The Battle of Ox Hill
General Reno's Probe East of Ox Road
While General Stevens’ division attacked the Confederates on this side of Ox Road, part of General Jesse Reno’s division entered the woods east of the road to protect Stevens’ flank and probe the Confederate line. Reno’s two leading regiments received vague orders to “find the enemy.”
Just before 5 p.m., the 21st Massachusetts stumbled through the darkened woods, their line of battle broken by fallen trees and underbrush. As the thunderstorm erupted, the regiment halted to reform their lines. There was some firing off to their right and a body of troops in dark uniforms stood 25 yards ahead, barely visible.
Some of the men exclaimed, “Those are rebels!” while some thought otherwise. According to Captain Charles Walcott: “While most of our poor fellows stood with their guns at the shoulder, one of the deadliest volleys ever fired rolled upon us from our right and front…the whole regiment seemed to be lying bleeding on the ground…nearly a hundred of our men, dead and wounded, lay there with their officers.”
The Confederates who delivered the fatal volley were probably on the left of Trimble’s brigade of Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama troops, though some shots may have come from Stafford’s Louisiana brigade.
Farther east, near today’s Fair Oaks Mall, the 51st New York encountered part of Starke’s division, probably the Stonewall Brigade, but suffered only minor losses. The 2nd Maryland and 48th Pennsylvania remained in reserve near the unfinished railroad.
Two of Reno’s regiments, the 6th New Hampshire and 51st Pennsylvania, joined the fight west of Ox Road and supported Stevens’ division.
Marker can be reached from West Ox Road (Virginia Route 608).
Courtesy hmdb.org
