A Confederate cavalry victory near Aldie, Virginia, in which Mosby's Rangers routed a Union force sent specifically to capture them.
Key Facts
- Date
- July 6, 1864
- Location
- Near Aldie, Loudoun County, Virginia
- Union Commander
- Major William H. Forbes
- Confederate Commander
- Colonel John S. Mosby
- Outcome
- Confederate victory
- Preceding action
- Mosby's raid on Point of Rocks, Maryland
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following a successful Confederate raid on the Union garrison at Point of Rocks, Maryland, Union commanders dispatched a cavalry force under Major William H. Forbes into Loudoun County, Virginia, with orders to engage and capture Mosby's Rangers before they could escape.
On July 6, 1864, Union cavalry under Forbes encountered Mosby's Rangers near Aldie, Virginia, at Mount Zion Church. The Confederate irregulars under Colonel John S. Mosby routed Forbes's command in the ensuing skirmish, driving the Union force from the field.
The engagement ended in a clear Confederate victory, allowing Mosby's Rangers to evade capture and continue their guerrilla operations in Northern Virginia. The skirmish reinforced the effectiveness of Mosby's irregular cavalry tactics against conventional Union pursuit forces.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Major William H. Forbes.
Side B
1 belligerent
Colonel John S. Mosby.