The Battle of Fairfax Court House was the first land engagement of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
with fatal casualties. On June 1, 1861, a
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
scouting party clashed with the local militia in the village of
Fairfax,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, resulting in the first deaths in action, and the first wounding of a
field-grade officer.
The Union had sent a regular cavalry patrol under Lieutenant
Charles H. Tompkins to estimate enemy numbers in the area. At Fairfax Court House, they surprised a small
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
rifle company under Captain
John Q. Marr, and took some prisoners. Marr rallied his unit, but was killed, and command was taken over by a civilian ex-governor of Virginia,
William Smith, who forced the Union to retreat.
The engagement is judged to have been inconclusive. The Union did not gain the intelligence it was seeking, and had to delay its drive on
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
, thus enabling the Confederates to build up their strength at
Manassas in advance of the
much-bigger battle there, the following month. Tompkins was criticised for exceeding his orders, although they had been somewhat imprecise.
Background
On April 15, 1861, the day after the
surrender of Fort Sumter in the harbor of
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...
to Confederate forces,
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
called for
75,000 volunteers
On April 15, 1861, at the start of the American Civil War, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln called for a 75,000-man militia to serve for three months following the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter. Some southern states refused to send tro ...
to reclaim federal property and to suppress the rebellion begun by the seven
Deep South
The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion in the Southern United States. The term was first used to describe the states most dependent on plantations and slavery prior to the American Civil War. Following the war ...
states which had formed the
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
(Confederacy).
[Long, E. B. ''The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861–1865.'' Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1971. . p. 59.] Four
Upper South
The Upland South and Upper South are two overlapping cultural and geographic subregions in the inland part of the Southern and lower Midwestern United States. They differ from the Deep South and Atlantic coastal plain by terrain, history, econom ...
States, including Virginia, refused to furnish troops for this purpose and began the process of
secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...
from the Union with the intent of joining the Confederacy. On April 17, the
Virginia Secession Convention began in
Richmond, Virginia
(Thus do we reach the stars)
, image_map =
, mapsize = 250 px
, map_caption = Location within Virginia
, pushpin_map = Virginia#USA
, pushpin_label = Richmond
, pushpin_m ...
for the purpose of considering the secession of Virginia. A majority of the delegates immediately passed an ordinance of secession and authorized the governor to call for volunteers to join the military forces of Virginia to defend the state against Federal military action.
[Scharf, John Thomas]
''History of the Confederate States Navy From Its Organization to the Surrender of Its Last Vessel''
. New York: Rogers & Sherwood, 1887, p. 39. . Retrieved February 1, 2011 Virginia Governor
John Letcher
John Letcher (March 29, 1813January 26, 1884) was an American lawyer, journalist, and politician. He served as a Representative in the United States Congress, was the 34th Governor of Virginia during the American Civil War, and later served in ...
appointed
Robert E. Lee as commander in chief of Virginia’s army and navy forces on April 22, at the grade of
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
.
On April 24, Virginia and the Confederate States agreed that the Virginia forces would be under the overall direction of the
Confederate President
The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and was the commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army and the Confe ...
pending completion of the process of Virginia joining the Confederate States.
These actions effectively took Virginia out of the Union despite the scheduling of a popular vote on the question of secession for May 23.
[Long, 1971, p. 60.]
The popular vote of May 23, ratified the secession of Virginia. Virginia Governor Letcher issued a proclamation officially transferring Virginia forces to the Confederacy on June 6.
[United States War Dept., Robert Nicholson Scott, et al]
''The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies''
Series I, Volume II. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1880. . Retrieved May 14, 2011. p. 911-912. Major General Lee, as commander of the state forces, issued an order in compliance with the proclamation on June 8.
On May 31, about 210 Virginia (soon to be Confederate) soldiers, occupied Fairfax Court House, about west of Washington, D.C. These were 120 cavalrymen in two companies, the Prince William cavalry and the Rappahannock cavalry, which then had about 60 men each, and about 90 infantrymen in a company known as the Warrenton Rifles. Fairfax Court House was a village with about 300 inhabitants and the county seat of Fairfax County, Virginia.
[Poland, Jr., 2006, p. 36] Confederate Lt. Col.
Richard S. Ewell
Richard Stoddert Ewell (February 8, 1817 – January 25, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. L ...
, who had recently resigned as a captain of cavalry in the United States Army was in command of this largely untrained and ill-equipped force.
He had only just arrived in town and met a few officers but had not been introduced to the enlisted men.
Captain John Q. Marr commanded the Warrenton Rifles.
On the night of May 31, only two pickets were posted on the road east of town because little threat of attack from Federal forces who were no closer than away was expected.
