Ball's Crossroads Skirmish
During the Civil War, the area near Ball's Crossroads and Upton Hill hosted tens of thousands of Union and Confederate troops.
During the Civil War, the area near Ball's Crossroads and Upton Hill hosted tens of thousands of Union and Confederate troops. From June to October of 1861, Arlington's Four Mile Run witnessed several Civil War skirmishes. One of the largest occurred on the afternoon of August 27, 1861.
Several hundred Union soldiers from the New York 23rd were performing picket duty east of the railroad, called the Alexandria, Loudon & Hampshire. Confederates from the 11th Virginia fired upon the Union skirmishers.
Recent research suggests the skirmish may have been part of a much larger military operation conducted by the Confederates to probe the Union lines. The engagement, which included an artillery bombardment of Hall's Hill, resulted in several soldiers being killed and wounded on both sides.
Leading one of the Union companies involved was Lieutenant Newton T. Colby. His drawing of where the skirmish occurred is integral to Arlington's history. It shows the intersection of today’s Wilson Blvd. and Four Mile Run.
The following is from a New York Times article from July 1, 1861:
"From Col. H.C. Hoffman, Colonel of the Twenty-third New-York Regiment, gives a correct version of the skirmish on the 28th inst., near Ball's Cross Roads:
The detachment, consisting of five companies, was sent out for picket duty: three from the Eleventh Wisconsin State Militia Regiment and two from the Twenty-third New York Volunteers. The skirmish took place about one mile in advance of the Cross Roads, just this side of the railroad, between the enemy and two companies of the Twenty-third New York and a part of one company of the Twelfth New York, who had not been relieved. About five hundred rebels made the attack. For a few moments, the fire was rapid on both sides.
The companies under the command of Capt. Todd and Capt. Dingleday, of the Twenty-third New-York Regiment, conducted themselves heroically, returning the enemy's fire, which told upon them severely and repulsed them, and after the rebels had retreated, fell back to the Cross Roads in good order, after which the pickets were again advanced to their original position, and there remained. Too much credit cannot be given to the officers and men, as each man behaved splendidly. Our loss was one man killed and two wounded, of Capt. Dingleday's company, from Elmira, N.Y. It is supposed the rebels lost about fifteen men. The detachment was under the command of Lieut.-Col. Cram, Twenty-third New-York."
One month after the skirmish, Confederate forces withdrew to Fairfax Courthouse. Union troops were able to occupy both Munson and Upton's Hill. General McClellan ordered the construction of several fortifications, including Fort Ramsay, Fort Buffalo, and Fort Taylor, to strengthen their defenses. Fort Ramsay was located on the boundary of Arlington and Fairfax, near the water tower and apartments at the top of Upton's Hill.
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