The Battle of Berryville was fought September 3 and September 4, 1864, in
Clarke County, Virginia
Clarke County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,783. Its county seat is Berryville. Clarke County is included in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistica ...
.
It took place toward the end 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 ...
.
After taking control of Smithfield Summit on August 29,
Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan marched to
Berryville with his 50,000 man
Army of the Shenandoah. At the same time
Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early sent Maj. Gen.
Joseph B. Kershaw's division east from
Winchester
Winchester is a cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, at the western end of the South Downs National Park, on the River Itchen. It is south-west of Lon ...
to Berryville. At about 5:00 p.m., Kershaw attacked Colonel
Joseph Thoburn's division of the
Army of West Virginia, while they were preparing to go into camp. Kershaw routed Thoburn's left flank before the rest of the corps came to the rescue. Darkness ended the fighting, with both sides bringing in heavy reinforcements. The next morning, Early, seeing the strength of the Union's entrenched line, retreated behind
Opequon Creek.
Notes
References
Library of Congress Maps of Battle of Berryville (No. 23 & 23a)CWSAC Report Update
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berryville, Battle Of
Valley campaigns of 1864
Battles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
Inconclusive battles of the American Civil War
Berryville
Battle of Berryville
Conflicts in 1864
1864 in Virginia
September 1864 events