Confederate, Union Soldiers Gathered in Westminster this Weekend

The Pipe Creek Civil War Roundtable (PCCWRT) hosted the 148th anniversary of Corbit’s Charge this weekend with an encampment, re-enactments, base ball games and a parade.

Ed Wonilowicz writes on the PCCWRT website: on June 29, 1863 at the junction of Main Street and Washington Road in Westminster, the Union First Delaware Cavalry fought the cavalry division of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under Major General J.E.B. Stuart.  Though thoroughly lacking in experience and vastly outnumbered, companies C and D of the Delaware regiment, about 90 men in all, rode to meet the head of the rebel column of 5000 horsemen.  The quick cavalry fight has come to be known as Corbit’s Charge after the commander of the brave union troops. 

According to the website, two Confederate lieutenants were killed, one of whom lies buried in the cemetery of the Ascension Episcopal Church in Westminster.  Many more were wounded on both sides, and this action, though a Confederate victory, helped to impede J.E.B. Stuart’s ability to link up with Confederate infantry in Pennsylvania and was a contributing factor in the eventual defeat of Robert E. Lee’s army at Gettysburg. 

A parade made its way through town Saturday, traveling from the living history encampment on Center Street to the Corbit’s Charge monument on Court Place off Willis Street. After a service there the parade moved on to the Ascension Episcopal Cemetery. Sunday featured a Civil War Tent Style Church Service and a skirmish in the afternoon.

This was the ninth year the battle was honored in Westminster. Chairman Tom LeGore of the commemorative weekend said that more than 10,000 people have attended in the first eight years of the celebration.

The base ball games were played between the Elkton Eclipse and Mechanicsburg Nine. They played with Civil War era rules. Some of the differences included no gloves and the balls were pitched underhand.

Re-enactors units participating this weekend were:

1st Maryland Artillery, CSA, 3rd Maryland Infantry, USA, Robert Urban, Surgeon, Sons of Confederate Veterans, MD. Div. Color Guard, 22nd North Carolina Infantry, CSA, 8th Virginia Infantry, Co. K, CSA, 35th Batt., Virginia Cavalry, CSA, 5th Virginia Cavalry, CSA, 1st Delaware Cavalry, USA, The American Civil War Education Foundation/Heritage Restorers, The Union Patriotic League, Civilian Foundation for the Preservation of Civil War History.

Officer Interpreters: President Jefferson Davis, CSA; Stephen A. Mallory, Secretary of the Navy, CSA; General and Mrs. Robert E. Lee, CSA; General and Mrs. Issac Trimble, CSA; Brigadier General Robert Brooke Garnett, CSA; General Goveneur Warren, USA; Mrs. J.E.B. Stuart, CSA

"Soldiers and Subjects of the Queen" (British Military Observers).

Sutlers and Displays were: Pipe Creek Civil War Round Table, Historical Society of Carroll County

Rick Barrick, Chaircanning Demo., Liz Oats, Seamstress, Joe "Reb" Staup, Blacksmith, Jeff Leister, Tinsmith and his tole lady, Andrew Mahr, Custom Furniture; Re-enactor’s Mission for Jesus Christ, Dennis Duerbeck, Civil War Artillery Projectiles, Carroll County Fiber Artists, Cindy Hershberg, Millner, Bear Flag Mercantile, Knightingales Rest Sutlery and Pepper Jack Grille.