Battle of Shepherdstown

Battle of Shepherdstown
Part of the American Civil War
Ford near Shepherdstown, on the Potomac. Pickets firing across the river. Alfred R. Waud, artist, Sept. 1862.
Date September 19–20, 1862 Location Jefferson County, West Virginia[1] Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Fitz John Porter	Stonewall Jackson William N. Pendleton A. P. Hill
Units involved
V Corps	Artillery Reserve A. P. Hill's Light Division
Strength
2,000 infantry (Sept. 19) three brigades (Sept. 20)	600 infantry, ~44 cannons (Sept. 19) 2,000 infantry (Sept. 20)
Casualties and losses
363+	298+

The Battle of Shepherdstown, also known as the Battle of Boteler's Ford, took place September 19–20, 1862, at Boteler's Ford along the Potomac River, during the Maryland campaign of the American Civil War. After the Battle of Antietam on September 17, General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia withdrew across the Potomac. Lee left a rear guard commanded by Brigadier General William N. Pendleton at Boteler's Ford. On September 19, elements of the Union V Corps dueled with Pendleton's artillery before pushing a short distance across the river at dusk. Pendleton inaccurately informed Lee that all of the artillery of the rear guard had been captured. On the morning of September 20, the Confederates counterattacked with A. P. Hill's Light Division, forcing the Union units back across the Potomac. One Union unit, the 118th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, did not withdraw at the same time as the others and suffered heavy losses. Lee's army continued its retreat into the Shenandoah Valley after the battle.