US ResearchConflictsCivil WarCavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat
Civil War

Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat

1863
Pennsylvania
Era
Civil War
Year
1863
Location
Pennsylvania
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Union
Forces
confederate: Jones's Brigade
VS
Victor
Confederate
Forces
union: Merritt's Reserve Brigade
Outcome
Confederate cavalry repulsed Union cavalry at Fairfield opening Lee's retreat route
The Battle

History & Significance

On the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg there were two cavalry battles: one approximately three miles (5 km) to the east, in the area known today as East Cavalry Field, the other southwest of the [Big] Round Top mountain.

Historical context

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the deadliest conflict in American history, killing an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The Confederate States of America, formed by eleven seceding Southern states, faced the Union in four years of warfare across 23 states and territories. Major engagements included First and Second Bull Run, Antietam (the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Vicksburg (surrendered July 4, 1863), and Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–1865). President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, transforming the war's stated purpose to include the abolition of slavery and enabling the enlistment of approximately 180,000 Black men in the United States Colored Troops. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The war resolved the question of secession and ended American slavery, though Reconstruction would face sustained resistance in its attempt to secure civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat take place?
Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat took place in 1863.
Where was Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat fought?
Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat was fought in Pennsylvania, United States.
What was the outcome of Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat?
Confederate cavalry repulsed Union cavalry at Fairfield opening Lee's retreat route
What was the significance of Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat?
On the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg there were two cavalry battles: one approximately three miles (5 km) to the east, in the area known today as East Cavalry Field, the other southwest of the [Big] Round Top mountain.
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Cavalry Fight at Fairfield — Gettysburg Retreat

Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church
Civil War · 2.1 mi
Fairfield Historic District
Civil War · 2.4 mi
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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