Battle of Harrison's Island

E944063

The Battle of Harrison's Island, better known as the Battle of Ball's Bluff, was an early and disastrous 1861 American Civil War engagement in Virginia that resulted in a significant Union defeat and led to increased congressional scrutiny of the war’s conduct.

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Label Occurrences
Battle of Harrison's Island canonical 1

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf American Civil War battle
battle
aftermath increased congressional scrutiny of Union war effort
political controversy in Washington, D.C.
alsoKnownAs Battle of Ball's Bluff
Battle of Leesburg
associatedPlace Ball's Bluff
Harrison's Island, Maryland
belligerent Confederate States (Confederacy)
United States (Union)
campaign Operations in the vicinity of Leesburg, 1861
casualties heavy Union casualties
cause faulty Union reconnaissance
misinterpretation of terrain and enemy strength
commander Brigadier General Charles P. Stone
Brigadier General Jubal A. Early
Colonel Edward D. Baker
Colonel Nathan "Shanks" Evans
conflict American Civil War
consequence creation of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War
countryAtTime United States of America
date October 21, 1861
engagementType amphibious assault across river
river crossing engagement
followedBy increased caution in Union offensive operations in Virginia
historicalPeriod American Civil War, 1861–1865
linked to: American Civil War
location Loudoun County, Virginia
Potomac River
near Leesburg, Virginia
notableEvent death of U.S. Senator and Colonel Edward D. Baker
notableFor one of the few battles in which a sitting U.S. senator was killed in combat
opposingCountryAtTime Confederate States of America
partOf Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
precededBy Union occupation of parts of northern Virginia
relatedCommittee Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War
relatedLegislativeBody United States Congress
result Confederate victory
Union defeat
riverCrossing Potomac River near Harrison's Island
sideStrength Union forces outnumbered Confederate defenders on paper
significance damaged reputations of several Union officers
early major Union defeat in the Eastern Theater
heightened political tensions within the Lincoln administration
tacticalOutcome Union troops driven into Potomac River
tacticalSituation Union troops forced back over steep bluff above Potomac River
terrainFeature high bluff above Potomac River
wooded slopes and narrow landing areas
theater Virginia
year 1861

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Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Battle of Ball's Bluff alsoKnownAs Battle of Harrison's Island