Battle of Arlington Mills

Battle of Arlington Mills
Part of the American Civil War
Date June 1, 1861 Location Arlington Mills, Virginia Arlington County, Virginia 38°51′39″N 77°6′59″W / 38.86083°N 77.11639°W / 38.86083; -77.11639 Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United States (Union) 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry 11th New York Infantry	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Irvin McDowell	Milledge Luke Bonham
Strength
two companies, as many as 200	squad, as few as 9
Casualties and losses
1 killed 1 wounded	1 wounded

The Battle of Arlington Mills, Virginia,^[1] was one of the first military engagements of the American Civil War, a week after the Union occupation of that part of Virginia opposite Washington, D.C. It occurred on June 1, 1861, at about 11:00 p.m., a few hours after the Battle of Fairfax Court House.

Under cover of darkness, a squad of just nine Virginia soldier fired at troops of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry and the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry, who were performing picket duty at Arlington Mills, Virginia. The Virginians were technically still Virginia militiamen although Virginia forces had been acting under the direction of Confederate President Jefferson Davis after an agreement on April 24, 1861, between Virginia and the Confederate States as well as after approval on May 23, 1861, by Virginia voters of the ordinance of secession enacted by the Virginia legislature on April 19, 1861.

During a brief and confused exchange of fire, one Union soldier was killed and another was wounded, while one Virginian was wounded. It demonstrated that Union forces were vulnerable to enemy attacks, even when close to the capital.