Kelly’s Ford - Remington VA
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 38° 28.642 W 077° 46.954
18S E 257268 N 4262451
Pickets of the opposing armies frequently exchanged gunfire over the Rappahannock River and occasionally swapped Yankee coffee for Rebel tobacco. On St. Patrick’s Day, 1863, they did both here at Kelly’s Ford.
Waymark Code: WM188XE
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 06/20/2023
Views: 0
Kelly’s Ford-Cavalry and Coffee
Pickets of the opposing armies frequently exchanged gunfire over the Rappahannock River and occasionally swapped Yankee coffee for Rebel tobacco. On St. Patrick’s Day, 1863, they did both here at Kelly’s Ford, about 100 yards downstream from the bridge.
On this day the cavalry commands of two friends and former West Point classmates, Union Gen. William Averell and Confederate Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, clashed for nearly twelve hours in this vicinity. Averell crossed the ford into Culpeper County with orders to destroy Lee’s brigade of Virginia cavalry encamped near here. His division succeeded in driving the Virginians back two miles along present-day Route 674 toward Elkwood. The day-long battle was notable for its numerous mounted saber charges, dismounted skirmishing and the mortal wounding of the “gallant” John Pelham, J.E.B. Stuart’s fearless young artillery commander.
Although Averell retreated back over the Rappahannock as nightfall approached, he was delighted by the pluck and skill demonstrated by his Federal troopers, so much maligned in the past.
“He is in such high spirits that he
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