Battle of Cedar Mountain Walk

A brief photo journal of a visit to the Cedar Mountain battlefield

Although the battlefield of Cedar Mountain (09Aug1862) remains mostly as it was at the time of the battle, it has not been preserved as some of the better recognized ACW battlefields.  The battlefield remains largely in private hands and a farming complex occupies the Federal lines along the old Mitchell Station Road.

An aerial view of the main Federal attack shows the major features of the battlefield including "The Gate" and the wheatfield.

As seen from Google Earth, the farming complex is plopped in the middle of the battlefield.  At the time of the battle, the James Madison Highway was not present and, thus, did not bisect the battlefield.

"The Gate" closed off the Crittenden Lane (today SR657) from the Old Culpeper Road (General Winder Rd).  The Old Culpeper Road would have continued east along the rail fence.  The photo below is taken where the 1862 gate would have barricaded the Crittenden Lane.

Another view of the Old Culpeper Road looking east out across the wheatfield towards Federal lines.

From The Gate, the Crittenden Lane heads south towards the Crittenden farm.  Along this line, Confederate batteries were deployed.

A second view of the treeline along Crittenden Lane to the intersection with James Madison Highway.  Confederate artillery and Taliaferro's brigade were deployed along this line.  Photo from the wheatfield looking southwest.

Standing just outside the rail fence line looking south, Cedar Mountain can be seen in the distance.  Ewell's artillery was deployed on the shelf and Crittenden farm is seen at the base of Cedar Mountain.  Augur's division attacked across this field (then in corn) from left to right towards Crittenden Lane.

Garnett's brigade deployed on the western edge of the wheatfield in the woods.  The photo below shows the right of Garnett's position, forming line north, perpendicular to the Old Culpeper Road.

The view from Garnett's position looking east across the wheatfield.

Crawford attacked across the wheatfield from right to left up this undulation before seeing the Confederate line held by Garnett.

Cresting the undulation, Crawford's men would have been faced with Garnett's position at the treeline.

On Crawford's right, Gordon attacked out of the woods towards Confederate lines.

Finally, a few regimental markers are scattered around the wheatfield.  The main grouping of Federal markers is near the eastern boundary of the wheatfield.

These set of historical markers commemorate the 7th Ohio, 66 Ohio, 109 Penn, Best's artillery, and the 1st Penn Cavalry.  Information suggests that markers are placed near where the units deployed but these infantry were under Augur.  Augur's division attacked out of the cornfield to the south and not in the wheatfield.  I wonder if these markers were moved from their original cornfield placements into the wheatfield for preservation purposes? 

Below is the "Stonewall" marker although I do not remember where this marker was located.  Does this mark the Stonewall brigade or Jackson, himself?  

Following the battle, a number of hastily buried dead were exhumed and moved to the National Cemetery in Culpeper.