The small Virginia force had taken this advanced position to help protect against the discovery of the build up of Confederate forces at Manassas Junction, Virginia, a railroad junction about farther to the south.
On the same day,
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
David Hunter
David Hunter (July 21, 1802 – February 2, 1886) was an American military officer. He served as a Union general during the American Civil War. He achieved notability for his unauthorized 1862 order (immediately rescinded) emancipating slaves ...
gave verbal orders to Lieutenant Charles Henry Tompkins of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment to gather information about the numbers and location of Confederate forces in the area. Hunter's instructions about entering Fairfax Court House were vague but he seemed to encourage a probe into town to discover more information.
At about 10:30 p.m. on the night of May 31, Tompkins led a Union force of between 50 and 86 regular army cavalrymen, dragoons and a few volunteers from
Camp Union
Camp Union was a military training center for the Union Army during the American Civil War. Constructed near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the camp operated from 1861 until 1865, and primarily served various Pennsylvania volunteer regiments.
The c ...
at
Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 14,658. Falls Church is included in the Wash ...
, on the ordered reconnaissance mission in the direction of Fairfax Court House.
Battle
At about 3:00 a.m. on the especially dark early morning of June 1, one of the Confederate pickets, Private A. B. Francis, ran into the town of Fairfax Court House shouting that the enemy was upon them.
[Poland, 2006, p. 37] The other picket, B. F. Florence, had been captured.
[Poland, 2006, p. 82] A few of the Prince William cavalry tried to form a battle line in the street while others ran for their horses.
[Poland, 2006, p. 38] As the Union force arrived on the Falls Church Road, most of the Confederate cavalrymen fled, leaving four of the Prince William cavalrymen in the street to be taken prisoner.
Captain Marr moved his men into a clover field west of the Methodist church where they had been camped, just off Little River Turnpike, and formed them into two battle lines.
Fleeing Confederate cavalrymen from Prince William came upon them and in the dark, some of Marr's men fired at them, wounding one of their own cavalrymen in the process.
The Rappahannock cavalrymen had few weapons and no ammunition so they also fled forthwith when the Union soldiers arrived.
According to several accounts, Captain Marr challenged the riders, asking something like "What cavalry is that?" These would have been his last words. Scattered shots were fired as the Union cavalry rode through and Captain Marr fell dead.
[Walker, 1875, p. 363] Some other accounts say he was killed while scouting out a better position for his men a little distance away from their line and do not mention a challenge to the Union horsemen. Whether he had moved up to challenge the Union riders or to scout out a better position for his company as some accounts suggest, Marr was not in the immediate presence or line of sight of any of his men on the very dark night when he fell in the dense field.
[Wise, George]
''History of the Seventeenth Virginia Infantry, C. S. A.''
Baltimore: Kelly, Piet and Company, 1870. . Retrieved May 13, 2011. p. 18 Soon, no one knew where he was or what may have happened to him.
His body was found in the clover field later in the morning.
[Walker, 1875, p. 364]
The Union force rode west through town firing some shots at random.
According to many of the accounts of the battle, the Union troopers fired at a man emerging from the hotel in town, who happened to be Lt. Col. Ewell, and wounded him in the shoulder.
Regardless of the exact location where Ewell was wounded, he was the first Confederate
field grade officer
A senior officer is an officer of a more senior grade in military or other uniformed services. In military organisations, the term may refer to any officer above junior officer rank, but usually specifically refers to the middle-ranking group of ...
wounded in the war.
After the initial flurry of activity, the flight of the Prince William cavalrymen and the ride on through town by the Union force, the men of the Warrenton Rifles infantry company realized that Captain Marr was no longer present.
As noted, Marr in fact was already lying dead in the clover field nearby, the first Confederate combat casualty of the war.
Most historians have concluded that he was struck by one of the random shots fired by the Union horsemen on their first ride through town.
The company was temporarily leaderless after Marr fell because the two lieutenants were on leave and Ewell had not yet arrived on the scene.
Former and subsequent
Virginia governor
The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022.
Oath of office
On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...
and later
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
William "Extra Billy" Smith
William "Extra Billy" Smith (September 6, 1797May 18, 1887) was a lawyer, congressman, the 30th and 35th Governor of Virginia, and a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. On his appointment in January 1863, ...
, who had just resigned his seat in the U.S. Congress, then emerged with his rifle from the house where he was staying on his trip back home to Warrenton from Washington, D.C. Smith, at the time a 64-year-old civilian, was from Warrenton, had helped recruit the company and knew many of the men. So he took charge of the company despite his lack of military training or experience.
