On May 22nd Brigadier General Fitz John Porter ordered Colonel Richard Rush and his 6th PA Cavalry to scout the area of Old Church. Rush detected a strong Confederate presence at Hanover Court House. He returned on the 24th skirmishing with the large Rebel force that he estimated at 3,000 men. Lawrence O’Bryan Branch’s brigade was there having arrived from Gordonsville on the 22nd. In addition, Joseph Anderson’s brigade had moved from Fredericksburg to Hanover Junction. McClellan did not want the troops there to join Johnston outside Richmond. He ordered Brigadier General Fitz John Porter to drive the Rebels away from the area, destroy the Virginia Central and the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroads and as many bridges as possible. Porter sent three brigades under Brigadier General George Morell and one brigade commanded by Colonel Gouverneur Warren, artillery and cavalry there (see map below).

Branch was headquartered at the Slash Church southwest of Hanover Court House.

On May 26th Morell’s division and Warren’s brigade were each about 15 miles from their objective. Morell at New Bridge and Warren at Old Church. Both groups would head toward Hanover Court House at 4:00 AM on the 27th. It was raining so their march would be difficult. Porter’s plan was to trap the Rebels between Morrel in their front and Porter in their rear.

Branch, informed that Federals were near Taliaferro’s Mill, initially sent Colonel James Lane’s 28th North Carolina down the Old Taliaferro Mill Road. When word came that Yankee troops were headed toward Hanover Court House on a different road, the New Bridge Road, he had them head back north where they ran into the 28th New York at the intersection near Dr. Thomas Kinney’s House (The Elms), shown on the map below.

The intersection that both sides converged upon

The field where the fighting took place- pictures from 37.7272447, -77.364808

After an hour of fighting the 28th NC charged and drove the New Yorkers back. Union Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield’s brigade was coming up the New Bridge Road and joined the fight along with Captain Henry Benson’s battery. He organized his men in two lines, shown below. Butterfield’s men routed the 28th NC forcing them to retreat north and chased them past the court house all the way to Taylorsville.

Porter received intelligence from a signal officer that Confederates were approaching from behind him. Brigadier General Martindale’s 2nd ME joined the battle as Porter turned his force to face the new threat. They along with the 25th and 44th NY moved west toward Peake’s Turnout where the road crossed the Virginia Central Railroad.

Peake’s turnout- 37.7228724, – 77.3891788

The 37th NC had left their camp near Lebanon Church marching east along with the 18th NC, shown on the map below.

Porter ordered Butterfield’s brigade to return from the area of Hanover Court House back to the battlefield, a distance of three miles. With the arrival of the 5th, 13th and 14th NY the Confederates withdrew to Ashland. Porter lost 335 men, 62 were killed, 223 wounded and 70 missing. His men destroyed bridges on the Virginia Central, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad and the Pamunkey River. Branch lost 66 men killed and 177 wounded.

Next- The Peninsula Campaign Part 17- The Battle of Seven Pines