While many of the monuments I have visited date back almost to the Civil War, there are a fairly large number modern monuments erected in the 21st Century. In 2006 in Westminster, Maryland a monument to both Union and Confederate cavalrymen was erected. The memorial commemorates a cavalry skirmish on the way to Gettysburg. It is about 45 minutes southeast of Gettysburg at North Court Street and East Main Street in the city’s historic district. The skirmish was fought on June 29, 1863 near the site of the marker.
In 2003 Westminster began commemorating the Charge during the last weekend in June. Civil War reenactors are the focus of the commemoration which involves nearly 2,000 people every year.
Westminster has a population of 19,960 in the latest Census. At the time of the Civil War, the population was only about a tenth of that number.
In late June of 1863, J.E.B. Stuart was proceeding north during the invasion of Pennsylvania. He was leading three brigades of Confederate cavalry. Two companies from the 1st Delaware Cavalry Regiment were sent to Westminster to guard the Western Maryland Railroad junction near the city. They arrived on the 28th of June, just a day before the Confederates.
On June 30 some Union cavalry men were captured in the south end of Westminster. Captain Charles Corbit of the Delaware cavalrymen quickly assembled his men and led them down Main St. near where the monument is to attack the Confederates newly arrived in town. The badly outnumbered Union cavalry were defeated and Captain Corbit was captured, however the attack led J.E.B. Stuart to decide to stop in Westminster rather than advancing into Pennsylvania immediately.
Some Confederate officers years later said that the charge did not seriously delay the advance.
There are historical marked in the area around the courthouse square explaining the “Battle of Winchester” and the stone marker which memorializes both Union and Confederate cavalrymen. It also expresses thanks to Westminster’s civilians for caring for the wounded after the battle.
There are also the hundred year old markers from the War Department explaining the movement of the Army of the Potomac during the campaign.
The Civil War Trails marker gives a more detailed look at Corbit’s Charge and contextualizes it within the Gettysburg Campaign.
While Corbit’s Charge was a minor action, it did contribute to the delay in Stuart’s men reaching the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
If you walk down Main Street where the skirmish occurred you will see many buildings over a century and a half old that witnessed the fighting.
The Federal-style homes and businesses along the route make it easy to imagine the situation in Westminster in 1863.
Note: All color photos in this post were taken by Patrick Young except as noted.
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