Battle of Boteler's Ford – Day 2

Fitz John Porter

On September 20th the Federals continued to push forward from Boteler's Ford. A bridgehead was established, but they were soon under attack. Lee countermarched A. P. Hill's “Light Division” and sent them forward. The Federals were under heavy attack, and word reached Fitz-John Porter, the Union Corps commander, that his men were outnumbered. He ordered them to withdraw back across the river. However, the colonel of the 118th Pennsylvania, an inexperienced regiment, refused to retire until the orders went through the proper chain of command. The rest of the Yankees were happy enough to retreat, and the 118th was left stranded. As the Confederates attacked, the outnumbered regiment panicked, and the men scattered, scrambling down the cliffs to the river and crossing the forward as fast as possible. The regiment suffered heavily, loosing 269 out of 737. Over these two days of skirmishing, the Yankees lost 363 men, the Rebels 291.