Battle of Walkerton
37°42′33″N76°55′29″W/ 37.70917°N 76.92472°W
| Battle of Walkerton | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theAmerican Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States of America(Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick Ulric Dahlgren† | Wade Hampton | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 4,000 |
| ||||||
TheBattle of Walkertonwas an engagement of theAmerican Civil War.It occurred March 2, 1864, inWalkerton,King and Queen County,Virginiaduring theKilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid.[1]
The campaign started withBrig. Gen.Hugh Judson KilpatrickleavingStevensburgon February 28 with 4,000 men, intending to raidRichmond.The force rode along theVirginia Central Railroadtearing up track, while an advance force was sent south along theJames River.The plan was that the advance force, led byCol.Ulric Dahlgren,son ofRear AdmiralJohn Dahlgren,should penetrate Richmond's defenses from the rear, and release prisoners atBelle Isle.Yet, when Kilpatrick reached Richmond on March 1, Dahlgren had not yet arrived. Kilpatrick had to withdraw because he was under pursuit by Confederate cavalry, led byMaj. Gen.Wade Hampton.Hampton caught up with Kilpatrick nearOld Churchon March 2, but the Federals were able to take refuge with elements ofButler's command atNew Kent Court House.
Meanwhile, Dahlgren had found himself unable to penetrate Richmond's defenses, and tried to escape northwards. The group became separated, and on March 2, Dahlgren, along with about 100 men, was ambushed by a detachment of the9th Virginia CavalryandHome Guardsin King and Queen County near Walkerton. Dahlgren was killed and most of the men were captured.
The gravest implications of the raid came as a result of papers found on Dahlgren’s body. The papers allegedly contained an official Union order to burn Richmond and assassinateJefferson Davisand his cabinet.Meade,Kilpatrick, andLincolnall disavowed any knowledge of the Dahlgren Papers, and their authenticity has been disputed. At the time, however, the affair caused a great public outcry among Southerners, who accused the North of initiating "a war of extermination."