Battle of South Mountain • Turner’s Gap • Fox’s Gap • Crampton’s Gap
The Stage is Set wayside marker is one of a set of six on the south side of Gapland Road at Crampon’s Gap on the South Mountain battlefield. (map) The area is part of Gathland State Park.
From the marker:
The Stage is Set
On the evening of September 13, 1862, Confederate cavalry under Brigadier General Wade Hampton and Colonel Thomas Munford occupied the Crampton’s Gap/Burkittsville vicinity. Early on the 14th, Major General J.E.B. Stuart, en route to Harpers Ferry, met with Munford and Hampton. Stuart took Hampton’s cavalry with him, leaving Munford’s 2nd and 12th Virginia Cavalry regiments behind. Late that morning Munford, who had fewer than 300 troopers, spotted a large Federal force approaching his position from the east. A mile south of Munford’s position at Brownsville Pass, Brigadier General Paul Semmes also watched the long blue columns moving closer. To bolster Munford’s line, he sent Colonel William A. Parham’s brigade, the 6th, 12th, and 16th Virginia infantry regiments and the Portsmouth Light Artillery, as well as the 10th Georgia Infantry from is own brigade.
Across the valley, the Federal VI Corps, numbering 12,800 men and commanded by Major General William Franklin, slowly made its way toward South Mountain. General George B. McClellan, in a lengthy dispatch, ordered Franklin to drive through Crampton’s Gap, fall on McLaws’ rear at Maryland Heights, and relieve the Harpers Ferry garrison. At noon the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry, at the head of Franklin’s column, turned left into Distillery Lane about a quarter mile east of Burkittsville. Sending skirmishers forward, the 96th crossed a fence line into a field behind the town. Within minutes Confederate artillery fire from Brownsville Pass forced the Federals back. Confederate skirmishers advanced into the village, but were forced back by Union skirmishers. By the time the rest of the VI Corps arrived, the Confederates had retreated. The Federals stopped and cooked their rations while Franklin pondered his next move.
Presented to the people of the United States by Gene and Sharon Dennis of San Diego, California.
Order of Battle
Confederate States of America
Brig. Gen. Paul Semmes
10th Ga. 53rd Ga. 15th Va.
32nd. Va. 1st NC Art.
Richmond (Va.) Fayette Art.
Magruder (Va.) Light Art.
Col. William A. Parham
6th Va. 12th Va. 16th Va. 41st Va.
Portsmouth Light Artillery
United States of America
Major General William B. Franklin, VI Corps
Major Gen. Henry W. Slocum
Col. Torbert Col. Bartlett Brig. Gen. Newton
1st N.J. 2nd N.J. 5th Me. 16th N.Y. 27th N.Y. 18th N.Y. 31st N.Y.
3rd N.J. 4th N.J. 121st N.Y. 96th Pa. 32nd N.Y. 95th Pa.
Major Gen. William F. (Baldy) Smith
Brig. Gen. Brooks
2nd Vt. 3rd Vt.
4th Vt. 5th Vt. 6th Vt.