The Harmony Skirmish
Encyclopedia
The Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War
between Confederate forces under Colonel
John Mosby and Union
forces under Colonel Marcus Reno
on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony (present day Hamilton
) in Loudoun County
, Virginia
. A union raiding party, that was sent into Loudoun County to eliminate Confederate partisans, was ambushed by Mosby's Rangers
near the village of Harmony. After inflicting light casualties on the Federals, the Rangers were unable to drive off the numerically superior and better equipped force and were compelled to withdrawal. The skirmish, which was the last major action of the war within Loudoun, was tactically inconclusive.
, 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry, 1st United States Infantry and 2 pieces of light artillery, set out from Harpers Ferry into Loudoun County on a mission to obtain forage and clear the Loudoun Valley
of partisans. The column entered Loudoun in the Between the Hills
valley and marched through Hillsboro and Woodgrove, reaching Purcellville
on the morning of the 21st. The column was under near continuous sniping fire from Confederate partisans during the march, 5 of which were captured at Hillsboro.
The Federal incursion did not go unnoticed to John Mosby's scouts and accordingly he ordered a rendezvous of his Rangers
the following morning. On the 21st Mosby, with 128 Rangers, set out north from upper Fauquier
to confront the Federals.
The Rangers broke after them, but as they reached Harmony they encountered the Federal infantry who were concealed behind a hedgerow. The infantry met the Rangers with a fierce volley that wounded and killed several and forced most of the rest to fall back. A few daring Rangers pursued the Federals further, including James Sinclair, who after killing one Federal, saw he wore a diamond ring. In the midst of the fight Sinclair jumped from his horse to pull the ring from the body, when it would not budge he cut the finger off. Mosby soon called of the Rangers and fell back towards Fauquier. He would continue to shadow the Federals as they ranged through Loudoun and Fauquier for the next 3 days, though no significant fighting between the two took place.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
between Confederate forces under Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
John Mosby and Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
forces under Colonel Marcus Reno
Marcus Reno
Marcus Albert Reno was a career military officer in the American Civil War and in the Black Hills War against the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne...
on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony (present day Hamilton
Hamilton, Virginia
Hamilton is a town in the Loudoun Valley of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 562 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:...
) in Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. A union raiding party, that was sent into Loudoun County to eliminate Confederate partisans, was ambushed by Mosby's Rangers
43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan cavalry in the Confederate army during the American Civil War...
near the village of Harmony. After inflicting light casualties on the Federals, the Rangers were unable to drive off the numerically superior and better equipped force and were compelled to withdrawal. The skirmish, which was the last major action of the war within Loudoun, was tactically inconclusive.
Background
On the afternoon of March 20th Col. Reno, commanding a 1000 man expedition, consisting of the Loudoun RangersLoudoun Rangers
The Loudoun Rangers, also known as Mean's Rangers for their commander, Samuel C. Means, was a partisan cavalry unit raised in Loudoun County, Virginia, that fought for the Union during the American Civil War...
, 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry, 1st United States Infantry and 2 pieces of light artillery, set out from Harpers Ferry into Loudoun County on a mission to obtain forage and clear the Loudoun Valley
Loudoun Valley
The Loudoun Valley is a small, but historically significant valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains located in Loudoun County in northwestern Virginia in the United States.-Geography:...
of partisans. The column entered Loudoun in the Between the Hills
Between the Hills
Between the Hills is a small valley in northwest Loudoun County, Virginia, distinct from, but associated with the greater Loudoun Valley.-Geography:...
valley and marched through Hillsboro and Woodgrove, reaching Purcellville
Purcellville, Virginia
Purcellville is a town in the Loudoun Valley of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,584 at the 2000 census, but has undergone considerable growth since then. Purcellville is the major population center for western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley...
on the morning of the 21st. The column was under near continuous sniping fire from Confederate partisans during the march, 5 of which were captured at Hillsboro.
The Federal incursion did not go unnoticed to John Mosby's scouts and accordingly he ordered a rendezvous of his Rangers
43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan cavalry in the Confederate army during the American Civil War...
the following morning. On the 21st Mosby, with 128 Rangers, set out north from upper Fauquier
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
to confront the Federals.
The Skirmish
Around midday, Mosby reached Harmony, whereupon he learned the Federals were located 2 miles (3.2 km) west in Purcellville. Unsure of the strength of the opposing force, Mosby lead his Rangers approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) southeast of the village. He deployed the main body of his force in a woods south of the road while leaving 24 Rangers under Jim Wiltshire on the road as bait for an ambush. The 12th Pennsylvania soon came upon the Wiltshires men, and taking them to be an isolated band of partisans of the nature that the Federals had been fighting with since entering Loudoun, immediately charged. Wiltshire's force broke into retreat until they reached the woods where the rest of the Rangers were concealed, at which point they suddenly turned around and counter-attacked the Federals. At the same time the rest of the Rangers came out of the woods and assailed the Federal flank. The 12th Pennsylvania briefly made a stand but was soon compelled to retreat.The Rangers broke after them, but as they reached Harmony they encountered the Federal infantry who were concealed behind a hedgerow. The infantry met the Rangers with a fierce volley that wounded and killed several and forced most of the rest to fall back. A few daring Rangers pursued the Federals further, including James Sinclair, who after killing one Federal, saw he wore a diamond ring. In the midst of the fight Sinclair jumped from his horse to pull the ring from the body, when it would not budge he cut the finger off. Mosby soon called of the Rangers and fell back towards Fauquier. He would continue to shadow the Federals as they ranged through Loudoun and Fauquier for the next 3 days, though no significant fighting between the two took place.