3rd Winchester • Tour the Battlefield • Battle Maps • Battle Facts • The Armies
The Battlefield • Dawn • 10 a.m. • Attack • Counterattack • Early p.m. • Late p.m. • Dusk
The battlefield for the Third Battle of Winchester (or Opequon) extended about five miles east and northeast of Winchester. To the east Opequon Creek, flowing north toward the Potomac, gave its name to the Union version of the battle. Several smaller streams flowed east into Opequon Creek. Red Bud Run would be the most imortant of these; its muddy marshes would slow the advance of Union troops in the afternoon. The streams carved small gullies into the edge of the high ground of the plateau. One of these, known as Berryville Canyon, carried the Berryville Road up onto the high ground from its crossing of Opequon Creek.
The battlefield for the Third Battle of Winchester (or Opequon) extended about five miles east and northeast of Winchester. To the east Opequon Creek, flowing north toward the Potomac, gave its name to the Union version of the battle. Several smaller streams flowed east into Opequon Creek. Red Bud Run would be the most imortant of these; its muddy marshes would slow the advance of Union troops in the afternoon. The streams carved small gullies into the edge of the high ground of the plateau. One of these, known as Berryville Canyon, carried the Berryville Road up onto the high ground from its crossing of Opequon Creek.
Berryville Road was the major highway leading into Winchester from the east and would be Sheridan’s main line of advance. He would ignore parallel Senseney Road just to the south. The Valley Pike coming in from the north would be an important route for both sides, and continuing southwest out of Winchester it was Early’s main line of retreat. The railroad to Harpers Ferry was not in operation.
Although much of the battlefield was covered in woods, two in particular, simply referred to as ‘First Woods’ and ‘Second Woods,’ were important to the battle and are shown on the map. North of Winchester the Star Fort and Fort Collier played a minor role in the battle. Hackwood and the Dinkle Farm were also important battlefield landmarks. Hackwood house still stands today.