Bristoe campaign

Bristoe campaign
Part of the American Civil War

George G. Meade and Robert E. Lee,
commanding generals of the Bristoe campaign
DateOctober 13 (1863-10-13) – November 7, 1863 (1863-11-08)
Location
Result Union victory[1]
Belligerents
 United States  Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
United States George G. Meade Confederate States of America Robert E. Lee
Units involved
Army of the Potomac Army of Northern Virginia
Strength
76,000[2] 45,000[2]
Casualties and losses
4,815[3]

The Bristoe campaign was a series of minor battles fought in Virginia during October and November 1863, in the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Union Army of the Potomac, began to maneuver in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Lee countered with a turning movement, which caused Meade to withdraw his army back toward Centreville. Lee struck at Bristoe Station on October 14, but suffered losses in two brigades and withdrew. As Meade followed south once again, the Union army smashed a Confederate defensive bridgehead at Rappahannock Station on November 7 and drove Lee back across the Rapidan River. Along with the infantry battles, the cavalry forces of the armies fought at Auburn on October 13, again at Auburn on October 14, and at Buckland Mills on October 19.

The Confederates had not achieved their primary objectives of bringing on a decisive battle or preventing the Federal reinforcement of the Western Theater, and Lee and his officers were much demoralized by this failure.

  1. ^ See Aftermath.
  2. ^ a b Salmon, p. 218.
  3. ^ Kennedy, pp. 252-55. The total casualties are the sum of First Auburn (50 total on both sides), Second Auburn (113 total), Bristoe Station (540 Union, 1380 Confederate), Buckland Mills (230 total), and Second Rappahannock Station (461 Union, 2,041 Confederate, of which 1,973 were captured).