McDowell Battlefield Pictures

[John M. Brooke]

Posted some pictures of the McDowell Battlefield, Jackson's first victory of the 1862 Valley Campaign. This battlefield is really
out of the way, and probably one most of you haven't been to. It is well preserved and you will most likely have
it all to yourself.


The view of Sitlington's Hill from the Union lines. Union troops crossed this field to attack Sitlington's Hill.


Capt. Henry Hyman Battery I, 1st Ohio Light Artillery, positioned his guns here.
The hill was so steep that the artillerists dug trenches to elevate the cannons enough to reach the Confederates.


1st Ohio


McDowell Presbyterian church served as a hospital for both armies. The dead were buried across the street in its cemetery.


Soldiers carved their names and dates into the church wall.


The house of Confederate Capt. Felix Hull. It was Federal headquarters before the battle and Gen. Stonewall Jackson's
headquarters afterward.


Confederates used this valley to reach the top of Sitlington's Hill


Looking down the Confederate lines to the top of Sitlington's Hill, and the position of the 12th Georgia Infantry


The exposed angle in the line occupied by the 12th Georgia. Attacked from two sides, they suffered heavy losses.
The Union managed to get some guns on the hill in the distance and fired straight down the Confederate line.


Looking down at McDowell from the right flank of the Confederate line.


Trail leading back down the mountain from Sitlington's Hill.

[Lt12pdr]

Great pictures ,great history.Thank you for posting these.

[CarlS]

Very nice.  Thanks for sharing.  That's a beautiful part of the country.

[ETEX]

Great photos and accompanying history of the sites. I will have to read up on this portion of the Valley Campaign and this battle. Thanks for sharing.

[John M. Brooke]

Thanks for your intrest, and kind words.
One reason I posted pictures of this battlefield is to bring up the topic of artillery.
There seems to be some controversy about how involved the big guns were at this battle.
It states in the book "The Stonewall Brigade" by James I. Robertson, Jr. on page 86 "This was one of the few battles of the war
fought solely with small arms, as the terrain proved too mountainous for either side to get its artillery into position."
It also states in "Stonewall Jackson The Man, The Soldier, The Legend" by James I. Robertson, Jr. on page 375 "The roar of
musketry, somewhat strange without overtones of artillery, echoed through the mountains." Both excellent books on
Stonewall Jackson, and the Valley Campaign. A soldier of the 12th Georgia, Lt. Shepard Pryor stated after the battle "I felt quite
small in that fight the other day when the musket and CANNON BALLS were flying around me as thick as hail". It is true however that the Confederates did not have artillery engaged in this battle, Jackson feared its capture and did not want to risk hauling it up the step sloops to the top of Sitlington's Hill. Milroy launched his attack believing the opposite was true based on false reports.
I have a hard time believing the Union artillery would dig trenches and go to all the trouble of hauling guns to the top of Hull's Ridge if they didn't think they could reach out to the Confederate positions. I suppose most of the evidence is still buried in the mountain side, as only recently the exact location of the Confederate lines has been clearly marked by the CWPT.