Battle of Hanover Courthouse
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| Battle of Hanover Courthouse | |||||||
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| Part of American Civil War | |||||||
 Commencement of the battle of Hanover Ct. House. 1:45 PM. Alfred R. Waud, artist, May 27, 1862. |
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| Combatants | |||||||
| United States of America | Confederate States of America | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Fitz John Porter | Lawrence O'B. Branch | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Divisions | Divisions | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| 397 | 930 | ||||||
| Peninsula Campaign |
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| Hampton Roads – Yorktown – Williamsburg – Eltham's Landing – Drewry's Bluff – Hanover Courthouse – Seven Pines – Seven Days Battles (Oak Grove – Beaver Dam Creek – Gaines' Mill – Garnett's & Golding's Farm – Savage's Station – White Oak Swamp – Glendale – Malvern Hill) |
The Battle of Hanover Courthouse, also known as the Battle of Slash Church, took place on May 27, 1862 in Hanover County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War.
On May 27, elements of Brigadier General Fitz John Porter's V Corps extended north to protect the right flank of Major General George B. McClellan's Union Army of the Potomac that now straddled the Chickahominy River. Porter's objective was to cut the railroad and to open the Telegraph Road for Union reinforcements under Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell that were marching south from Fredericksburg. Confederate forces, attempting to prevent this maneuver, were defeated just south of Hanover Courthouse after a stiff fight. The Union victory was moot, however, for McDowell's reinforcements were recalled to Fredericksburg upon word of Nathaniel P. Banks's rout at First Winchester.
