Bedford, VA ~ Hunter's Raid ~ 1864 Valley Campaign
Posted by: 
garmin_geek
N 37° 20.063 W 079° 31.426
17S E 630775 N 4132989
Virginia Civil War Trail sign in downtown Bedford, VA. Union troops under Gen. David Hunter began arriving here June 15, 1864, and continued their mission of tearing up railroads and burning buildings used as Confederate supply depots.
Waymark Code: WM9HJF
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 08/23/2010
Views: 10
"On the evening of June 15, 1864, the lead element on Union Gen. David Hunter’s 18,000-man army arrive here and camped near Avenel. The main force arrived the following morning and started destroying the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad tracks, burning the depot abd businesses before moving on toward Lynchburg. Hunter had taken command in the Shenandoah Valley on May 19, with orders to destroy railroad facilities and supplies in Staunton and Lynchburg, then either return to the lower Valley or join assign Gen. Ulysses S. Grant near Petersburg.
Learning of Hunter’s plans, on June 12, confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee assigned Gen. Jubal A. Early the command of a diversionary corps from the Army of Northern Virginia to defeat Hunter. Later, if feasible, Early was to slice down the Valley, cross the Potomac and threaten Washington. Lee hoped to induce Grant to detach troops from eastern Virginia and relieve the stain on Lee’s defense of Richmond
Hunter attached Lynchburg on June 18, but Early had arrived in the nick of time. After his probes were repulsed, Hunter retreated the next day along the same route taken on his advance, with Early’s 8,000-man force in pursuit. Early’s advance caught up with Hunter just east of town and carried the fight to downtown Liberty. The Federals retreated west to positions just outside of town, and darkness ended the fighting. Early planned to resume the attack the next morning, but Hunter pulled out during the night. Early set off in pursuit, out of Bedford County toward Salem and hanging Rock." sign text
Type of site: Battlefield
Address:
Main Street
Bedford, VA USA
24523
Admission Charged: No Charge
Website: [Web Link]
Phone Number: Not listed
Driving Directions: Not listed
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