On July 11, 1861, somewhere south of Martinsburg, (West) Virginia, a Union foraging party encountered Confederate cavalry. A sharp fight erupted and one Union soldier was killed. The details of this nearly forgotten incident are hazy at best. Join us as we dig into the sources and piece together what happened over 164 years ago.
What story do these letters, regimental histories, and contemporary newspaper articles tell? Is it possible to write an accurate account of what happened that day? Our latest deep dive into a little-known early Civil War skirmish is now available on our Substack and Patreon pages for paid subscribers. A free preview is available for first-time readers at Substack. All proceeds from these platforms goes directly into maintaining this website.
Check it out at the links below:
Spirit of '61 