[Poland, 2006, p. 40] Ewell soon arrived but Governor Smith had to assure the men that Ewell was who he said he was, the Confederate officer in command, before they would follow him. Ewell then placed the approximately 40 men of the Warrenton Rifles that he found at the edge of the clover field between the hotel and the courthouse (or the Episcopal Church).
[Poland, 2006, pp. 39–40] where they were able to turn the Union force back to the west with a volley as the cavalrymen approached the Confederate position on their return trip through town.
The Virginians were not in a good position to defend themselves, however, and after Ewell presently went to find a courier to go for reinforcements, Smith moved the men to a more defensible position behind rail fences about 100 yards closer to the turnpike.
Civilians, mostly sheltered in buildings, joined in the shooting at the Union horsemen. This may have contributed to Tompkins's inflation of the number of men his force had encountered.
[Longacre, 2000, p. 18][Davis, 1977, p. 34]
After having been driven back once by a volley from the Warrenton Rifles and civilian volunteers, the Union force tried to come back through town again. The Warrenton men again forced them to retreat with another three volleys.
[Poland, 2006, p. 82] During the exchange of fire, Lieutenant Tompkins had two horses shot from under him. One fell on him and injured his foot.
The Confederates fired additional volleys at the Federals as they tried to pass through town again on their way back to their base at Camp Union near Falls Church, Virginia.
[Poland, 2006, p. 82] After this third failed attempt to ride through town past the Confederates, the Union cavalrymen were forced to leave town through fields toward
Flint Hill in the Oakton area of Fairfax County to the north of the City of Fairfax and return to Camp Union by a longer route.
The Confederates initially reported casualties in the affair of one dead (Captain Marr), four (later reduced to two) wounded (including Lt. Col. Ewell) and one missing.
A later Confederate account states that only two were wounded, but five were captured, which is in accord with the Union account which states five prisoners were taken and actually names them.
[Poland, 2006, p. 40] The Union force reported one killed, four wounded (including Lt. Tompkins) and one missing. The Union soldier killed was identified as Private Saintclair. The Confederates stated that they took three prisoners and recent accounts agree.
The Union force also had lost 9 horses killed and 4 wounded.
Aftermath
Besides the loss of Captain Marr, Confederate commanders, including Brigadier General
Milledge Luke Bonham
Milledge Luke Bonham (December 25, 1813August 27, 1890) was an American politician and Congressman. He was later the 70th Governor of South Carolina from 1862 until 1864, and a Confederate General during the American Civil War.
Early life an ...
who was in overall command of the area, were unhappy about the lack of arms and ammunition which precipitated the flight of the Confederate cavalry.
Union General-in-Chief
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...
was displeased at Tompkins impetuous charge which Scott thought exceeded his orders to scout the Confederate positions and by the fact that Tompkins spoke to newspaper reporters before he even filed his report on the action. Maj. Gen. McDowell praised Tompkins's gallantry but also criticized Tompkins for exceeding orders, without mentioning Brig. Gen. Hunter's role or what Tompkins's exact orders from Hunter were. He also said Tompkins unintentionally frustrated for a time "a more important movement." He also criticized Tompkins for speaking to the press before he had even filed a report.
[Longacre, 2000, p. 19]
Neither the reports by the participants nor the contemporary accounts in the newspapers about this battle were entirely accurate since both sides inflated the number of men on the other side and the number of casualties their force inflicted on the other side, at least initially.
[Poland, 2006, p. 41] Because the war had just begun and no major battles had been fought, any sort of battle was given undue attention at this stage of the war.
[Poland, 2006, p. 35] Although this battle faded into insignificance after larger Civil War battles with many more casualties were fought, it was notable in several respects, including the occurrence of the first Confederate combat casualty of the war, the first wounding of a field grade officer, an eventual award of a Medal of Honor for actions at the first combat for which the award was given, the failure to discover the Confederate buildup at Manassas Junction, the delay in Union Army action caused by the inflated report of Confederate strength in the area and the foreshadowing of the thousands of actions of similar type and scale that would occur during the course of the war. Historian Charles Poland, Jr. wrote that the significance of the Battle of Fairfax Court House was not that it was the first land battle of the war or that the first Confederate combat death occurred during the engagement but that it was typical of thousands of other skirmishes that occurred throughout the American Civil War. He also says it was "among the antecedents of the forthcoming first battle at Bull Run."
[Poland, 2006, p. 43]
In 1893, Charles Henry Tompkins received the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his actions at the Battle of Fairfax Court House. His was the first action of a Union Army officer in the American Civil War for which a Medal of Honor was awarded, although it was not awarded until 32 years later.
