The Wolverine's Fight

As Union General George A. Custer's Cavalry brigade advanced here, the right wing of his brigade was situated in these woods. The 6th Michigan Cavalry deployed to the right of the road, supported by the 5th Michigan Cavalry, while the 7th, and portions of the 1st Michigan Cavalry deployed to the left of the road and were kept in reserve. Once in position, the brigade moved forward for the main attack.
As fighting raged in the middle of the night, the battlefield became disorganized due to the weather conditions and the intense darkness. Hand-to-hand combat took place and was extremely fierce at times.
The Confederate skirmishers held their ground, slowly giving way. The Confederate skirmishers eventually began to withdraw from the woods and cross over the swollen Red Run. Once across, the Confederates began establishing a new line of battle centered on the wooden bridge.
General Custer's battle line began to stall along the banks of Red Run. To make matters worse, a herd of cattle had broken away from the Confederate wagon train along Maria Furnace Road. A courier was sent back to the Monterey Inn informing Union General Judson Kilpatrick that reinforcements were needed in order to break the Confederate battle line.
"Soon we encountered the confederate skirmishers, but could locate them only by



the flashes of their guns. The darkness was intense and in a few moments we had plunged into a dense thicket, full of undergrowth, interlaced with vines and briars, so thick, that it was difficult to make headway at all. More than one trailing vine tripped me up, and I fell headlong. To keep up an alignment was out of the question. One had to be guided by sound and not by sight."
Captain James Kidd, 6th Michigan Cavalry

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The Battle of Monterey Pass
Before The Battle Of Gettysburg
The Raid On Harpers Ferry
The Underground Railroad
A Midnight Battle Along The Mason-Dixon Line/Walking Tour
Before The Battle Of Gettysburg
10,000 Soldiers Fight at Monterey Pass
The Retreat From Gettysburg
Battle of Monterey Pass (Wolverines)
The Battle of Monterey Pass

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