Shepherdstown, West Virginia is not quite halfway between Harpers Ferry and Williamsport on the Potomac River and three miles southwest of Sharpsburg, Maryland. At the start of 1861 it was a prosperous town with a bridge across the Potomac that carried significant traffic from the Shenandoah Valley into Maryland. But the bridge was burned with the coming of the Civil War. Crossing the broad Potomac once again meant fording, and the best place for several miles in either direction was the place called both Pack Horse Ford and Boteler’s Ford.

The ford was the scene of military movements throughout the war, but none were more important than in September 1862 around the Battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg. “Stonewall” Jackson with almost two thirds of Lee’s army crossed here to rejoin his chief after his successful siege and Capture of Harpers Ferry. The whole Confederate Army of Northern Virginia withdrew south across this ford after the bloody battle. On its heels the Federal Fifth Corps advanced across the river, pushing back the outnumbered Confederate defenders until they in turn were thrown back by a counterattack in the Battle of Shepherdstown.

Today three historical markers on a seldom-visited side road on the West Virginia side of the Potomac show the location of the ford and the battle that was the final act of America’s bloodiest day.

“Pack Horse Ford” West Virginia historical marker

The marker is on the south bank of the Potomac just east of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The ford itself, also known as Boteler’s Ford, is a short distance upstream.

Text from the historical marker:

Pack Horse Ford

Early settlers crossed
the Potomac here. “Stonewall”
Jackson and A.P.Hill used
ford enroute to Battle of
Antietam. Here Lee’s army
forded after battle with
the Corn Exchange Regiment
& other Federals in pursuit.

Boteler’s Ford War Department Markers

In the 1890’s the War Department placed descriptive iron tablets around the Antietam Battlefield and in several outlying locations important to the battle. One of these locations was Boteler’s Ford (also known as Pack Horse Ford) outside Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Here Union forces attempted to attack Lee’s army after its withdrawal across the Potomac, only to be thrown back with heavy losses. Only two of the markers survive today but the text of the other three has been preserved. All are shown below.

From the first marker:

This crossing of the Potomac was known as Boteler’s, Blackford’s or the Shepherdstown Ford. By it five Divisions of the Army of Northern Virginia, coming from Harpers Ferry, crossed into Maryland, September 16 and 17, 1862, and marched to the field of A.ntietam. Jackson’s and Ewell’s Divisions crossed the Ford on the morning of the 16th; McLaws’ and R. H. Anderson’s Divisions before sunrise on the 17th, and A. P. Hill’s Division about noon of the same day. During the night of the 18th, and early morning of the 19th, the entire army recrossed from Maryland covered by Artillery in position on the Virginia bluffs overlooking the river.

B.F. 1.

From the second marker, which no longer stands:

(September 19, 1862)

The Army of Northern Virginia, Gen. R. E. Lee Commanding, crossed Blackford’s Ford during the night of September 18, 1862, and on the morning of the 19th took up its line of march in the direction of Williamsport. Lawton’s and Armistead’s Brigades were left to guard the Ford and 44 guns were placed on the bluffs, north and south of this point, to check the Union pursuit. Heavy Artillery firing and Infantry sharpshooting continued during the day, by which some of the Confederate Artillery was silenced. At dark while the Confederate Artillery was being withdrawn, detachments from the 4th Michigan, 18th and 22nd Mass., and 118th Pennsylvania Infantry, under command of Brigadier General Charles Griffin, crossed the Ford, forced back General Lawton’s and Armistead’s Brigades and captured 2 guns which were taken across the river. Griffin remained on this side between 2 and 3 hours and recrossed to Maryland. Early on the morning of the 20th, the 4th Michigan and 62nd Pennsylvania Infantry crossed to this side of the river and secured 3 guns and several caissons, returning to the Maryland side at 8 A. M.

B.F. 2.

