On the evening of July 4th, 1863,
one of the most confusing battles of the Civil War occurred
during the retreat from Gettysburg known as the battle of
Monterey Pass. Around 9:00 p.m. on South Mountain, the Union
cavalry under the command of General Judson Kilpatrick came in
contact with the Confederate 1st Maryland Cavalry under Captain
George Emack, who had a small detail guarding the approach to
Monterey Pass, re-enforced by one cannon from Captain William Tanner's Battery.
Darkness set in during a
blinding rainstorm. The Confederate artillerists, wearing gum blankets to protect them from the elements of the weather,
opened fire on the head of Kilpatrick's advance. As the
confusion subsided, the Confederate cavalrymen charged, pushing
the Kilpatrick back until they reached the Federal artillery
that was positioned near Fountain Dale.
For several hours, during the blinding
thunderstorm in the middle of the night, the battle was carried out in between lightning
strikes and muzzle flashes. Six hours of heavy fighting had
spilled over to Fairfield Gap as well as Leitersburg while
General Kilpatrick gained the South Mountain summit of Monterey
Pass. At Fairfield Gap, a portion
of the 1st Michigan Cavalry was beaten back by Confederate
cavalry while at the Monterey House, two guns of Pennington's
battery began shelling the Confederate wagons.
By 3:30 a.m. on July 5th, Kilpatrick successfully reached the
turnpike where Ewell’s wagon train was located, capturing and
destroying 9 miles worth of wagons, taking 1,360 prisoners and a
large number of horses and mules as they moved on toward
Ringgold, Maryland.
Monterey Pass is the second largest battle that occurred in
Pennsylvania and was the only battle ever fought on both sides of the
Mason and Dixon Line, taking place in four counties, Frederick and
Washington Counties, Maryland and Adams and Franklin Counties,
Pennsylvania. Monterey Pass is situated on the South Mountain range
and being a direct route to the Potomac River, it was used by the bulk
of the Confederate Army during it’s withdraw from Gettysburg.
For information, please feel free to email us at
montereyinfo@emmitsburg.net