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Battle of Fairfax Court House (1861)

1861 in Virginia1861 in the American Civil WarBattles of the American Civil War in VirginiaBattles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil WarFairfax County in the American Civil War
Inconclusive battles of the American Civil WarJune 1861 eventsManassas campaignUse American English from June 2022Use mdy dates from June 2022
Fairfax Court House, Va NARA 530399
Fairfax Court House, Va NARA 530399

The Battle of Fairfax Court House was the first land engagement of the American Civil War with fatal casualties. On June 1, 1861, a Union scouting party clashed with the local militia in the village of Fairfax, Virginia, resulting in the first deaths in action, and the first wounding of a field-grade officer. The Union had sent a regular cavalry patrol under Lieutenant Charles H. Tompkins to estimate enemy numbers in the area. At Fairfax Court House, they surprised a small Confederate rifle company under Captain John Q. Marr, and took some prisoners. Marr rallied his unit, but was killed, and command was taken over by a civilian ex-governor of Virginia, William Smith, who forced the Union to retreat. The engagement is judged to have been inconclusive. The Union did not gain the intelligence it was seeking, and had to delay its drive on Richmond, thus enabling the Confederates to build up their strength at Manassas in advance of the much-bigger battle there, the following month. Tompkins was criticized for exceeding his orders, although they had been somewhat imprecise.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Battle of Fairfax Court House (1861) (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Battle of Fairfax Court House (1861)
Main Street, Fairfax

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N 38.846111111111 ° E -77.306944444444 °
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22030 Fairfax
Virginia, United States
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Fairfax Court House, Va NARA 530399
Fairfax Court House, Va NARA 530399
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