The Blue and the Gray Traditional Cache

In this area, the Blue and the Gray clashed. In the before dawn hours of January 9, 1864, a small cavalry skirmish occurred here between Union Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Maryland Cavalry and Confederate Major John Mosby's Partisan Rangers. In a 45 minute fight that followed, Cole's Cavalry successfully defended their camp on Loudoun Heights against Mosby's night raid.

From "Battle in the Snow: Cole's Cavalry & Mosby's Men at Loudoun Heights" - Gettysburg Star and Sentinel, Nov. 16, 1881:

" The 9th of January was very cold and the night which followed intensely dark. The snow carpet which covered the camp was the only relief to the great black veil which seemed to be drawn over the face of all nature. It was upon this night that Mosby had determined to attack and if possible capture this battalion of cavalry, which, oftener than any other, had met him in battle and dealt him hard blows. He selected about 400 of the best of his command and left camp, crossing the snow clad mountains to the right of Major Cole’s camp. It was between 2 and 3 o’clock on the morning of the 10th of January, that Mosby captured the pickets and prepared his plan of attack upon the slumbering camp. His command was quietly posted along the lines of tents where the Union cavalrymen were sleeping in fancied security, without even suspicion than an enemy was near.

At a given signal a deadly fire was opened upon them. Naturally, all was confusion. The volley, which killed some of the men in their tents and wounded others, was the first warning of danger. There had been no call to arms. Boots and saddles had not been sounded to prepare the men for duty. The crack of the enemy’s guns was the stern call to arms made upon these sleeping men with no time to reach their clothing and almost less to grope for their arms in the dark. To be sure, they had been used to hardships, and had never failed to respond to the call of duty. Almost without waiting for the orders of the officers the men turned out into the bitter cold and snow, ankle deep, in their night clothes, and in most instances without shoes. They responded to the attack with a determination which astonished their assailants, who had expected to have an easy capture."