The Courthouse-Front Royal Street Fighting - Front Royal VA - U.S. Civil War Sites on Waymarking.com

The Courthouse-Front Royal Street Fighting
— Battle of Front Royal, May 23, 1862 —
As Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s army pushed its way into Front Royal, Col. Bradley T. Johnson’s 1st Maryland Infantry (CSA) confronted Col. John R. Kenly’s 1st Maryland Infantry (US). The street fighting grew especially hot here, between the Warren County Court House and the Confederate military hospital just across the street to the west.

Federal troops delivered “hot musketry fire” from the large windows of one of the two-story hospital buildings, threatening the Southern advance. Gen. Richard S. Ewell asked Johnson, “Colonel, can you take that building?” Johnson replied, “Yes, sir, in five minutes.” His Marylanders, led by Capt. William H. Murray, charged and “the building was taken in half the time promised.” The tide of battle then flowed from the courthouse area north on Crescent Street toward Chester Street. House-to-house fighting ensued as the Federals retreated to Richardson’s Hill.

The Confederates were surprised to find themselves dodging enthusiastic civilians as well as bullets when secessionist women ran into the streets to greet their liberators, waving their bonnets, cheering and screaming. One soldier wrote, “Indeed the ladies were perfectly regardless of danger, balls flying in every direction, but there they stood, pointing out where some Yankees had hidden and encouraging us in every way.” Soon many of these women would be caring for the wounded of both sides.

(sidebar) In June, 1861, the Confederate government established three military hospitals in Front Royal. Federal troops used the two-story barrack-style building for cover during the battle on May 23, 1862.

The present Warren County courthouse was built in 1935-36 on the site of the antebellum one, which was also occupied by the 1st Maryland Infantry, USA during the battle.

Warren County was named for Gen. Joseph Warren, from Massachusetts, who was killed during the battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. The county was formed in 1836 from parts of Frederick and Shenandoah Counties.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/21/2023 Don.Morfe visited it