His citation reads: "Twice charged through the enemy's lines and, taking a carbine from an enlisted man, shot the enemy's captain." No other account or source referenced on this page states that Tompkins himself shot Captain Marr. A monument to Captain Marr was erected on June 1, 1904 near the front of the courthouse where it remains today. It reads: "This stone marks the scene of the opening conflict of the war of 1861–1865, when John Q. Marr, captain of the Warrenton Rifles, who was the first soldier killed in action, fell 800 feet south, 46 degrees West of the spot. June 1, 1861. Erected by the Marr Camp, C.V., June 1, 1904."
Several weeks later, on July 17, Union forces occupied Fairfax Court House as they began their move on Manassas Junction. The Confederates had abandoned the town in the face of the large Union force that was moving toward the first big battlefield of the war. The Union forces moved to Centreville the next day on their way to the preliminary
Battle of Blackburn's Ford
The Battle of Blackburn's Ford (also known as the Skirmish at Blackburn's Ford) took place on July 18, 1861, in the Confederate state of Virginia, as part of the Manassas campaign of the American Civil War. Union general Irvin McDowell's A ...
on July 18, and the
First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas (Battle of First Manassas) on July 21. Fairfax Court House and its immediate vicinity would be the scene of several small battles or skirmishes and raids during the war.
[Other skirmishes or small battles at Fairfax Court House occurred on June 1, July 17, November 18, November 27, September 2, 1862, December 27, December 28, January 9, 1863, January 28, June 4, June 27, August 6, August 24. Mosby's Fairfax Court House Raid occurred March 9, 1863. Operations were conducted around Fairfax Court House on
July 28 – August 3, 1863. Expeditions were conducted from Fairfax Court House August 4, 1863 and December 26–27, 1864. Scouts were conducted from Fairfax Court House on December 24–25, 1861, May 27–29, 1863, February 6–7, 1865, February 15–16, and April 8–10. Several other skirmishes occurred in the vicinity of Fairfax Court House or at nearby Fairfax Station, Virginia. Dyer, Frederick H]
''A compendium of the War of the Rebellion''
. pp. 885–886. Des Moines, IA: The Dyer Publishing Company, 1908. . Retrieved May 24, 2011.
See also
*
Battle of Fairfax Court House (June 1863)
The Battle of Fairfax Court House (June 1863) was fought during the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War between two cavalry detachments from the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Joseph Hooker, and the Confederate Army ...
Notes
References
*Crafts, William August
''The southern rebellion: being a history of the United States from the Commencement of President Buchanan's administration through the War for the Suppression of the Rebellion'' Vol. 1. Boston, Samuel Walker & Co., 1867. . Retrieved May 22, 2011.
*Davis, William C. ''Battle at Bull Run: A History of the First Major Campaign of the Civil War''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1977. .
*Detzer, David. ''Dissonance: The Turbulent Days Between Fort Sumter and Bull Run''. New York: Harcourt, 2006. (pbk.)
*Dyer, Frederick H
''A compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' pp. 885–886. Des Moines, IA: The Dyer Publishing Company, 1908. . Retrieved May 24, 2011.
*
Eicher, David J. ''The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. .
*Hansen, Harry. ''The Civil War: A History''. New York: Bonanza Books, 1961. .
*Long, E. B. ''The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861–1865.'' Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1971.
*Longacre, Edward G. ''Lincoln's Cavalrymen: A History of the Mounted Forces of the Army of the Potomac''. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2000. .
*Moore, ed., Frank
''The Rebellion Record: A Diary of American Events'' 11 volumes. Volume 1. New York: G.P. Putnam, D. Van Nostrand, 1861–1863; 1864–68. . Retrieved May 13, 2011.
*Pfanz, Donald. ''Richard S. Ewell: a Soldier's Life''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1998. .
*Poland, Jr., Charles P
''The Glories Of War: Small Battle And Early Heroes Of 1861'' Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2006. . Retrieved May 10, 2011.
*United States. War Dept, Robert Nicholson Scott, et al
''The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies''Series I, Volume II. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1880. . Retrieved May 14, 2011. p. 911–912.
*
*Walker, Charles D
''Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical sketches of the Graduates and Eleves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell in the War Between the States'' Philadelphia: J. P. Lippincott & Company, 1875. . Retrieved May 11, 2011.
*Wise, George
''History of the Seventeenth Virginia Infantry, C. S. A.'' Baltimore: Kelly, Piet and Company, 1870. . Retrieved May 13, 2011.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairfax Court House (June 1861), Battle Of Fairfax Court House (June 1861)
Manassas campaign
Battles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
Inconclusive battles of the American Civil War
Fairfax County in the American Civil War
Battles of the American Civil War in Virginia
1861 in the American Civil War
1861 in Virginia
June 1861 events