First Battle of Rappahannock Station

The First Battle of Rappahannock Station was a battle in the American Civil War on August 23, 1862, at Remington, Virginia, as part of the Northern Virginia Campaign.

First Battle of Rappahannock Station
Part of the American Civil War
Skirmish at Freeman's Ford, by Davenport.
Date August 22, 1862 (1862-08-22) – August 25, 1862 (1862-08-25) Location Culpeper County and Fauquier County, Virginia Result Confederate Victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
John Pope	James Longstreet
Strength
Brigades	Brigades
Casualties and losses
225

Background

In early August 1862 Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee thought that Union Army Major General George B. McClellan's army was leaving the Virginia Peninsula to help Major General John Pope. He sent Major General James Longstreet's wing from Richmond to join Thomas J. Jackson's wing near Gordonsville and came to take over command himself on August 15, 1862. From August 20 to 21, 1862, John Pope's army went to the Rappahannock River. On August 20, Pope spread his army along the northern part of the Rappahannock River from Kelly's Ford to Rappahannock Station and was ready to defend the river crossings.

Union troops crossing the Rappahannock near Sulphur Springs