine Run Campaign.

Sources

A Want of Vigilance The Bristoe Station Campaign October 9-19, 1863. Emerging Civil War Series. by Bill Backus and Robert Orrison.

Bristoe Station. Blue and Gray Magazine Volume XXVI #2, 2009.

Posts in the series

The Bristoe Station Campaign- From Orange County to Warrenton and the Battle of James City

The Bristoe Station Campaign- The Battle of Auburn

The Bristoe Station Campaign- The Second Battle of Bristoe Station

The Bristoe Station Campaign- The Battle of Buckland Mills