Corbit's Charge

Corbit's Charge (HM8Z1)

Location: Westminster, MD 21157 Carroll County
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Country: United States of America
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N 39° 34.185', W 76° 59.43'

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Inscription

"Suicidal Bravery"

— Gettysburg Campaign —

In June, 1863, as Gen. Robert E. Lee's infantry marched through Maryland on its second invasion of the North, Lee lost contact with Gen. J.E.B. Stuart as the cavalry commander led his force east and north around the Union army. Here, on the afternoon of June 29, Federal and Confederate cavalrymen clashed on the street before you.

A detachment of the 150th New York Infantry and 108 officers and men of the 1st Delaware Cavalry, including Capt. Charles Corbit's Co. C, guarded the road junction and Western Maryland Railroad line at Westminster. When advance elements of Stuart's column approached from Sykesville, Corbit's command with part of Co. D charged east on Main Street and struck them at the Washington Road intersection, driving them back briefly. The Westminster postmaster wrote that Corbit's men displayed "an almost suicidal bravery." A 4th Virginia Cavalry trooper later recalled, "I was in the first set of fours [in front to meet Corbit's charge]. There has never been, in my knowledge, a more terrific fight with pistols than was fought then. I emptied every barrel of my pistol as did others."

The fighting surged back and forth on Main Street until Confederate reinforcements overwhelmed the Federals. The 1st Delaware suffered 55 percent casualties (killed, wounded, and captured) and the New York infantrymen were taken prisoner. The Confederates lost two officers killed and twelve men wounded. That night, Stuart's column rested along the Littlestown Pike near Union Mills, about six miles north.
Details
HM NumberHM8Z1
Series This marker is part of the Maryland Civil War Trails series
Tags
Placed ByMaryland Civil War Trails
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, September 21st, 2014 at 3:26pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 329023 N 4381897
Decimal Degrees39.56975000, -76.99050000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 39° 34.185', W 76° 59.43'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds39° 34' 11.10" N, 76° 59' 25.80" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)410
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 202-206 E Main St, Westminster MD 21157, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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