From the third marker, which survived:

(September 20, 1862)

Early in the morning of September 20, movements were made by General McClellan to ascertain the position of the Army of Northern Virginia. Maj. Charles S. Lovell’s Brigade (1st and 6th, 2d and 10th, the 11th and 17th U.S. Infantry) Sykes’ Division, 5th Corps, crossed the Ford and pushed out on the Charlestown Road. Barnes’ Brigade, Morell’s Division, was ordered to cross and move on Shepherdstown. Lovell had gone about a mile and a half on the Charlestown Road when he met the Confederates in force. The Brigade was deployed, about-faced and fell back to the bluffs bordering the river and on either side of the Charlestown Road. The 2d and 10th Infantry were deployed as skirmishers in a belt of woods on the left front. Warren’s Brigade (5th and 10th N. Y. Infantry) Sykes’ Division, crossed at the Ford and formed on Lovell’s left. Barnes, being ordered by Sykes to form on Lovell’s right, suspended his movement on Shepherdstown and went into position west of the mill, 220 yards north of this point. Lovell’s skirmishers and some Cavalry, which had crossed and gone to the front were now pressed back by the advance of A. P. Hill’s Confederate Division and Sykes ordered the entire command to recross the Potomac, which was done in good order by Lovell’s and Warren’s Brigades. The Confederate advance on the part of the line held by them being checked by the fire of Weed’s, Randol’s and Van Reed’s Batteries posted on the heights on the Maryland side of the river. Barnes’ Brigade, the last ordered withdrawn, met with great loss at the mill and on the bluffs and river bank beyond.

B.F. 3.

From the fourth and fifth markers, which no longer stand:

Barnes’ Brigade

Col. James Barnes, 18th Massachusetts Infantry, Commanding
Organization 2d Maine, 18th and 22d Massachusetts, 1st Michigan, 13th and 25th New York, 118th Pennsylvania Infantry, 2d Company Massachusetts Sharpshooters

(September 20, 1862)

Barnes’ Brigade of Morell’s Division, Fifth Corps, crossed the Potomac at the Ford 420 yards south of this at 9 A.M., September 20, under orders to march on the River Road to Shepherdstown. When it became known that A. P. Hill’s Confederate Division was in front and advancing, Gen. Sykes ordered the Brigade to suspend its movement on Shepherdstown and take position on the right of Lovell’s Brigade, which was on the bluffs south of this point. The greater part of the Brigade pushed part way up the slope of the bluffs a few yards west of this, with skirmishers thrown well to the front; the 118th Pennsylvania advanced up the bluff north of this point to extend the Brigade line to the right. The formation of the line had not been completed when the Brigade was ordered to be withdrawn. That portion of the Brigade in front and to the left of this was withdrawn, under fire, and recrossed the river in good order and with slight loss, but the 118th Pennsylvania was attacked by A. P. Hill’s Division and suffered severely in killed, wounded and prisoners.

B.F. 4.

118th Pennsylvania Infantry

(Corn Exchange Regiment)
Colonel Charles M. Prevost, Commanding
(September 20, 1862)

The 118th Pennsylvania Infantry (737 officers and men) crossed the river by the Ford south of this and was ordered into position on the bluff running north from this point. The Regiment ascended the bluff and had not completely formed line—375 to 425 yards north of this and about 125 yards west of the river road—when it was attacked in front and on both flanks by A. P. Hill’s Division and, after a short and sanguinary engagement, was obliged to retire in considerable confusion, many of the men escaping by this ravine, others being driven over the precipitous bluff north and killed or mangled; many were captured. Some recrossed the river at the Ford, some by the breast of the dam, 130 yards north of this; others swam the stream above the dam, or crossed between the dam and Ford. Numbers were killed while crossing, by the Confederates, who advanced to the edge of the bluff, some of them occupying the mill and firing from its windows. Others were drowned. The loss of the Regiment was 63 killed, 101 wounded, and 105 captured or missing. The loss of A. P. Hill’s Division in the day’s operation was 30 killed and 231 wounded.

B.F. 5

Location and directions to Boteler’s (or Pack Horse) Ford

The markers are a short distance east of Shepherdstown. From the intersection of Duke and German Streets in Shepherdstown (intersection of State Routes 230, 480 and 45) take German Street (State Route 230) about 1.75 miles east. German Street becomes River Road as it leaves town. The tablets are on the southwest side of the corner of River Road and Trough Road. (39°25’40.2″N 77°46’43.2″W)