On both July 19 and 20, 1864 Northern forces continued to pursue Jubal Early’s retreating Confederates from Washington, D.C. In a series of skirmishes at Ashby’s Gap and Berry’s Ford, Virginia and at Charlestown and Kabletown, West Virginia Union troops chased Early through the Shenandoah Valley. At Berrytown Early threw a major portion of his retreating force against the Federals and continued to retreat toward Winchester. At Stephenson’s Depot, just north of Winchester, Union forces did rout Stephen Ramseur’s Confederate division which guarded important Confederate military hospitals and storage depots at Winchester. Over 250 Confederates were captured. Although a Union victory, Stephenson’s Depot resulted in little else except some much needed boosting of Union morale after a string of defeats at the hands of Early's veteran, Confederate troops.
00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.