The Battle of South Mountain (known in several early SouthernSouthern United States
The Southern United States or the South constitutes a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States... accounts as the Battle of Boonsboro Gap) was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland CampaignMaryland Campaign
and eventually attacked it near and XII CorpsXII Corps (ACW)
The XII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.... ), under Maj. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner, was in reserve.
Battles
Crampton's Gap
At the southernmost point of the battle, near BurkittsvilleBurkittsville, Maryland
Burkittsville is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States.... , Confederate cavalry and a small portion of Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLawsLafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws was a U.S. Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. ... 's division defended Brownsville Pass and Crampton's GapBattle of Crampton's Gap
The Battle of Crampton's Gap was a battle fought between Robert E.... . McLaws was unaware of the approach of 12,000 Federals and had only 500 men under Col. William A. Parham thinly deployed behind a three quarter-mile-long stone wall at the eastern base of Crampton's GapCrampton's Gap
Crampton's Gap, also known as Crampton Gap, is a wind gap of South Mountain in Maryland.... . Franklin spent three hours deploying his forces. A Confederate later wrote of a "lion making exceedingly careful preparations to spring on a plucky little mouse." Franklin deployed the division of Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum on the right and Maj. Gen. William F. "Baldy" SmithWilliam Farrar Smith
William Farrar Smith, was a civil engineer, a police commissioner, and Union general in the American Civil War.... on the left. They seized the gap and captured 400 prisoners, mostly men who were arriving as late reinforcements from Brig. Gen.Brigadier General
Brigadier General is the lowest rank of general officer in some countries, usually ranking just above Colonel and just below... Howell CobbHowell Cobb
Howell Cobb was an American political figure.... 's brigade.
Turner's Gap
Confederate Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill, deploying 5,000 men over more than 2 miles, defended both Turner's Gap and Fox's Gap. Burnside sent Hooker's I Corps to the right and Turner's Gap. The Union Iron BrigadeIron Brigade
The Iron Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Union Army during the American Civil War, consisting primarily of Western r... attacked ColonelColonel
Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the w... Alfred H. ColquittAlfred H. Colquitt
Alfred Holt Colquitt was a lawyer, preacher, soldier, Governor of Georgia and two term U.S.... 's small brigade along the National RoadNational Road
[Image:US 40.svg|right|50px]]The National Road or Cumberland Road was one of the first major improved highways in the... , driving it back up the mountain, but it refused to yield the pass. Hooker positioned three divisions opposite two peaks located one mile north of the gap. The Alabama Brigade of Brig. Gen. Robert E. RodesRobert E. Rodes
Robert Emmett Rodes was a railroad civil engineer and a promising young Confederate general in the American Civil War, kille... was forced to withdraw because of his isolated position, despite the arrival of reinforcements from Brig. Gen. David R. JonesDavid R. Jones
David Rumph Jones was a Confederate general in the American Civil War.... 's division and Brig. Gen. Nathan G. Evans's brigade. Darkness and the difficult terrain prevented the complete collapse of Lee's line. At nightfall, the Confederates still held the gap.
Fox's Gap
Just to the south, other elements of Hill's division defended Fox's Gap against Reno's IX Corps. A 9 a.m. attack by Union Brig. Gen. Jacob D. CoxJacob Dolson Cox
Jacob Dolson Cox, was a lawyer, a Union Army general during the American Civil War, and later a Republican politician from O... 's Kanawha Division secured much of the land south of the gap. In the movement, Lt. Col. Rutherford B. HayesRutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was an American politician, lawyer, military leader and the 19th President of the United States .... of the 23rd Ohio led a flank attack and was seriously wounded. Cox pushed through the North Carolinians positioned behind a stone wall at the gap's crest, but he failed to capitalize on his gains as his men were exhausted, allowing Confederate reinforcements to deploy in the gap around the Daniel Wise farm. Reno sent forward the rest of his corps, but due to the timely arrival of Southern reinforcements under Confederate Brig. Gen. John Bell HoodJohn Bell Hood
John Bell Hood was a Confederate general during the American Civil War.... , they failed to dislodge the defenders. Union Maj. Gen. Jesse Reno and Confederate Brig. Gen. Samuel Garland, Jr.Samuel Garland, Jr.
Samuel Garland, Jr., was an attorney and Confederate general during the American Civil War.... , were killed at Fox's Gap. Union soldiers dumped 60 Confederate bodies down Farmer Wise's well, paying him $60 in compensation.
Aftermath
By dusk, with Crampton's Gap lost and his position at Fox's and Turner's Gaps precarious, Lee ordered his outnumbered forces to withdraw from South Mountain. McClellan was now in position to destroy Lee's army before it could concentrate. Union casualties of 28,000 engaged were 2,325 (443 killed, 1,807 wounded, and 75 missing); Confederates lost 2,685 (325 killed, 1560 wounded, and 800 missing) of 18,000. The Battle of South Mountain was an important morale booster for the defeat-stricken Army of the Potomac. The New York World wrote that the battle "turn[ed] back the tide of rebel successes" and "the strength of the rebels is hopelessly broken." Lee contemplated the end of his Maryland campaign. However, McClellan's limited activity on September 15 after his victory at South Mountain condemned the garrison at Harpers FerryBattle of Harpers Ferry Overview
]]The Battle of Harpers Ferry was fought from September 12 to September 15, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the A... to capture and gave Lee time to unite his scattered divisions at SharpsburgSharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, approximately 13 miles south of Hagerstown.... for the Battle of AntietamBattle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland ... on September 17.
