STOP 10
Early's Final Line

Stop 10 is not a single location as in the earlier points, but rather a drive along the final opposing lines with intermittent stops.

Continue (north) on CR 635 for .3 mile to the junction with CR 627, turn right onto 627, and make an almost immediate left (north) onto CR 635 again. Go .2 mile and pause along the side of the road.

Hite Chapel Road (CR 627) marks the line where Early's forces halted their advance to reorganize and consolidate. You have just driven briefly along a portion of the line occupied by Ramseur's Division. Farther eastward, Pegram's Division formed the line between Meadow Brook and the Pike. Wharton's Division extended the line still farther eastward to a point beyond the interchange of CR 627 and I-81. Kershaw's line was to the west of Ramseur, going to the point where CR 625 turns north. Gordon's line spread farther westward beyond Middle Marsh Brook.

This first rise on your left (west) was occupied by Bryan's Virginia Battery. From here it supported Ramseur's Division in an afternoon attack. Gordon and Ramseur persuaded Early to renew the offensive after a critical two-hour delay. Their divisions along with Kershaw's pressed forward about half a mile. This portion of CR 635 marks Ramseur's eastern flank. Pegram and Wharton remained in place just north of Middletown. Consequently, the farther Ramseur advanced, his eastern flank was more and more dangerously exposed to the Federal cavalry in position alongside and east of the Pike.

At .5 mile, you will see two red brick houses on the left. Here CR 635 temporarily ends, intersecting with CR 634. There is room to pull off the road on the right.

This was Miller's Mill, the point of farthest advance for the early afternoon Confederate probe. Ramseur placed one brigade along the road facing east and extending southward back to the white house (you passed it before getting to the brick houses). His other two brigades extended westward along CR 634 to a small stream where they linked with Kershaw's units. Kershaw in turn covered the ground to the junction of CR 634 and 625. Gordon's Division lay westward from there to the high ground east of Middle Marsh Brook.

Follow CR 634 bearing to the left.

About 300 yards along this road, in the orchard behind the large red brick house, fierce fighting took place during the Federal counterattack at about 1630. Ramseur, with 200 of his men and 200 men from Kershaw's Division led by Major James Goggin, resisted repeated assaults by the Second Division, VI Corps. They were aided by Cutshaw's Artillery Battalion. Ramseur was mortally wounded here and resistance broke.

Drive .8 mile on CR 634, then turn right onto CR 625. The road in .3 mile makes a 90 degree turn in front of a grey house.

This dogleg marks the Federal skirmish line after the final Federal line was established about 1100. The main line was just forward of CR 633 where you will turn right (east). (If you continue north half a mile from CR 633, you will reach Epworth Chapel. This was the general area to which the XIX Corps withdrew before it came forward to the line just south of CR 633.)

At .9 mile, turn right (east) onto CR 633.

In .7 mile you will see some abandoned 19th Century farm buildings on your left (north). They mark the area where the First and Third Divisions of the VI Corps rallied before coming forward to the final line established by their Second Division.

Go to Stop 11

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